Fake debt 3 times the payments I received!

Debt amount:

$12000

Date debt issued:

Tuesday, 1 November 2016

Period debt occurred:

May 2013 to November 2013

Has your case been referred to a collection agency?:

Payment Type:

Youth Allowance

Appealing Debt?:

Yes & I won

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

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 started an appeal process because there was no possible way I could’ve of owed $12K+
My appeal took about a month (longest month ever) and I contacted the person who processes the appeals, who apologised and was shocked that the robo-debt not only said I owed money I didn’t but 3x more

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

Honestly, disgusted.
I understand they’re trying to catch people committing fraud but the amount of stress and potential ruin of your credit score is anxiety inducing.