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We often see the best come out in people and communities affected by a natural disaster. Most people want to do the right thing and help if they can. But there are others who try to take advantage of this stressful time.
We use enhanced scam and fraud prevention capabilities to protect people and their communities.
Avoiding scams
Scams can be hard to spot. It can be someone pretending to work for Services Australia or myGov offering to help you make a claim. They do this so they can steal your identity, or steal or redirect your money.
We provide information on some of the most common scams. You can check our current scam alerts, and how to know if it’s a scam.
If you think you’ve been affected by a scam, read what to do if a scam has affected you.
Keeping your details up to date
It’s important to keep your details with us up to date. It helps ensure you get the right payment, and the right amount.
Your personal information must be correct and based on your actual circumstances.
You can keep your details up to date by:
- telling us about any changes to your circumstances
- regularly checking your information is up to date using your Centrelink online account through myGov.
You’ll need to tell us if your income before tax is more than the average Australian weekly income if you get:
- Disaster Recovery Allowance
- New Zealand Disaster Recovery Allowance.
From 1 January 2023, the average rate we’ll use if your income was affected is $1,769.80 per week before tax. You can check your natural disaster event for the amount we’ll use.
It’s never too late to report a change. By telling us about any changes today, we can help make sure you get the correct payment.
Some people will deliberately give us the wrong information to claim a payment they’re not eligible for. If you think someone may be falsely claiming a payment, read how to report fraud.