A Dunedin benefit fraudster forged documents to scam more than $5000 from the public purse, a court has heard.
Courtney Joy Torrance, 40, wrote a letter to the Ministry of Social Development, purporting to be from her mother, saying her daughter was now living with her.
It was a fake — and nine months later an investigation confirmed that.
Torrance’s was just one of a handful of benefit fraud cases that made it to court, the Otago Daily Times revealed last week.
According to the ministry’s statistics, there were just 30 successful prosecutions in the last financial year, but that number was expected to rise.
It said the drop-off was the result of an increased focus on early intervention, which enabled beneficiaries to ‘‘do the right thing’’ before charges were laid.
Torrance, however, did not take the opportunity to discuss her matter with the ministry, court documents said.
A summary of facts detailed how she had received Jobseeker Support and an accommodation supplement since 2019.
In January last year, Torrance told the ministry she now had her teenage daughter in her care.
The letter, supposedly from her mother, was all the confirmation required and her benefit payments increased.
But when the ministry received a tip-off later that year, investigators discovered the girl had in fact been living with Torrance’s parents for the previous 14 years.
In total, the defendant received $5589 to which she was not entitled.
The ministry would use its powers under the Social Security Act 2018 to recover the funds, the court heard.
Counsel Deborah Henderson said her client was now in a more stable position and was ‘‘very sorry’’.
Judge David Robinson said such swindles were relatively easy to commit but difficult to detect.
Torrance was ordered to undertake 100 hours’ community work.
Last year, the ministry detected 5751 cases of benefit fraud nationwide — a five-year high.
rob.kidd@odt.co.nz , Court reporter
