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This is the best summary I could come up with:
An approved provider directly arranges contracts with Centrepay's 600,000 monthly users, taking repayments before the money hits their bank account.
"People are going in with blind faith [thinking] that because it is endorsed by Centrepay, that it's an ethical business and they're going to be treated fairly," said Caitlin Bender, AnglicareNT financial counsellor.
The corporate regulator gathered Rent4Keeps customer data over a three-month period in 2019, which showed the appliance company had arranged 533 contracts valued at more than $1.8 million.
Mr Payne operates Rent4Keeps Australia and replaced his wife Vikki as sole director of both the Victorian and NSW franchises in July last year.
A solicitor for Rent4Keeps Australia and its Victorian franchise did not respond to questions about why his clients continued operating in NSW, but said they would vigorously defend ASIC's allegations at a trial in February 2024.
Services Australia told 7.30 it was unable to comment on individual businesses or those subject to ongoing legal action, but that it was "working across government to stamp out predatory behaviour to ensure Centrepay can continue to operate as a useful budgeting tool".
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