Services Australia is using telecommunications metadata and password-bypassing software to investigate welfare recipients suspected of claiming single payments while in relationships.

The Centrelink administrator told the Attorney General’s Department (ADG) that metadata is used to detect “people who receive payments as a single person while in a marriage-like relationship,” according to documents obtained by iTnews.

Submissions to AGD in 2015 and again in 2022 [pdf], obtained through a freedom of information request, list types of fraud the agency uses welfare recipients’ telecommunications metadata to detect.

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https://www.itnews.com.au/news/password-crackers-and-metadata-used-to-check-centrelink-users-relationship-status-592649

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#feedtheguardian #Royalcommissionintorobodebt #Centrelinkdebtrecovery #Australianews #Welfare

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#feed-theguardian #Royalcommissionintorobodebt #Centrelinkdebtrecovery #Australianpolitics #Australianeconomy #AustralianGreens #Australiaweather #AnthonyAlbanese #Australianews #NewSouthWales #AdamBandt