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While it is estimated that tens of thousands of people are scamming the benefit system each year and costing tax payers over £1 billion, some of the cons taking place are even more outrageous than others. These may be the top 5 fraudsters that were caught, and each has been identified by the proper authorities, paid fines and/or was jailed.

#1 was Karen Trant. She was jailed for 27 months. She used welfare money to buy a flat in Goa, had a tummy tuck, and in total stole over £130,000 from the government. The fraud was so outrageous in both the amount of money stolen and what it was used to pay for. Ms. Trant even claimed she could not leave her home in Dartmouth, Devon, but then she went and bought a home on Goa and traveled there many times.

Manchester resident Sonia Mellor is a fraudster who claimed over £100,000 from income support, council tax benefit and housing benefits. So she is #2. She told the authorities she spent all day in bed for many days, however she was really a pole dancer! She also walked her children to school and claimed she was a single mother. All of this is a lie, and Ms. Mellor will be serving several months as well and needs to repay the system.

Mark Kemp scammed the government of the third highest amount. He cheated from the government for over 15 years for a total of £35,000. The Oldham, Lancs resident received assistance from disability. However, at the same time he was claiming this benefit, he was traveling across the UK and teaching people marital arts. Mr. Kemop was also a Ju-Jitsu expert, all while he was on disability. He will be sent to jail for up to 6 months and is also under curfew.

Mr. Peter Beddoe is #4. He received money from the Disability Living Allowance for 5 years, and it was caught by the government in 2014. In total, he received over £28,000. Mr. Beddoe was far from disabled though, as he was even a body builder during that time frame! So he claimed he could not walk, but at the same time he was lifting weights and squatting in the gym.

#5 is Mr. Allan Baldwin. The Lockerbie resident also claimed the Disability Living Allowance to the tune of over £25,000. He was jailed for over 9 months, and has to do 200 hours of community service as there is little hope of him repaying the money. However, as a hobby, Mr. Baldwin was a dancer, and would often walk for miles as he danced.

Youtube sensation Joseph Ross may be a close runner up. He stole over £23,000 by claiming he did not have a job. However, the guitar player was traveling all over the world playing guitar with The Xtra Factor and other bands. Mr. Ross, of West Midlands, repaid only about £500 of the total he scammed, and will also be going to jail for several months.

Those are just a few of the cheats that were caught in 2014. Sadly, there are thousands of others gaming the system, and many of them have not been caught. The hope is that Universal Credit, with more record keeping, will help reduce the possibility of scams occurring.

The Department for Work and Pensions also encourages people to report fraud. They have a number to call, and that is 0800 854440, and it will ring the National Benefit Fraud Hotline. All calls are confidential, and the hope is all these cheaters will be caught with the help of honest citizens.