fraud by csa

June 30, 2008

I started paying child support to the C.S.A. in Jan 2008 and accidentally put the wrong year on the date of my first cheque that i sent them. They where very quick to inform me of this error and stated that they had returned the cheque to me and asked if i had received it. i informed them i had not and was asked if i could sent a replacement which i did in good faith, this was promptly cashed and I thought no more of it.

Then in march i noticed my account had a lot less in it than it should have had, in fact i was now overdrawn. on investigation i discovered that a cheque had been cashed to the same value as the one the C.S.A. had told me was being returned. i checked the cheque numbers and found them to be the same so i then visited the bank to find out where the money had gone. The bank also obtained a copy of the cheque for me which clearly shows that the cheque was altered so it could be cashed. Now i new where the money had gone i confronted the case worker who had told me the cheque had been returned to inform him of there error and that i wanted them to refund the money plus my bank charge for them making me go over drawn. His responce was that the money had already been payed to my ex wife and that i should try and recover this from her. i told him that this was unacceptable and there fault and that they should not go committing fraud and that if they did not return the money i would go to the police. after telling him i wanted to make a formal complaint i was told he would sort things out and 2 weeks later i received a cheque for £30 by way of a good will gesture. i then phoned him to find out what was going on and that this wasnt good enough, i wanted to know who at his department had the nerve to alter someone else’s cheque and thought that this was acceptable or even legal. he said he didnt know and still couldnt issue a refund, i replied that untill the matter was resolved to my satisfaction i would be sending no more money to them as they could not be trusted. the following month they issued a deduction of earnings which i found out about through the pay office at work, not from the csa, i recived the letter to me from the csa nearly a month after the pay office informed me which was dated after the letter that was sent to them, the csa are suposed to notify the me before going to my pay office so clearly this shows the csa dont follow there own laid down procedures, at this point there intention was to take nearly £800 from my wages that month. i then phoned them to be told that it was payment plus arrears but would not discuss the matter further. at this point i felt i could cope no longer and spoke to my partner saying i would have to give up contact with my daughter as i could no longer afford the 1000 mile round trip to see her, a variation has been refused to me from the start for travel costs because altho i had proof of travel my ex wife said i didn’t visit as often as i had been.

my partner then phoned the csa and finally got to speak to someone and told them that i was considering suicide due to the csa`s actions and demands. the csa then phoned her back and told her that arrears had to be paid back with in 2 years, she told them that it was a guideline and not a law, after 4 repeats of this statement the csa worker agreed it was a guideline and not a law and removed the deo and said i had to pay £310 per month, altho we got the deo removed and payments cut my partner and i are devastated that i had to get so depressed and seriously consider suicide in order to achieve this.

regarding the fraudulently changed cheque, i reported it to the police but when i phoned to see if any progress was being made i was told they had refunded the stolen money the day before (which they had done by putting directly in to my bank) and that the case was closed, i asked for the name of the person responsible for altering my cheque but was told that was not possible due to the data protection act, i stated that it was my data that had been abused and i was owed an explanation but instead the police officer stated he would not discuss this matter any further, this policeman was rude and arrogant and clearly not the least bit interested, if however it was i who stole from the csa by means of fraud i would be in court and facing a heavy fine or even prison, this is no way to treat a father and some one who has given up his life to serve in the British armed forces!

this is the shortened version of events and believe me the csa are quite happy to leave fathers with no money and no way of seeing there children, its a disgrace that children should be made to suffer because of the csa, luckily i can now continue to see my daughter as my payments were dropped, but the thought of when i was going to have to tell her i would not be seeing her anymore is still very much in my head and upsets me greatly.

we all need to stick together to change the unfair csa system, if everyone stands together surley it should make a difference.

Comments

  • chall1964 says:

    What an absolute horror story 🙁

    Chestylaroo, I am pleased you have resolved some of your issues with the CSA. At the same time I am utterly disgusted that the CSA have put you in this position.

    Correctly you have stated ‘we all need to stick together to change the unfair csa system, if everyone stands together surley it should make a difference’.
    If we are to have any chance of change and be taken seriously by the Government we ALL need to unite, every NRP, PWC and partners, that have issues with the CSA need to be together and fight a fairer system.

    Which is why ‘afairercsaforall’ came about. We welcome ALL parents.

  • chall1964 says:

    Sorry, typo…

    If we are to have any chance of change and be taken seriously by the Government we ALL need to unite, every NRP, PWC and partners, that have issues with the CSA need to be together and fight for a fairer system.

    Which is why ‘afairercsaforall’ came about. We welcome ALL parents

  • deadbeatdads says:

    Chesty and Partner absolutely marvellous story, glad all the advice given by DBDA managed to give you an outcome satisfactorily to you both. Thank you for keeping up the communication with DBDA and if any further assistance or in house support is needed then please do not hesitate to contact us.
    We are so glad the laws that DBDA found out for you managed to work in your favour, more and more NRPs and NRPPS who have joined the Association have had quite a few success stories and we welcome any NRP NRPP who have trouble with this Draconian lawless Agency to join us.
    http://www.deadbeatdadsassociation.co.uk

  • Roger Namey says:

    I left the marital home 08th June 2008, but I am being forced to pay maintenance from April 2008, up until end of May 2008 I had paid most bills and the mortgage.
    Is this correct? I feel this is unfair and have questioned this with CSA, to which they responded that it is correct, I could get a reduction if I was paying mortgage while not living there, but no reduction if I was living there!

  • Michael says:

    Roger, you’re being asked to pay maintenance for the time you actually lived with your children and their mother?

    That can’t be right at all! The CSA really have no clue do they?

  • Jamie says:

    This useless organisation has messed my life up. I rang them to say I was made redundent last year. The woman on the phone said ok no problem, we will put your payments on hold. When I was successfull to get employment months after, i rang up to reinstate payments, and they said i owe arrears. They reckon I never rang to inform them I waqs unemployed, and they charged me full wack for my unnemployment period in which they claim i never got made redundent. They said i owe £800. There is nothing I can do about it. This organisation can really put suicide thoughts into my head, its impossible to pay £99 per week out of my wages but they dont care, they are nothing but tossers!!!!!!!!

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