Cross-Border Benefit Fraud
from 5 Live Investigates Hosted by BBC Radio 5 Live
Adrian Goldberg presents cutting edge investigative journalism. 5 Live Investigates uncovers disturbing evidence of Polish workers victimised by an elaborate credit, loans and benefits scam. Polish criminal gangs are luring impoverished young workers to Britain with the promise of work, and use a range of pressure tactics and lies to steal their identity. After encouraging their victims to open bank accounts and sign on for benefits, they then ditch them and send them home. They then use their identities to claim thousands of pounds in loans, hire purchase agreements, benefits and tax credits. 5 live Investigates speaks to victims and reveals a tale of cross-border fraud and trafficking which is exploiting some of Europe's poorest people in order to defraud the British banking system and the UK taxpayer. Also: last year 5 live Investigates reported on the trail of debt left in the UK by Indian businessman, Ahsan Ali Syed, who at the time was bidding to buy Blackburn Rovers FC. Having failed in his bid to buy Rovers, Mr Ali is now looking to invest in football clubs in Spain and New Zealand, but reports this week in the Australian press claim he is behind a multi-million dollar loan fraud. 5 live Investigates speaks to the reporters behind this latest scoop. Plus journalist Hugh Miles on his investigation for Radio 4 into the Libyan money trail. And 'log book loans' - following last week's investigations, listeners explain why it's so difficult to check whether there's an outstanding loan on a car.
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