IN Mzansi we’ve seen ghost employees in scams to pocket money from government and in some cases, people getting their dead relatives’ grants.
In Austria, one man went as far as keeping his mother’s body in a basement for more than a year as he received her pension grant.
The 89-year-old woman, who reportedly had dementia, is thought to have died of natural causes last June.
According to the BBC, the 66-year-old man put her body in his cellar and used ice packs and bandages to hide the smell.
Cops believe he may have illegally received about €50 000 (about R830 000) in payments.
Police said the suspected fraud only came to light when the new postman delivering the woman’s benefits in the western Tyrol region was refused a request to see her.
That sparked an investigation and it led to the gruesome discovery.
The man apparently told his brothers their mother was receiving care in hospital.
The Austrian public broadcaster reported that he told his brothers it wasn’t worth visiting her, as her condition meant it was unlikely she’d recognise them.