A benefits cheat claimed to be a single mum to scam over £22,000 in handouts.
Lynette Downie told the Department for Work and Pensions she had separated from hubby Alec in 2008, leaving her a single mother-of-two.
But when they got back together in September 2009 she continued to claim to be single keeping up the lie for four years until finally telling benefits chiefs they had got back together.
Between September 2009 and July 2013 she raked in £22,083.40.
But investigators found family holiday snaps, fancy dress photos and pictures of her and her husband at a Murrayfield rugby match on Facebook.
Downie admitted the fraud at Dundee Sheriff Court.
The court was told as part of the investigation DWP staff looked at the pair’s Facebook page and found pictures of them together at a Murrayfield rugby match and on a family holiday in Bulgaria during the time they claimed to be separated.
One picture, of the pair in fancy dress at a party, showing Mr Downie dressed as Sloth from the cult ‘80s movie The Goonies, remains Alec Downie’s Facebook profile picture to this day.
Depute fiscal Vicki Bell told the court that the fraud came to light after Dundee City Council, DWP and HMRC started a joint “data matching” exercise.
That threw up discrepancies held in data about Downie and her family.
A probe then began uncovering the couple’s financial links throughout the scam.
Alec Downie was then interviewed by investigators and lied to them, saying they hadn’t got back together until 2013.
Miss Bell said: “On discussion of the evidence he indicated they had perhaps reconciled earlier, and said he had lied to try to help the accused.”
She added: “During the period of her claim she completed numerous documents stating she was single.
“When he was interviewed he initially denied supporting her financially but later admitted he had paid for car insurance and loans.
“He later indicated they had perhaps reconciled earlier than he had originally said.”
Downie, 41, of Finlaggan Terrace, Dundee, pleaded guilty on summary complaint to a charge under the Tax Credits Act committed between September 24 2009 and July 20 2013.
Laura O’Brien, defending, said: “The court will require background reports.”
Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC deferred sentence until next month for social work background reports and released Downie on bail meantime.