Benefit fraud: Snitches save Sweden millions
TT/The Local/og - [email protected]
Published: 2 Apr, 2014 CET.
Updated: Wed 2 Apr 2014 10:27 CET
Sweden's social insurance agency recovered 170 million kronor last year after it tightened its reins on catching benefit fraudsters, thanks largely to a healthy dose of snitching from irate Swedes.
The insurance agency (Försäkringskassan) pulled in 170 million kronor ($26.4 million) in 2013, reported Sveriges Radio (SR), an increase of 70 million kronor compared to 2012. The agency started its push against benefits cheats in 2011 after an increase in tip-offs from the public about people claiming the need for personal carers. The insurance agency put 26 would-be care providers under the microscope and have had a strong response. "The convictions we've landed have been in Örebro and Linköping and we had one spectacular case in Härnösand," Thomas Falck, department head at the agency, told SR. The benefit cheating can be anything from companies that don't provide care services or people claiming they have a disability that prevents them from working.
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The insurance agency (Försäkringskassan) pulled in 170 million kronor ($26.4 million) in 2013, reported Sveriges Radio (SR), an increase of 70 million kronor compared to 2012.
The agency started its push against benefits cheats in 2011 after an increase in tip-offs from the public about people claiming the need for personal carers.
The insurance agency put 26 would-be care providers under the microscope and have had a strong response.
"The convictions we've landed have been in Örebro and Linköping and we had one spectacular case in Härnösand," Thomas Falck, department head at the agency, told SR.
The benefit cheating can be anything from companies that don't provide care services or people claiming they have a disability that prevents them from working.
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