The government says “abroad fraud” costs the taxpayer £66m last year A crackdown has been launched by the government on UK benefit cheats who live abroad.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has joined forces with overseas counterparts to target the countries where the most cases take place.
The DWP said the highest instances of fraud was recorded by people living in Spain, Pakistan, the US and Bangladesh.
Scams include people not declaring they have moved abroad or claiming for relatives who have died.
Others examples are working while abroad, having unreported assets such as property, savings or even yachts, or exaggerating a level of disability.
Claimants are told to notify the DWP if they go abroad as it could affect entitlement to benefits.
UK fraud investigators work with overseas organisations such as land registries, as well as the Foreign Office and British banks, to track down the cheats.
Welfare reform minister Lord Freud said: “Abroad fraud cost the taxpayer around £66m last year.
“This money should be going to the people who need it most and not lining the pockets of criminals sunning themselves overseas.
“We are determined to stop benefit thieves stealing from the British taxpayer and recently launched our hotline in Portugal to make it even easier to report benefit crime.”
The Portuguese hotline adds to an existing service available in Spain.
One benefit cheat living in Granada, Spain, was recently caught after a hotline call.
She had claimed more than £10,000 income support and child tax credits since 2006 despite living with a partner abroad.
She later pleaded guilty in court was ordered to undertake community service work and repay the money.
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