Hello, not sure if this is the correct section to write this because this situation seems complicated. It does involve claiming benefits though. I also apologize if this ends up long winded but I feel I need to give as much information as possible:
I studied my Masters in the UK (I am American) starting September 2015. My visa was originally suppose to finish January 28, 2017 but when my course finished June 17, 2016 I received a letter from my university stating they have reported my completion of studies to Home Office and my visa would be curtailed. I was told from my university that I would receive a letter detailing my curtailment but was warned that I would have three months to leave the country from the end date of my course. I stayed until about September 9, 2016 and left out of fear of over staying my welcome (I never received the letter from Home Office).
I came to visit the UK for a month (to see my girlfriend) from January to February of this year. I just came back to the UK to visit again (arrived last week, May) and I had trouble at Heathrow airport. They basically asked me a few questions to determine whether I was prepared to stay for that long after having already visited a few months ago. So I was put in holding for the guy to check my background and I was fine with this. First he comes back and tells me that it showed that I over stayed my welcome by coming back in January (Because to him it showed I was still on a student visa) but he corrected this when I told him my visa was curtailed.
Then next he says "I want you to be straight with me because if you're lying we will know". I say okay and he asked if I have been receiving Job Seekers Allowance outside of the UK. I tell him no, I have never received job seekers allowance. He then shows me a piece of paper with an address and ask if it was familiar to me. The address was the one I stayed at while I did my studies and I told him that. He then goes on to say that under my name it shows I have been accepting job seekers allowance since March, 2017.
He basically told me I was going to be in holding for a while because he needed to determine whether I was actually accepting job seekers allowance or if someone was using my identity. I then ask him how would anyone even receive those benefits because I was under the assumption you need to be either from EU or be a UK citizen. He tells me I have to physically be in the UK and have a proof of address. I told him "wouldn't the fact that someone started accepting Job Seekers Allowance in March already be sufficient evidence because I left before March?" He never answered that question and just assured me that I would be there for a while and if he couldn't determine whether I was lying or not I would not be allowed to enter the UK.
So about an hour later he comes back and tells me that I am allowed to enter the UK. He says "it looks like you weren't in the UK around the time when the Job Seekers Allowance was applied for" (which is what I already told him). He suggested during my vacation that I report it to the police and he says that I will be flagged and anytime I visit the UK now I will most likely be held and will have to explain my case every time. He says this was done so that they could potentially catch the person this way.
I tried reporting to the police but they told me to talk to Job Centre Plus first and then call action fraud afterward. I went to Job Centre Plus today, explained my case to about three different people and they were all completely puzzled. One guy even said this was very unusual and it never happens. I finally speak to a floor manager, who is also puzzled, and at some point her line of questioning almost made it seem like she was trying to find out whether I was the one who was illegally accepting these benefits. I gave her my NINo so she could look me up and all I wanted to do was find out whether or not my account was tied to any Job Seeker benefits. She looked it up but then she couldn't tell me because that information was confidential. She took my information (previous address, address for current stay, phone number, etc) and said she would take it to fraud. She did tell me that in order to receive those benefits I need proof of address, birth certificate, and to have worked in the UK. I never worked in the UK and once again I was never here when those benefits were put in place.
So now I am left even more confused than before. What I did take from this was:
-Despite my university telling me my visa was curtailed, it never actually was and I could have stayed here until January 2017. That really messed me up.
-Someone could have possibly taken my identity and applied for benefits.
-Or someone could be lying
Everyone who I tell this to becomes very confused because it seems near impossible for someone to actually receive these benefits unless they actually did it themselves. Despite me not even knowing about Job Seekers Allowance, I know it is illegal to receive money from another country like that. I was scared to even over stay my welcome, why would I even accept money that is neither mine nor do I deserve. I find it suspicious that I am just now getting flagged for this given how this has never happened to me in all my years of traveling.
Does anyone know what to make of this situation or have any advice on what I should do?
Thanks and once again I apologize for this long winded post.
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