Original debt was $5,000 — I became physically sick for a few days, later my psychiatrist had to increase my antidepressants, which was triggered by this one letter.
I applied for reassessment, paid $60 for printing and copying all the info that they wanted, they phoned me saying "I've got great news!!" — my debt had been halved.
I said that even if I'd received a letter for $2,500 debt I would have asked for reassessment because I don't believe that I under-reported and because it's sooo much money!!
I'm still deciding what to do about the remaining debt — they told me I don't have any many rights, but I know I do.
It's just gotten so stressful that I'm scared to answer my phone or make a call — I put it off every day because I'm anxious about what they'll say next and because each of the people I talk to say inconsistent things and because once they hung up the phone on me (I'd been 100% polite and no trouble, I guess I was just too much of a nuisance) and because a couple of times they speak to me like I'm stupid or a fraud or something!
My specific case — terribly, incompetent and with a lack of transparency or accountability.
The whole thing, people getting these letters and not being given info, just being accused - shocking!!!!!!
It makes me so sad that someone who doesn't feel competent or capable in dealing with them, or someone who's more vulnerable, can't navigate their weird unreliable website, or e.g. in a remote area — how they could deal with this.
I feel like I am voiceless in this situation, even though I'm in a relatively good position to go through these stupid processes. So upsetting.