Advice needed regarding forged signature
Discussion
On Friday last week I was contacted by my boss in work. He explained that a government backed company had been in touch seeking information regarding my employment.
This company are used by DWP/Job centre to help people get into employment after being on ESA (sick) and track them and their employment after they have found work.
After an accident I was off work for some time and finally regained employment after around 7 months (of which I have now been in for almost a year).
I was happy for the information to be passed onto this company until I was given a copy of the attached consent form they had sent via email.
The consent form is filled in with my name and signature. The signature is nothing like my own and the handwriting again is nothing like mine. Worse still it is dated back in march (long after the last time I was at their premises). To further irritate me they have then rubber stamped this with a "this is a true and accurate original document" at the bottom.
After I seen this I told my boss to cease contact with the company.
I am fuming about this blatant act of forgery from a government backed company.
Where do I stand legally and what recourse am I able to exact on them? If any?
Thanks and atb mike
This company are used by DWP/Job centre to help people get into employment after being on ESA (sick) and track them and their employment after they have found work.
After an accident I was off work for some time and finally regained employment after around 7 months (of which I have now been in for almost a year).
I was happy for the information to be passed onto this company until I was given a copy of the attached consent form they had sent via email.
The consent form is filled in with my name and signature. The signature is nothing like my own and the handwriting again is nothing like mine. Worse still it is dated back in march (long after the last time I was at their premises). To further irritate me they have then rubber stamped this with a "this is a true and accurate original document" at the bottom.
After I seen this I told my boss to cease contact with the company.
I am fuming about this blatant act of forgery from a government backed company.
Where do I stand legally and what recourse am I able to exact on them? If any?
Thanks and atb mike
It looks like fraud and/or an abuse of DPA. Whether it's an isolated incident or not, who knows? It's probably unfair to suggest it must be widescale simply 'because'.
It might be worth a quick email to the company concerned however, if there's no detriment to your own life, it's probably not worth getting too hot under the collar over.
It might be worth a quick email to the company concerned however, if there's no detriment to your own life, it's probably not worth getting too hot under the collar over.
tenpenceshort said:
It looks like fraud and/or an abuse of DPA. Whether it's an isolated incident or not, who knows? It's probably unfair to suggest it must be widescale simply 'because'.
It might be worth a quick email to the company concerned however, if there's no detriment to your own life, it's probably not worth getting too hot under the collar over.
Really?! Just because he wasn't harmed, he shouldn't be concerned about someone forging his signature? What about the next time when it's potentially (a lot) more serious?It might be worth a quick email to the company concerned however, if there's no detriment to your own life, it's probably not worth getting too hot under the collar over.
tenpenceshort said:
It looks like fraud and/or an abuse of DPA. Whether it's an isolated incident or not, who knows? It's probably unfair to suggest it must be widescale simply 'because'.
It might be worth a quick email to the company concerned however, if there's no detriment to your own life, it's probably not worth getting too hot under the collar over.
There was a Radio 4 investigation into a related topic :It might be worth a quick email to the company concerned however, if there's no detriment to your own life, it's probably not worth getting too hot under the collar over.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b047zm1h
Which includes the investigation into wide spread forgery of signatures by a training company for certifications.
HonestIago said:
tenpenceshort said:
It looks like fraud and/or an abuse of DPA. Whether it's an isolated incident or not, who knows? It's probably unfair to suggest it must be widescale simply 'because'.
It might be worth a quick email to the company concerned however, if there's no detriment to your own life, it's probably not worth getting too hot under the collar over.
Really?! Just because he wasn't harmed, he shouldn't be concerned about someone forging his signature? What about the next time when it's potentially (a lot) more serious?It might be worth a quick email to the company concerned however, if there's no detriment to your own life, it's probably not worth getting too hot under the collar over.
It's also worth pointing out that, before the OP discovered the forgery, he was willing to comply with the request to share his info.
tenpenceshort said:
It sounds as if the forgery was to enable data gathering, I assume to help hit some target or other. If it were for some financial gain at the OP's expense or for permission to hand over sensitive data (such as financial or medical) I might be a bit more willing to pursue it. It seems here the harm being done is companies gaining their own financial advantage at the taxpayer's expense by having avoided getting clients' signatures.
It's also worth pointing out that, before the OP discovered the forgery, he was willing to comply with the request to share his info.
I was willing to supply the information. Should I not consider any action? I'm not one for making a mountain out of a mole hill but admit I was pissed at the thought of then doing it. After all if I was to forge a persons signature for whatever reason I'd feel as though I was breaking the law and would expect recourse if found out.It's also worth pointing out that, before the OP discovered the forgery, he was willing to comply with the request to share his info.
OP - I think you are probably right and that this is the tip of the iceberg. As the company are probably making money out of the fact that they have helped X persons back into work via grants or similar or the individual advisors are.
If you go back to them about it this will give them the chance to destroy any evidence (which is what I would do if I had been so stupid and was alerted to the fact I could have my collar felt). Their actions are fraudulent and they should be stopped. Action Fraud are probably your best bet however if they aren't too interested I'll bet one of the National newspapers would be willing to investigate and expose.
If you go back to them about it this will give them the chance to destroy any evidence (which is what I would do if I had been so stupid and was alerted to the fact I could have my collar felt). Their actions are fraudulent and they should be stopped. Action Fraud are probably your best bet however if they aren't too interested I'll bet one of the National newspapers would be willing to investigate and expose.
If they get paid for doing this by tax payers and are making things up then its at all our expense. There's both potentially a fraud case in gaining information by false pretenses and a breach of the data protection act. I'd raise both.
This isn't a mistake or an accident. Companies that act in this way need to addressed.
This isn't a mistake or an accident. Companies that act in this way need to addressed.
valverguy said:
I think I will speak with my union official in work and get him to put me in touch with our legal representation and ask their advice too.
I hadn't thought of the financial implications on the tax payer.
I just didn't want to over react and look silly.
Ta
If anyone accuses you of being silly then ignore them, there are a whole host of things potentially going on here from potentially an over enthusiastic person down the ranks who's pushing through a bit of paper work they forgot to get (which doesn't make it right) to systemic corruption in an organisation where its common practice to do this to hit targets and get paid. Union is a good idea although they might not be interested if its not directly linked to your employer although if they want to Tory Bash then they might be interested for other political reasons!I hadn't thought of the financial implications on the tax payer.
I just didn't want to over react and look silly.
Ta
It will probably be a work programme provider, with some groups of 'customers' that they help back to work, the payments are very heavily end loaded (in some cases up to 27months after initial placement). There have been instances of multi-million pound contracts being pulled or not awarded for falsification of data (eg. G4s, serco etc. having something similar recently).
It depends upon whether you wish to stir up trouble and that depends on whether you think the company is worth bringing to book. DWP will take it very seriously should you wish to raise a complaint and they are itching to find reasons to pull non-performing companies.
There are a few good guy companies in the mix but the majority of them are sharks and I wouldn't lose a second sleep over causing them hassle.
It depends upon whether you wish to stir up trouble and that depends on whether you think the company is worth bringing to book. DWP will take it very seriously should you wish to raise a complaint and they are itching to find reasons to pull non-performing companies.
There are a few good guy companies in the mix but the majority of them are sharks and I wouldn't lose a second sleep over causing them hassle.
LeftmostAardvark said:
... DWP will take it very seriously should you wish to raise a complaint and they are itching to find reasons to pull non-performing companies.
...
One in particular of the companies you named in your thread has 'form' in this area, as well as letting the side down with security for a large sporting event at the last minute. ...
I don't see any significant sanctions against them (apart from financial at the time); after a period of time they are being given work by government again (and, as per a recent Private Eye, were also in discussions regarding future contracts with government despite being barred from bidding for such at the time).
No, I'll be frank - there are no apparent or meaningful consequences for this behaviour.
These parasites are one of the higger things wrong with the way this country is 'run' nowadays
; the 'big four' accountancy firms, hand in hand with this, are another... 
Back to the OP and the thread title, I'd say to call the police non emergency number and report a suspected fraud - and make sure you get an 'incident number' so later enquiries can be made if no-one is actually interested
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