Strange ID Theft of sorts!

TheV5 · 19 May 2009 at 8:04PM

Hi all,

I wasn't too sure where to post this item. Hope its ok here. I hope somebody can help me out here.

On the 15th May I received a letter from a company called Reliable Collections LTD. They claim to be working on behalf of their client called Premier Man. Their letter states I owe them an outstanding balance of £746.35. They also claim to have tried to contact me on numerous occasions to get this debt settled. This is the first letter I have got from them and no phone calls have been made to me.

The problem is, I have not shopped with Premier Man, but they are insistent that it is my account and I am liable for the debt. They state that the account is 9 years old and payments have been made up to December of 2008. I have checked all my bank/credit card statements and can not find any evidence of payments being made to this company (I was worried about ID theft).

They claim that the address they have (which is mine) is correct. However, I have lived here for just over 3 years and prior to that this property was an office.

I am not sure what has happened, but it would appear that somebody has got a catalogue from them, made an order, paid for some of the merchandise and stopped paying in December 2008.

Can anyone advise me on what I can do with this situation as they are threatening to send a doorstep debt collection company round by the 22nd if I have not made the payment.

Many thanks in advance.

Tim

Valli · 19 May 2009 at 8:44PM

Is the letter addressed to you by name?

TheV5 · 19 May 2009 at 8:47PM

It is addressed to C/O Timothy Worth on the letter I got the other day and he one I got today was addressed to C/O T T Worth. So in a mannor of speaking yes.

Valli · 19 May 2009 at 9:08PM

how odd - why care of I wonder.

Now I'm waiting for someone who knows more about these things than me to leap in and answer.

But I would write to them (no phone calls AT ALL) keeping a copy saying you have no knowledge of this debt and ask for information about what was ordered, when, by whom and from which address. If the item(s) were delivered to whom and where were they delivered.
State that you have lived at your present address since (date) but give no information about previous addresses.
State that you have never dealt with PremierMan and have no knowledge of this debt.
I would also ask them to state which bank they were receiving payments from...that might be interesting...(and the dates and amounts of payments and account number if they will 'spill' - might come in useful, that)

I have googled Premierman - you're not a 'big man' then?;):rolleyes:
(sorry I have a warped sense of humour:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:)

TheV5 · 19 May 2009 at 9:12PM

Thanks for the info. I'll get a letter drafted out tonight and sent tomorrow recorded delivery. I'll post up the income either way.

Hailz86 · 19 May 2009 at 10:05PM

Good luck with this, sounds like a very strange situation indeed, like said before, do not phone them and do not give them any kind of payment details. If they ask for proof of your bank details and proof of you not paying through your account, tell them to jog on x

TheV5 · 19 May 2009 at 11:25PM

Hailz86 wrote: »

Good luck with this, sounds like a very strange situation indeed, like said before, do not phone them and do not give them any kind of payment details. If they ask for proof of your bank details and proof of you not paying through your account, tell them to jog on x

Thanks. Just got the letter drafted and will be sending it tomorrow recorded delivery. Will see what comes of it and indeed if anybody does turn up on Friday to recover the so called debt.

On the subject of Debt Collection companies. If one does turn up on Friday or at any other time with regards to this matter, what is the best course of action for me to take?

This is all great info and I really appriciate the advice and support.

scullster · 20 May 2009 at 8:07PM

Provided they're debt collectors and not baillifs, they do not have the right to enter your home (unless you offer them a cuppa) or seize possessions.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/ManagingDebt/DebtsAndArrears/DG_10034289

This is the wrong forum me thinks - debt free wannabees under pure money on this website would be more appropriate as they would probably be more up on debt and dealing with it. Similarly the CAB.

That being said - I'm really interested in hearing what goes on.

nexuss · 20 May 2009 at 8:13PM

I think the debt collection company had your address but someone elses name originally.They most likely realised they did not match so changed the name to c/o T Worth to try it on.

TheV5 · 29 May 2009 at 7:12PM

Hi guy's,

Well this is still going on. They have not written back, but keep trying to call up and leave messages. They have an automated message system and on one of them they state an old postcode of mine that I left many years ago!

I think some post from them with offers may have come through in my name and the resident has replied and not bothered to change the name, or they haven't taken note of the name change.

Anyway, on it goes. I'll let you all know how it works out.

Thanks all.

TheV5 · 15 June 2009 at 7:47PM

I have now received a a letter from Premier Man after my request for various information that VALLI mentions above. According to them the account was opened in 1999 and almost £2000 has been spent and all orders and correspondence has been sent to the account address (They have not said what this address is). Also, according to them, they do not keep any records of what has been ordered once the it has been processed.

This is all they have come back with until today where I have now had two letters stating I owe the amount listed above plus an additional £12 for late-payment. One of these letters states they have attempted to communicate with me many times and have failed. As a result they have undertaken investigations to trace my whereabouts and local sources have confirmed that I am still resident!

They are not giving me any information or seem to be taking any interest in sorting this out, but instead, keep sending me increasingly threatening letters with the outstanding amount and demands to pay it.

Does anybody have any suggestions of where I can go with this. I have written back to them and again insisted that the account was closed years ago and I have not made any orders or had any correspondence with them since 2002.

Thanks.

Strange ID Theft of sorts!

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