For me, laws should be about correcting wrong behaviours and protecting potential fraud victims rather than just punishment. So it depends a lot on the kind of crime, damages inflicted, background and motivations, etc. Consider that I come from a country where the "I have a family" leitmotif has always been used as an excuse for any kind of misbehaviour or crime, and it ends up being built-in in us even when rationally we do not agree at all.
OP wasn't there when i replied.
Low level fraud is still fraud. I would report it; and would tell them what i thought of them.
It's dirty money and what does it say about you as a person if you feed your family with dirty money.
IMHO
depends what they were doing -
The OP said low level fraud, illegal activity in their home country.
So I ask you what is the point of Law if judgements are based on individual perspectives? How do you judge what is acceptable and what is not when both are breaking the law of a land?
I know of a few here who are claiming their monthly child benefit, this is illegal and fraud. Is this acceptable? Would your opinion vary if i then stated that they are all very wealthy people?
I agree with Appletiser. To use your words, it may be 'low level fraud' at the moment but at some point he/she/they will become more greedy and will then, more than likely, be caught. Then they will only have themselves to blame.
<em>edited by amelia on 01/11/2011</em>