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This is theft

Debt amount: 
$1524
Date debt issued: 
Thursday, 17 October 2019
Period debt occurred: 
July 2017 to October 2017
Has your case been referred to a collection agency?: 
No
Payment Type: 
Youth Allowance
Appealing Debt?: 
Yes in process
Tell us about your debt and how has this affected you? e.g. anxiety levels, financial and accommodation stress: 

This is the second time I have been given a Robo Debt. The first time was for $12,000. I disputed it and have now received this.
I woke in the middle of the night to an email sent at 12:46am saying that I owe money as I was overpaid when I received Youth Allowance back in 2017.

I cried. I have been under so much stress for unrelated things. I am moving interstate for work. I just paid off all of my credit card debt last week. I thought I could just focus on saving but now I have this. I feel so stressed, my head is spinning. I can barely afford to live as it is.

I was always so meticulous in my income reporting so that this wouldn't happen. I never lied. There were times where I would earn too much in a fortnight and my payment would be dropped so severely I couldn't pay my expenses without savings, but I reported it anyway.

I am so stressed. I can't focus. I feel stress all through my body.

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

Disgusted. How can they organise a scheme like this? It is theft!
I feel the collections are arbitrary and unwarranted. If I did the same to somebody I would be in trouble with the law. Why is this not the case for Centrelink?
They are causing damage to the mental, emotional, and financial wellbeing of people across this country without due reason and have no accountability.
I am disgusted. I am afraid of when it will happen to me again.