I am currently being called 3-5 times a day from the debt agency

Debt amount:

$8900

Period debt occurred:

January 2017

Has your case been referred to a collection agency?:

Yes

Payment Type:

Austudy

Appealing Debt?:

Yes in process

Tell us about your debt and how has this affected you? e.g. anxiety levels, financial and accommodation stress:

So, I received a phone call last week from a debt agency telling me that I owed Centrelink nearly $9000. I thought it was a spam call so I ignored it. But they kept calling, then they couldn't speak to me about the matter because I couldn't confirm my debt. Anyway as it turns out Centrelink had been sending me letter to an address I lived at over 5 years ago and as I had not responded they had taken the debt to a debt agency. Now I haven't been on Centrelink for about 5 years and had no need to update my address with them. I have always had the same phone number and email address and always updated my address with the ATO and myGov and I expect had Centrelink wanted to find me they could have quite easily.
I have since spoken to Centrelink and am currently sorting through the debt as it turns out it occurred upon my last year at university in which I only studied for four months of the year then obtained a full time job.
My debt has since been reduced by me simply pointing out the dates of my employment were after I stopped being on Centrelink, yet I still have to provide payroll evidence to progress further.
I am currently being called 3-5 times a day from the debt agency who are threatening to take money out of my accounts. I have expressed to them that I would like a period of time to sort this out before I make payment (as I never received any letters from Centrelink) yet they say it's not an option. They also tell me I will have a permanent black mark against my name in regards to credit ratings etc and once a debt has been taken to the debt agency it cannot be returned.

How do you feel about the way the Government has handled this process?:

I feel it's completely unfair. I am being treated as guilty, I have no even had an opportunity to show my innocence before being hounded by debt agencies. I am the kind of person who always tries to do the right thing and this is insulting. It is so nieve to think you can send a letter to a student address from 5 years ago. If they can match up earning with the ATO, maybe they should have also checked current addresses with the ATO. They were able to give my phone number to a debt agency easily, yet no one from Centrelink could call me regarding the issue (especially since I haven't changed my phone or email in over 10 years).