BuzzFeed’s article about collection agents recovering Centrelink debts (20 March, 2017) is misleading and requires correction.
Dun and Bradstreet and Probe Group are the only two companies currently providing collection services on behalf of the Department of Human Services (DHS). Neither of these use Detective Desk for DHS work. Neither do they use offshore paid data services for DHS activities.
Australian Receivables has not yet started recovering debts for DHS. It also does not use Detective Desk.
The headline is particularly misleading and does not reflect the facts contained in the article that DHS’s contract with external collection agents stipulates information is not to be disclosed, published or communicated to any unauthorised person in any form either during or after service with the Commonwealth – which includes sending information overseas.
