Family & Relationships Centrelink Fraud

[Viva la Mattner]

Hi all,
After some advice and wondering what everyones past experiences with Centrelink are.

Story as follows, my step sons father and his partner are claiming a single parent pension for 2 kids (she had a child before they got together and they now have one of thier own)
He has all his addresses set to his mums house to help get away with it.
We know they are claiming it as on our child support statement we receive he has 0 dependents listed.
They live the high life while we're both working full time paying a mortage and what not.

I'm considering reporting them to Centrelink but as he has his addresses set somewhere else it's really our word against thiers.
What are my chances of it being investigated and some sort of result?

 

[Simple Jack]

They live the high life while we're both working full time paying a mortage and what not.

All I'll say is that based on the 'we're paying tax and they're getting a free ride' philosophy you're angry at the wrong people.

 

[Viva la Mattner]

All I'll say is that based on the 'we're paying tax and they're getting a free ride' philosophy you're angry at the wrong people.

Sorry should have added they both work full time on top of claiming the benefits

 

[JuddsABlue]

if theyre working then you're comment of "they live the high life while we work full time" looks more like jealousy than the desire to stamp out centrelink scam

i dont really care for centerlink scammers, they always seem to be the kind of people losing in plenty other areas of life that they can have this win if they can pull it off

 

[Illinois Nazi]

I'm sure Centrelink would follow it up if you told them about it. Whether that would (or could) happen without revealing who dobbed them in, I'm not sure.

 

[Catsmaninamerica]

**** em. Call a current affair.

 

[Damon_3388]

I'm considering reporting them to Centrelink but as he has his addresses set somewhere else it's really our word against thiers.
What are my chances of it being investigated and some sort of result?

Pretty good. Not sure how things go these days, but they used to be pretty ruthless and cold back in the '90s. Very much "cut payment, ask question later".

My Mum was a single parent when I was growing up, who was 150% upfront and honest with Centrelink at all times. Our home was randomly searched for evidence of a partner multiple times, based on the say so of one of my Dad's girlfriends (who couldn't fathom how we could survive on my Mum's part-time wage, sole parent pension and the minimal child support my Dad paid), and she had never even met my Mum or been to our home.

They're willing to cut payments at the drop of a hat (even around Christmas) for people who are doing the right thing, so if there's someone who isn't, they should have no problem investigating it and acting accordingly.

 

[IschenkoUBeauty]

**** em. Call a current affair.

Tracey Bradshaw'll sort them out,

 

[Shane Hird]

Forget about em.

Sleep well at night knowing you're saving your money, paying your taxes and doing the right thing.

There's a good chance those two will eventually get sprung and hopefully end up in a world of pain.

 

[JUBJUB]

Tracey Bradshaw'll sort them out,

Well maybe not Tracey Bradshaw,but Tracey Grimshaw will set the pitbull reporters on them

 

[Pea Nut]

Nah, dob 'em in. It will be rather satisfying !!

 

[Registered User]

anonymous tip-off? Use a public phone in a distant suburb, and make sure there are no CC cameras around.

 

[Registered User]

Pretty good. Not sure how things go these days, but they used to be pretty ruthless and cold back in the '90s. Very much "cut payment, ask question later".

My Mum was a single parent when I was growing up, who was 150% upfront and honest with Centrelink at all times. Our home was randomly searched for evidence of a partner multiple times, based on the say so of one of my Dad's girlfriends (who couldn't fathom how we could survive on my Mum's part-time wage, sole parent pension and the minimal child support my Dad paid), and she had never even met my Mum or been to our home.

They're willing to cut payments at the drop of a hat (even around Christmas) for people who are doing the right thing, so if there's someone who isn't, they should have no problem investigating it and acting accordingly.

farkin bitch.

 

[Damon_3388]

farkin bitch.

Absolutely right.

The only reason this woman did it was because she was into my Dad for money (she got a new house out of him, and promptly kicked him to the curb not long after), and didn't want him having to pay child support (he only paid the absolute bare minimum anyway), because it meant less money for her.

 

[Registered User]

She sounds like a total cow.

 

[Damon_3388]

She sounds like a total cow.

What made it worse is that Centrelink immediately stopped my Mum's payments while they were "investigating", and then she had to jump through hoops and basically re-apply for eligibility afterwards, even though her circumstances had not changed one iota. As I said, Centrelink used to be pretty ruthless, not sure about these days though.

That being said, to the OP, unless it's costing you or your partner money or causing you stress, save yourself the time and headache and just leave it be. Might feel satisfying to "stick it up them" if they are genuinely rorting the system, but it's probably more fuss and effort than it's worth.

 

[The Passenger]

i dont really care for centerlink scammers, they always seem to be the kind of people losing in plenty other areas of life that they can have this win if they can pull it off

That being said, to the OP, unless it's costing you or your partner money or causing you stress, save yourself the time and headache and just leave it be. Might feel satisfying to "stick it up them" if they are genuinely rorting the system, but it's probably more fuss and effort than it's worth.

These two quotes sum it for me.

What's more who knows how the situation could escalate if you dob them in.

 

[Registered User]

What made it worse is that Centrelink immediately stopped my Mum's payments while they were "investigating", and then she had to jump through hoops and basically re-apply for eligibility afterwards, even though her circumstances had not changed one iota. As I said, Centrelink used to be pretty ruthless, not sure about these days though.

That being said, to the OP, unless it's costing you or your partner money or causing you stress, save yourself the time and headache and just leave it be. Might feel satisfying to "stick it up them" if they are genuinely rorting the system, but it's probably more fuss and effort than it's worth.

That's shit.

From what little I know, it's still somewhat tough these days to get the dough, especially compared to the early '80s, when it was so easy to rort that it was ridiculous. I knew at least 2 guys who were getting at least 3 payments using fake names (the rumour was that one of them was getting up to 5), and I remember 2 other blokes who'd slipped through cracks, and became 'mistakes', still getting payments for years without submitting forms or doing anything.

I was on the dole for a while when I was young (without deserving it, in that I barely looked for work) but I never had the guts to do anything like using fake names to get extra payments. I'm not proud of it now that I'm older and "sensible", but the worst I did was getting the odd cash job on the side.

I think it even got to a stage where you just had to mail the form in with some bullshit job application, and the money was put into your account.

Also, I'm not sure if it's still the case, but the system allowed recipients to work part-time, and still get part-payment from the dole after you declared the income. What a rort.
That's shit. From what little I know, it's still somewhat tough these days, especially compared to the early '80s, when it was so easy to rort that it was ridiculous. I knew at least 2 guys who were getting at least 3 payments using fake names (the rumour was that one of them was getting up to 5), and I remember 2 blokes who'd slipped through cracks, in that they were 'mistakes'; still getting payments for years without submitting forms or doing anything.

I was on the dole for a while when I was young (without deserving it, in that I barely looked for work) but I never had the guts to do anything like using fake names to get extra payments. I'm not proud of it now that I'm older and "sensible", but the worst I did was getting the odd cash job on the side.

I think it even got to a stage where you just had to mail the form in with some bullshit job application, and the money was put into your account.

Also, I'm not sure if it's still the case, but the system allowed you to work part-time, and still get part-payment from the dole after you declared the income. What a rort.

 

[Admiral Byng]

Well maybe not Tracey Bradshaw,but Tracey Grimshaw will set the pitbull reporters on them

Tracey Scrimshaw will carve them a new one.


To the OP - there's no shame in reporting people to Centrelink if they are actually rorting the system. Don't get yourself in any moral bind over whether or not to dob them in.

 

[The Passenger]

From what little I know, it's still somewhat tough these days to get the dough, especially compared to the early '80s, when it was so easy to rort that it was ridiculous. I knew at least 2 guys who were getting at least 3 payments using fake names (the rumour was that one of them was getting up to 5), and I remember 2 other blokes who'd slipped through cracks, and became 'mistakes', still getting payments for years without submitting forms or doing anything.

If I remember when I'm next in Sydney I'll ask my old man about a massive scam that played out 30-ish years ago - maybe even further back - which resulted in Centrelink (CES as it was called then) finding out there were dozens of people in on a welfare scam including many people who worked within the public service. There was something like 50-100 people involved.

He told me how they got caught and it was really innoccous. He told me a few years back over many beers so can't really remember, but I'll get it off him again if I remember. He was either working with the CES or had been moved into another public service area.

I was on the dole for a while when I was young (without deserving it, in that I barely looked for work) but I never had the guts to do anything like using fake names to get extra payments. I'm not proud of it now that I'm older and "sensible", but the worst I did was getting the odd cash job on the side.

Nothing to be "not proud" about getting dole payments. I've got it three or four times when returning from overseas and it's always handy to get back on your feet. Probably the longest I spent on it was a month I guess. Each time I was pretty desperate for any sort of cash, as is often the norm when one comes back from O/S.

 

[Rustin Cohle]

Centrelink don't give a **** what you do unless you're a student on youth allowance. Then they'll find every means necessary to make sure you get as little as possible. It's not even their fault, it's all government directive.

 

[Registered User]

If I remember when I'm next in Sydney I'll ask my old man about a massive scam that played out 30-ish years ago - maybe even further back - which resulted in Centrelink (CES as it was called then) finding out there were dozens of people in on a welfare scam including many people who worked within the public service. There was something like 50-100 people involved.

He told me how they got caught and it was really innoccous. He told me a few years back over many beers so can't really remember, but I'll get it off him again if I remember. He was either working with the CES or had been moved into another public service area.

I'll look forward to reading a good story. There must be tonnes of similar ones about rorting the CES back in the '70s and '80s.

Nothing to be "not proud" about getting dole payments. I've got it three or four times when returning from overseas and it's always handy to get back on your feet. Probably the longest I spent on it was a month I guess. Each time I was pretty desperate for any sort of cash, as is often the norm when one comes back from O/S.

Eh, I was a fair bit of a bludger in my late teens and early 20s, and was on the dole for many months at a time, so I feel a bit guilty now when I reading about single mums getting booted of allowance

 

[Registered User]

Centrelink don't give a **** what you do unless you're a student on youth allowance. Then they'll find every means necessary to make sure you get as little as possible. It's not even their fault, it's all government directive.

I got Austudy about 15 years ago, and I couldn't believe how shit it was: $140 a week. I had to move back home.
What are we supposed to do with 140 bucks a week?!?! I couldn't believe it was so much less that the dole.
It was no fun, and money was the main reason I never finished uni.
I suppose they expect students to work part-time, but I could never get my shit together with any consistent employment.

A whole bunch of shit happened -- my car started dying, my dog was getting old and sick, my teeth needed tonnes of work, my credit cards were maxed out -- so when someone offered me a half-decent job, I deferred and never went back.
Boo hoo! Ah well, at least I've got Big Footy to whine to.
Maybe I should write a country song . ha

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Ask for a cut of the money

 

[bkozican]

Karma...Its a wonderful thing