[P2P-F] Fwd: FW: FraudStop: Turn the tables on the Turnbull Government

Sat Jan 21 08:39:34 CET 2017

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Patricia Morgan <p.morgan at unsw.edu.au>
Date: Sat, Jan 21, 2017 at 1:21 PM
Subject: FW: FraudStop: Turn the tables on the Turnbull Government
To: Michel Bauwens <michel at p2pfoundation.net>

Hi Michel,

               Greetings from a sunny day here in Sydney.  I thought you
might like to read about this initiative – this group Getup have devised
this free software to help people who are under attack from the government
here in Australia.

All the best, Patricia

*From:* Mark – GetUp! [mailto:info at getup.org.au]
*Sent:* Saturday, January 21, 2017 2:56 PM
*To:* Patricia Morgan
*Subject:* FraudStop: Turn the tables on the Turnbull Government

Patricia,

Each week, 20,000 more people are getting crushed by the Turnbull
Government's automated debt system.1 And it's about to expand rapidly to
pensioners and people with disabilities.2

*So we're creating FraudStop – a free automated tool to fight back against
the Turnbull Government's automated attack on everyday people.*

Every aspect of the new Centrelink review process is designed to frustrate
people until they give up and pay debts they don't owe. It's a demoralising
attack by a callous government.

But they didn't count on *FraudStop*, which lets people lodge an appeal in *
just five minutes*, instead of waiting hours on the phone with no result.

We're urgently working to launch *FraudStop* nationwide next week -- but we
need the funding to prepare for thousands of users, pay the processing
costs on their behalf, and advertise it to the hundreds of thousands of
people who need it.

*Can you chip in $10, or whatever you can, to help the turn the tables on
the Turnbull Government's debt-threat fraud?*
<https://getup.org.au/debt-letter-fightback?t=3qkYgWf07A&utm_content=16565&utm_campaign=FraudStop__Turn_the_tables_on_the_Turnbull_Government_&utm_source=blast&utm_medium=email>

FraudStop thwarts the corrupted Centrelink review process by launching a
multi-pronged response through a single five-minute form.

   - *Appeal By Post.* People are running out of call minutes trying to get
   through to understaffed Centrelink offices.3 You can't formally appeal
   in person or online, so FraudStop submits an appeal by post, free of charge.

   - *FOI Request.* Shockingly, Centrelink staff are directed not to
   consider evidence already on file, like pay slips and doctor's certificates.
   4 So FraudStop submits an FOI request for a person's file, to get the
   evidence Centrelink already has, instead of desperately searching for
   paperwork from five years ago.

   - *Help from local MP.* FraudStop submits a request for help to a
   person's local MP, which is often the best way to get things resolved
   quickly. Even in the testing phase, we're already hearing about local MPs
   responding to help.

*We need your help to run FraudStop as a free community service.* The
technology requires continued maintenance – and there are processing costs
for every appeal. Most critically, we need a large ad campaign to get it in
front of the people who need it.

*Can you chip in $10 to launch FraudStop nationwide next week, before the
Turnbull Government attacks tens of thousands of pensioners and people with
disabilities?*
<https://getup.org.au/debt-letter-fightback?t=3qkYgWf07A&utm_content=16565&utm_campaign=FraudStop__Turn_the_tables_on_the_Turnbull_Government_&utm_source=blast&utm_medium=email>

Already more than 250 people have used FraudStop to challenge their debt
threats – just in its initial testing phase. And we've learned it's
providing desperate people with some hope.

*Angela, a GetUp member posting on Facebook, shared this story:*

***Trigger warning: Includes mention of suicide***

*"My friend who was suicidal over a debt threat was beyond pleased when I
showed her the GetUp page. She felt relieved that now she had options and
could do something about it. I honestly think you saved her life … and I
say that without exaggeration."*

There are thousands more people in the same situation. *Let's make sure
they have a way to fight back, and let them know they're not alone.*

*Chip in $10, or whatever you can, to fund FraudStop and give hope to
people suffering under the Turnbull Government's fraudulent debt threats.*
<https://getup.org.au/debt-letter-fightback?t=3qkYgWf07A&utm_content=16565&utm_campaign=FraudStop__Turn_the_tables_on_the_Turnbull_Government_&utm_source=blast&utm_medium=email>

Thanks for helping people who truly need it,
Mark, Ruby, Daney and Django, for the GetUp team

PS – *FraudStop is just one part of our fight back against the Turnbull
Government's automated debt threats.* Right now we're seeking initial
advice on legal challenges to stop the whole system, as well as a class
action to recover the false debts. And we're going to pile on the political
pressure by taking on Social Services Minister Christian Porter in his
electorate of Pearce, where polling (funded by GetUp members!) shows he's
already down 5 points thanks to the Centrelink fraud fiasco.5 *Chip in $10
now to make sure we end the Turnbull Government's fraudulent debt system
once and for all.*
<https://getup.org.au/debt-letter-fightback?t=3qkYgWf07A&utm_content=16565&utm_campaign=FraudStop__Turn_the_tables_on_the_Turnbull_Government_&utm_source=blast&utm_medium=email>

PPS – If you've received a debt letter and want to submit an appeal, you
can use our beta version of *FraudStop* at fraudstop.com.au
<https://fraudstop.com.au?t=3qkYgWf07A&utm_content=16565&utm_campaign=FraudStop__Turn_the_tables_on_the_Turnbull_Government_&utm_source=blast&utm_medium=email>
right now. If you or someone you know needs help, or to talk to someone,
call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

*References: [1] Fears Centrelink online glitch may send welfare recipients
to debt collectors, The Guardian, 19 December 2016 [2] Centrelink's
controversial data matching program to target pensioners and disabled,
Labor calls for suspension, ABC News, 17 January 2017 [3] Talking Point:
When the truth is a too-bitter pill, The Mercury, 21 January 2017 [4]
Centrelink staff told not to fix mistakes in debt notices – whistleblower,
The Guardian, 19 January 2017 [5] Robo-debt poll blow to Porter, The West
Australian, 19 January 2017 *
------------------------------

GetUp is an independent, not-for-profit community campaigning group. We use
new technology to empower Australians to have their say on important
national issues. We receive no political party or government funding, and
every campaign we run is entirely supported by voluntary donations. If
you'd like to contribute to help fund GetUp's work, please donate now!
<https://www.getup.org.au/donate/make-a-donation?t=3qkYgWf07A&utm_content=16565&utm_campaign=FraudStop__Turn_the_tables_on_the_Turnbull_Government_&utm_source=blast&utm_medium=email>
To unsubscribe from GetUp, please click here
<http://www.getup.org.au/unsubscribe?t=3qkYgWf07A&utm_content=16565&utm_campaign=FraudStop__Turn_the_tables_on_the_Turnbull_Government_&utm_source=blast&utm_medium=email>.

*Our team acknowledges that we meet and work on the land of the Gadigal
people of the Eora Nation. We wish to pay respect to their Elders - past,
present and future - and acknowledge the important role all Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people continue to play within Australia and the
GetUp community. *

Authorised by Paul Oosting, Level 14, 338 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

-- 
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