A mother who claimed asylum under a bogus identity in order to conduct a £70,000 benefits fraud has been told she would have been sent to prison if it weren’t for her five children.
Leyla Yusuf posed as a penniless Somali immigrant who needed state help to raise her and her family, but in reality she was a Dutch national with a comfortable lifestyle including property in Dubai.
The 31-year-old put in an asylum claim under the false name Leyla Hassan and was given a national insurance number enabling her to make claims for child and housing benefit, council tax help, income support, tax credits and community care grants.
Despite the fact that her alter ego had her real year of birth, phone numbers, and some children with the same names, the audacious fraud went undetected for seven years.
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Refugees filing multiple claims under bogus names became so rampant that Canada finally had to resort to fingerprinting all applicants. Western countries have genuinely earned the reputation of being suckers and easy marks in the 3rd world and elsewhere. For one thing the impoverishsed masses in these countries see us dumping 100′s of millions of money into their country only to have it stolen by those in charge. When we see that the money has disappeared with no appreciative benefit or improvement in the standard of living what do we do? We just send more money, sometimes a lot more money, and it too ends up being stolen. Is it any wonder they view us as having more money than we know what to do with so why not get a piece of the action. With court decisions such as this word quickly filters back and what should have been seen as a deterrent becomes encouragement. Our governments are reluctant to tackle this issue with determination out of fear of the usual and so quickly thrown about accusations of racism. They are also worried about getting an international reputation of being a meanie pants. Our liberalized guilt ridden courts haven’t got the courage to set an example, choosing instead to be an example.
It’s going on everywhere, BTDT. Canada is no exception and I say that because when a country gives away “freebies” the world will respond.
Why would they not?
Jack, what you say is true. However, there are certain groups that seem to be involved over and over again in such scams, and in a number of countries.