I did something naughty...

We have been getting the old residents mail here since we moved in and despite having dropped mail off at their house and having returned to sender we are still receiving it. Anyway, today i accidentally opened a letter from CSA for one of them.

I'm a bit conflicted as the evidence is pretty plain that she's claiming child support from her current partner, for their first child, despite the the fact they are living together & have a second.

I know it was bad of me to open the mail, and it was an accident (With the wet and soggy weather the letters were stuck together, in my excitement about getting my tax assessment i didn't realise :redface:)... but isn't this wrong?

Should I report it or just leave things be?

i would just leave it. She should have put her change of address in. Its not ur fault, dont feel guilty.

i would send it back to CSA - stating they are no longer at that address as you would any other letter.


if you feel strongly enough to tip them off, do it anonymously via the web (c'link have a tip off service) - advise you received a letter from CSA for that person (NOT that you opened it as this is illegal), and that you were under the impression that the person was partnered with the father of her child/ren as you have seen them/spoken to them or whatever else... the letter from child support agency made you wonder if they were doing something inappropriate

leave it airy fairy "i don't really know but maybe she's doing something she shouldn't be" kinda thing...

I wouldn't do anything, you don't know the details of their situation. I would just return the letter as normal.

Thanks for the advice. I do know them personally so I know that it's a bit iffy so to speak but will leave it be.

good thinkin 99!! :D

lol to opening their mail. I got a letter in the mail and saw that it was car rego or something and without thinking i opened it because i was expecting a letter like that. When I did and read it, it was actually for my neighbour. So I had to take it over to him and opologise for opening it lol. He didnt care though thank goodness!!

BG what is the statute of limitations for investigating centrelink fraud. I know of someone who was claiming a full pension whilst kiving with a man she claimed she was just boarding with for nearly 2 years so we are talking a substantial amounf of money but it was back in 1997 ish......are they still interested. She is still on benefits by the way.

they will prosecute fraud from any time Mel. centrelink became centrelink in 1997 (before that was DSS and CES), so i'm sure there would be record of everything that happened back then

it's certainly worth doing the tip off. i've seen someone just recently who was prosecuted, had a mammoth debt, and did time in jail for fraud (jail time isn't that common, but if they've knowingly defrauded the commonwealth...)

Hi All

This might seem a bit harsh, but that seriously annoys the crap out of me that people defraud centrelink because the people in this country that actually work are the ones that are paying for it!

I would definately dob that person in. If someone needs money so badly and doing it that tough there are hundreds of institutions available that give assistance - you don't need to rip the Govt and fellow australians off!

Get a 2nd job, get a better job - don't be a scoundrel and lie and cheat - may as well go and rob the local deli!


:angry:

I can understand that too, believe me, that's why I wanted to say something.
BUT when I thought about it I figured, well i know them, but not their history. Whose not to say that she used to be on the single parent pension but the got back together and now she's not on the pension they just didn't change the c/s... because not changing child support really wouldnt make any difference to their income, just a different way they would end up having to claim tax.
Anywaym i do know what you mean.

cookie - for what it's worth, if a couple gets back together on centrelink files, it should transmit to child support - so if letters are still coming out from child support, it is very suss.

as i said earlier, you can do an anonymous tip just saying you're aware that they are living together, but have had mail sent to your address from child support. IF they've done the right thing, nothing will happen - the tip off will be closed, with no action. if not, they SHOULD be investigated.

i would word a tip off in those circs something along the lines of:

previous residents of this address have not had their mail redirected and mail has been received from child support agency which has been returned to sender. previous residents are people that we know, have been living in a marriage like relationship, and children are biological children of the couple. i'm unsure if the mail relates to a time when they were seperated and they have simply forgotten to notify a change of address to child support, but this has concerned me and i wanted to pass on the details so that, if there is something out of line on their record, it can be investigated

HI,

I understand that it seems a bit suss and none of us like to think we tax payers are being ripped off,

Cookie I would seriously return to sender as left address so that centrelink flag it as details not being updated, which will probably flag to centrelink that they haven't maintained their details and will be contacted.

Second to that though I would be wary about reporting them I would be worried that they would know it was me, after all if you know them well enough to know what their situation is they'd have to realise that their mail was still going to your address

Personally, I wouldn't do anything. It's their business and it just sounds like a whole lot of trouble to me.

Correct me if I am wrong but if it's child support, what difference does it make??
The money goes from one parent to CS to the second parent, at the end of the day the money is theirs to be used (potentially) to feed, house and clothe the children. If it was centrelink fraud that would be different the money would be coming from tax payers to one parent but the money is basiclly going from one account to another via CS. while the money is in CS account it is gaining interest for the governement to provide the services it funds.

Sjl

Child support and centrelink "talk" to each other - when a couple reconcile, the details transfer from one to the other. if there is still an active child support case when the couple have reconciled, it suggests that they haven't notified either child support or centrelink that they are a couple, and one (or both) parties are claiming benefits - fraudulantly/illegally - at single rate.

CS money might gain a bit of interest in the two weeks that it is in the government accounts before it's handed from one parent to another - that interest earned doesn't negate the illegal behaviour of couples claiming single benefits when they're partnered!

Okay. So by still claiming child support they are prob claiming centrelink as well, then what they are doing is wrong and should be reported.

I would absolutely report it.

I figure that if Centrelink and associated bodies weren't defrauded so much and had to spend so much time and energy chasing dodgy people then they could probably afford to spend a little more on those who actually need it. Taking two minutes to write a quick note on their web site makes the world a better place for everyone in the long run (if not for the individuals involved)