Reporting a welfare cheat / fraudster

[Trippy]

Would you, or have you ever reported a welfare cheat? Did you see any noticeably effect after your report? I know of an individual that is rorting welfare. I want to take action but don't think I have enough detail.

Firstly I am going to be very general and non-specific as you never know who is who around here. I do know of certain specific details but don't have full details on the individual to possibly effect any form of justice. For instance I know their name, the suburb in which they live and have witnessed events as detailed below.

Ok, so I know of an individual that has a supposed medical condition that prevents them from working. This person is on welfare payment due to the inability to work. This has been ongoing for well over 10 years. This condition, which is supposedly serious enough to prohibit working, does not stop the individual from participating in an impact sport bi-weekly. This individual has a level of involvement within this sport that sees them is the position of a coach/instructor and participant. I have seen this individual doing push ups, sit ups, running, sprinting and doing specific actions of the sport that clearly indicate this person would have NO problem working in some capacity (even if it could be argued there was a genuine injury at some point in time previously). In fact, if someone in a wheel chair can work......you see where I am going here...They get financial benefit from this sport based activity (cash off the books). Nor does this injury stop them from working "off the books" on a cash basis performing a trade based service. This individual owns a house (not sure if outright) and spends cash on it for upgrade works (new rear deck, new shed, new internal doors). This cash comes from the cash works undertaken in the trade based activity.

While I would be happy to report this individual anonymously I don't feel I have enough information to effect an investigation. I believe I need the full name, birthdate and residential address (maybe more) of the criminal. I do know someone that knows the address of this person, but to ask them for it would be really out of the blue and they may link me to any subsequent investigation.

Keen to hear any feedback or thoughts? Thanks.

 

[Kinnon Bell]

Sounds dodgy on the face of it, but what if they have a mental illness preventing them from work and not a physical one.

 

[ok180]

Sounds dodgy on the face of it, but what if they have a mental illness preventing them from work and not a physical one.

I wonder if people in developing nations have mental illness's that keep them from working?

 

[Kinnon Bell]

I would say there's a fair chance. They just don't have the luxury of being looked after by their government. They're probably living in extreme poverty or dead as a result of their inability to provide for themselves.

 

[skater]

I'm pretty sure you don't need their birthdate, just enough information to identify them.

Yes, I would absolutely dob them in. In fact I've dobbed a few in, but not for a while now. If they are doing nothing wrong, then they will not be penalized by an investigation. On the other hand, if they are claiming something they shouldn't, they should get the book thrown at them.

 

[Terry_w]

I would urge you to report what you have now. You can always supply additional information later. You never know they could be doing an investigation already and your informaiton may corroborate other info. Or they may not be doing an investigation but already have some information and this may be enough to make them think there is something worth looking into.

 

[ok180]

I would say there's a fair chance. They just don't have the luxury of being looked after by their government. They're probably living in extreme poverty or dead as a result of their inability to provide for themselves.

I don't mean extreme mental disability like someone with cerebral palsy. More the types who are "depressed" etc on medication and get out of work because of it.

 

[Ideo]

I just reported a previous tenant of my rental.

Very easy to do, just call up Centrelink and give them the information. It is not up to you to investigate and gather all the information. Give them what you have and they will look into it.

 

[TMNT]

I hate welfare cheats, so I would dob them in

that being said, you can be on permanent disability on mental illness, that I am aware of, so there is a chance that they can play sports but cant hold down a job....

however, coming from a family/friends circle with very little/no mental illness around, I know it sounds terrible, and call me ignorant but I dont believe 90% of people who claim they have mental illness, seems like a convenient trend these days to self diagnose and for doctors to diagnose you pretty quickly

 

[Ideo]

I don't mean extreme mental disability like someone with cerebral palsy. More the types who are "depressed" etc on medication and get out of work because of it.

Wow. Just wow.

You really have no clue about mental illness do you?

Yes, there are rorters. But it is a serious issue which has probably touched more than one person on here, and that kind of callous, dismissive nonsense causes so much harm.

 

[ok180]

Again, I don't mean people who are severly disabled etc. There are a lot of people on medication though that are fine when they are on it but still get a disability pension. I don't think that is right. You should still have to contribute something even it is just a bit of part time work.

There is a place near where I live (a factory) that provides work for people like that. It's a good thing. Once again though in this country there are too many loop holes and if you are clever you can skate by doing a little as possible and still be ok because the government is there to pat you on the bum.

That's why I mentioned developing nations. A lot of the supposed "problems" here you wouldn't get there because it is either go to work or live in poverty basically.

 

[lizzie]

I would definitely report it ... remember ... it's you and me paying this person to "not work"

 

[Kinnon Bell]

I don't mean extreme mental disability like someone with cerebral palsy. More the types who are "depressed" etc on medication and get out of work because of it.

I did not specify a mental illness as it's not for me to judge what is and is not debilitating. By your quotation marks of depression, looks like you are though.

Yes, there are ones who manipulate and take advantage of the system but the majority should not be judged on the actions of the minority.

And I think you'll find that cerebral palsy is more of a physical condition than a mental with mental impairments being only in a small percentage of cases.

 

[D.T.]

Id dob them in 100% on the proviso I was certain they were cheating system and not just suspicious.

Id be happier if welfare didnt exist, so 1 less cheater on it is a good thing.

 

[ok180]

I did not specify a mental illness as it's not for me to judge what is and is not debilitating.

I think this is the problem. Sometimes we do have to be blunt! If someone can play footy in the park, do pushups, etc. They can obviously contribute something.

 

[Trippy]

This person has no mental deficiencies (that I know of ), other than thinking it's OK to take tax payer money when you can physically work...

The issue for them not working is physical in nature. Problem is this same supposed injury does not stop them physically in sporting activities and physically working for cash. My take is if you can participate in sporting activity and work on the side you should not be on welfare...Even if the injury DID prevent them from being physical they could get a low physical impact job...

I looked at this web page re reporting:

https://www.centrelink.gov.au/wps/portal/clk_common/TORS

Where it details they need a lot of confirming info (name, birth date, address etc..). Seems by comments it is OK just to ring up with maybe not as much info?

 

[D.T.]

I think this is the problem. Sometimes we do have to be blunt! If someone can play footy in the park, do pushups, etc. They can obviously contribute something.

I agree with that and hate that you can get on a pension if you're feeling sad. My cousin in adelaide is on it

 

[Ideo]

A guy I went to school with has PTSD from serving in Iraq.

He manages to play footy on a Saturday but is unable to hold down a permanent job due to serious, deep seated issues caused by that.

I would hardly say he is scamming the system. But, hell, I guess because he is able to play football for an hour a week then he must just be a scammer.

 

[ok180]

Kind of unrelated but anyway.

What used to make me laugh was when I was in the building game, when it rained the boys would be sent home. Fair enough...

...but then I would be driving in the rain over the weekend and they would be in the park playing football in it...


i know too harsh. bad ok180 bad boy!

 

[ok180]

A guy I went to school with has PTSD from serving in Iraq.

He manages to play footy on a Saturday but is unable to hold down a permanent job due to serious, deep seated issues caused by that.

I would hardly say he is scamming the system. But, hell, I guess because he is able to play football for an hour a week then he must just be a scammer.

Cool, you had a hard time in Iraq. Here, have a pension for 12 months and then go back to work please.

No one forced him to be in the army after all.