You should lodge a dispute or get legal advice if you think your debt is in error.
This happened to me last year.
Just leading up to Christmas I received a nasty letter stating that I owed around 1200 dollars.
This was a result of the centrelink glitch, same as everyone else on here. Between working roles I was on the dole for about 2-3 months of that year.
Beware they are taking the false debt directly out of tax returns now.
It's been like a one-way conversation.
15 months ago I provided all the evidence which if any logical person spend 5 minutes on it will make sense of, they still sent me a letter of debt this April.
Following NotMyDebt's advice I posted a formal letter to Canberra requesting for a review.
I did not hear back from them regarding the request for review.
I did not receive any notification on how they will force me to pay them back.
Centrelink issued me with a debt of over $12,000 from when I was studying.
I was receiving youth allowance at the time and getting roughly $260 a fortnight.
Over the period I received under $4,000. I was gobsmacked that the debt was 3 times the payment I received.
I started to get really anxious - worried they’d garnish my wages. I was actually happy that I finally found a full time job that i wouldn’t have to deal with Centrelink again.... how wrong was I?
I just got a call from Centrelink, I had changed my address and they sent the letter to the old address
Anyway I had to confirm who I was when he called me ?
I told him and he said between 2009 and 2010 may have run into 2011 I was overpaid
I said to him I only put in what my wage was
he said net
I think it was gross I said
he said get all your payslips for those years and he will tell me how much I owe
I said no I can’t do this at the moment
I am currently unemployed with mental health issues such anxiety and depression as well as hormonal disorder I am finding it hard to hold down a job.
I received a letter which stated its not currently a debt but they need my help to review some payments made in 2013.
I was in an abusive relationship during that time and had to plan my leave from it thus don't have the documents that would prove this 10,877 is impossible to have incurred within 4 months.
I was recently diagnosed with cervical cancer at 24 years old. I was without work for 6 months and already have the stress of cancer without the stress of having to pay back money
Received the 'debt' letter just yesterday. I'm assuming the initial 'explain yourself' letter was sent to my previous address, because I never got it.
I was being paid Youth Allowance for 5 months of the 2013-14 financial year when I started my masters degree.
The first half of the financial year I was working more hours and didn't get anything from Centerlink.
I received notice in August 2017 that I needed to confirm my income from 2010/2012.
They say something payslips not matching and i owe this huge debt.
Financially, mentally and physically exhausted.
Currently i have no stable accommodation and looking for a breath of air where ever and when ever i can.
I have been very anxious about this experience.
When I called and spoke to the people who are supposed to help you put in your payslips, I cried for 20 minutes on the phone to her about the amount I apparently owe.
I could tell she wanted to help, but it wasn’t in her power and I appreciate that she listened to how much this will affect my future.
Causing grief where it is not due, bringing back anxiety attacks whilst at work.
I'm lucky that the claimed debt amount would not be an issue to pay.
Luckily I was taught by my parents to keep all payslips and documents from a young age so I can easily prove this debt is wrong.
I was on Austudy between late September to mid December of 2014 because I was a full-time student (over 25), with a crappy retail job and on-top of that I was supporting my divorced, PTSD/Depressed Mother which was why I needed the centrelink payments in the first place to help cover expenses like rent, food, electricity, internet etc.
I had to change my living situation from student to job seeker in office.
Told me it would happen automatically and to just start looking for work. 9 months down the track i get a letter telling me there are inconsistencies with my current situation and i panic, thinking maybe i should just pull out of centerlink completely because at the time my situation would have been okay without.
Cue a week later i'm slapped with a debt.
Left me in a state of dread and crushing depression.
I already suffer with anxiety and this has really taken its toll on me.
Mentally it has depressed me as I’ve had to go on medication as this issue has just tipped me over the edge.
Physically my body had broken out in a stress psoriasis, which I am now having to get treatment for x3 times a week.
Financially it has destroyed me. I’m responsible for two children and everyone knows how expensive everyday life is! This debt on top of that kills me.
Severe anxiety, chest pains, inability to sleep, focus very difficult.
Financial impact is debilitating.
Work has become extremely hard to focus on and I work in Mental Health !!
My debt was given to me in a letter saying I owe $20,000. They say I failed to update my study details.
I was studying fulltime, in a domestic violence situation, struggling already to cope with everyday life.
I wasn't aware I had to update my details as I dropped one subject.
I wasn't aware I had done anything wrong, to my knowledge I was stil entitled to a payment.
I had no income for that whole year, and I would have been entitled to more than what they were giving me if I wasn't considered a student with them which is what they are saying.
This is my second debt. No one can explain to me how it has happened except my pay slips dont match up with my reporting.
I asked them were they aware that they wont match up because my center link fortnight and my work fortnight were different. The person I spoke to said that is how they do it.
I did ask if common sense would ever prevail.
I simply do not have it in me anymore to fight.
Right before exam period approaches I get a letter to say I owe a mass amount of debt, absolute panic attack as I've never owed in my life and all of a sudden they want money in 14 days!
Requested a hold and a copy of DATA BREAKDOWN which allows you to verify what you reported so you can cross reference your pay.
Centrelink performed a data matching with the ATO.
The ATO had my earning $X for a particular period but centrelink had recorded $Y for the same period being less than the ATO.
They then decided this meant I had underdeclared my income.
Very stressful as I am already struggling on my current income.
There’s not a chance this debt could be accurate.