“Free money from the government? Sign me up!” If you’ve had this thought recently, you’re not alone. Aussies across the country have been buzzing about a supposed “$750 Centrelink Cash Relief” payment coming our way in 2024. Indeed, the search term “Centrelink One Off Payment 2024” is blowing up on Google, with close to 10,000 people seeking this information every month.
It sounds too good to be true — and spoiler alert: it is.
Centrelink Bonus Payments: Fact or Fiction?
Over the past few months, random websites have been popping up claiming payouts are coming for millions of Australians. The stories vary from site to site. However, most claim pensioners and low-income earners will receive a one-off payment of anywhere from $250 to $3,600. One website went so far as to claim that qualified citizens could soon be pocketing up to $750 every fortnight, courtesy of a new Centrelink program. For those struggling to make ends meet, it seems like a much-needed lifeline.
This $750 amount was likely chosen by scammers because it corresponds to the $750 stimulus payments made during the pandemic. However, it’s not the only figure being thrown around. The rumour mill has been working overtime, spinning tales of $450 payments for those who can’t work 8 hours a week, and the full $750 for folks unable to clock 20 hours. It’s the kind of news that makes you want to jump for joy, share it with everyone you know on Facebook, and hand over your bank details to ensure your payment goes in on time.
Hopefully, that bit about handing over bank details made you want to pump the brakes. The truth is, you have every reason to be cautious. Unfortunately, most of the “news” going around about Centrelink cash relief payments is false.
How did this financial fairy tale gain so much traction? And more importantly, what’s the real story behind cash relief payments in 2024? Let’s dive in and separate fact from fiction.
Real Payments Available to Australians in 2024
Cost of Living Concession Payments
While the rumours of a $750 Centrelink payment may be false, there’s still some good news for Aussies struggling with rising costs. State and territory governments have been delivering assistance programs to help ease the financial burden.
South Australia, for example, has a Cost of Living Concession (COLC) in place, providing $255.60 for eligible households, with an additional one-off payment of $243.90 that was issued in June 2024. Queensland residents are seeing a substantial $1,000 knocked off their electricity bills, with an extra $300 a quarter under the Energy Bill Relief Fund extension. For New South Wales residents, the $300 energy rebates are coming in $75 quarterly instalments.
These programs might not be the windfall some were hoping for, but they’re tangible efforts by state governments to support vulnerable Australians.
Centrelink One-Off Crisis Payments
Centrelink’s Crisis Payments offer a one-off, tax-free payment to eligible Australians who have experienced unforeseen financial hardship. This support may be available for people who have:
- Faced family and domestic violence
- Been affected by a natural disaster
- Experienced a major health crisis
- Been released from a prison or psychiatric facility
- Experienced other extreme circumstances
These payments do not go out automatically. To be eligible, you need to meet specific criteria. For instance, if you’ve escaped family violence, there’s a specific payment to help you get settled. If you’ve lost your home due to a natural disaster, another type of Crisis Payment can ease the financial burden.
If you believe you meet the eligibility criteria for a Crisis Payment, it’s crucial to apply. You can find details on how to apply on the Services Australia website. Simply select the relevant payment type and gather the necessary information.
How to Spot a Cash Relief Scam
With the real payments covered, let’s turn our attention back to the false claims doing the rounds of the internet. Unfortunately, a simple Google search isn’t always going to help when verifying whether claims like this are legitimate. Google’s Q&A rich snippets are, at present, picking up content from non-legitimate websites and using it to answer people’s $750 cash relief questions. Below, you’ll find just a couple of examples:
Note that the sources have .org and .org.au domain extensions. This makes them seem more legitimate because .org domains are supposed to be used only by non-profits and charities in Australia. Unfortunately, it appears that the ABNs of real charitable organisations are being used under false pretences to register .org and .org.au domains. Whois domain checks of a number of these sites revealed that at least two are registered in connection with non-profits that they have no actual affiliations with.
This issue makes it incredibly difficult to spot real news from misinformation. With scammers also running social media ad campaigns to spread the false news, it’s no wonder Australians are confused.
So what can you do to spot Centrelink scams?
The first and most important thing to do is check with the supposed source of the money. In this case, you’d want to check with Services Australia. There, you’ll find a page dedicated to current scams, which includes details of the supposed $750 payment to pensioners in 2024. Of course, it will take time for Services Australia to update the website when new scams emerge. So if you don’t find information related to the specific message or website you’ve seen, it’s a good idea to contact them directly.
Want to get better at spotting scams for yourself? These tips will help:
Know how to recognise AI-generated text
Since the advent of Large Language Models (LLMs), the old trick of looking for spelling and grammar mistakes doesn’t always work. Instead, you need to look out for the common red flags of AI-generated content. Some common phrases to look out for include:
- “Picture this” or Imagine this”
- “Rich tapestry”
- “Navigating the complexities”
- “So there you have it”
Check the functionality of the website
Scam websites are often thrown up quickly and packed with AI-generated content to make them look legit. However, you’ll often find buttons and hyperlinks that don’t actually lead you anywhere when you click on them. Drop down menus and headings at the top of the page may also lead nowhere or to error pages.
Note that a fully functioning website isn’t a sure sign that its information is legitimate. Similarly, trustworthy websites can have occasional glitches with their tools and hyperlinks. However, a website that doesn’t have functional buttons or navigation menus is a red flag.
Stick to trusted sources
If, like most people, you don’t have time to go digging around to confirm whether claims like this are true or not, your best bet is to check directly with official government sources. If there’s nothing posted on any websites ending in .gov.au, then you’re likely looking at a scam. To be doubly sure, you can turn to reliable sources like ITP for confirmation. If you don’t find answers in our blog, our friendly accountants are always happy to help with questions related to taxes and finance.