Debt collector harassment. URGENT HELP!

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I'm hoping someone here can help.

Here is the background: In September I used the Dartford Crossing a few times (these were desperate trips to Kent to try and save my then relationship - which failed) and I was late paying it. I had a letter through with a fine but not until October and before I had responded I was taken seriously ill. I was in hospital for a while and then in bed for several more weeks and mail was left unopened, so I undoubtedly missed letters telling me it had escalated.

In December I had someone turn up at my home apparently from Marstons, and they gained access to my conservatory as I'd forgotten to lock it though they couldn't access the rest of the house. I was staying with a friend to recouperate at the time but they called me, from inside my own home, telling me they would take my car if I didn't pay £425.50 for the escalated Dart Charge fee. I paid it, wiping out the last of my overdraft, kicking myself for not dealing with it sooner but figured it was a lesson learned, and assumed it was over.

Then in January, just 3 weeks ago I had two more 'officers' arrive at my door also asking for £425.50 for an unpaid Dart Charge. I told them I had paid it but they said it was for a different one, also a September date. By this point I had no clear memory of what dates I had crossed and I was genuinely scared of these men. I didn't let them in but fortunately I'd just started working again after my illness so happened to have enough money in my account to pay them, so I did. I asked, multiple times for assurances that there were no more outstanding charges and I was given them, verbally, by the only one of the two very large men who spoke. I never allowed them to enter my home and I paid by card on my doorstep.

So now, Marstons have received £851 from me for late paid dart charges. Again, I figured it was over, lesson learned. The end of last year is a dark part of my life I am just happy to move on from now.

However today I was phoned again by someone claiming to be from the Marston Group (a mobile no) who was apparently waiting outside my house to seize goods to cover fees of £600+ (I can't remember the exact amount). I was stressed out my brain - I was at the GP at the time being told my son may need to be admitted to hospital - so I asked for half an hour to get home and medicate my child. I asked what address he had - turns out it was the one I moved from last week so I told him that I had moved from there, but not my new address. He told me there were officers also on their way to my new house - indicating they knew the address. That was 5 hours ago and no-one has turned up...

I'm terrified. I have no money right now - I'm self employed and it's going to take many months to climb back from three months off sick. I have had no letters this year at all saying claims have been made. I had no idea this was coming. Again they are citing September dart charge dates but I thought I had already paid them. I can't believe I owe another £600+ in fees.

My Dad rang the CAB for me today after discovering me in a quivering mess earlier. He paid £10 to do a search with Registry Trust Limited which shows that there are and never have been any court orders made in my name at my old address (I was there for over three years until last week). We have also rung the police and I am now waiting for an officer to come round (classed as none urgent so may not be tonight) to take more details and offer reassurance. I'm a single mum of two with a very sick kid, on the poverty line, barely holding it together and at any point I'm expecting a knock on the door from a couple of thugs in black.

What can I do? I have paid £851 already and I need this to go away. Other than my overdraft I have never been in debt and I've certainly never had to deal with things like this. How do I stop this?

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  • snagglepat
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    Update:

    I have received further threatening text messages today, but he did cite two penalty charge numbers which has been useful. I have now gone back through the pile of letters and papers that were ignored through my illness and there is no letter with either of these numbers on. I can only assume that they never arrived as although I wasn't actively dealing with things at this time neither myself nor my parents (who kept my house going when I was in hospital) threw anything away. So I have filed an appeal based on that.

    I have been warned that it could take up to 5 days to have the heavies called off but at least they will be and I have parked my car at a friend's house in the mean time. I'm happy to deal with this if I genuinely did incur a fine but these additional ones don't match with my memory of events and I have no paperwork for them so something is awry somewhere. I'm calmer now that I know they have no legal right to enter my home or remove property and my car is elsewhere. They are not court ordered and can't do anything to me, especially now the appeal has been started. The kids and I are going to spend the weekend at my partner's place in another town just to get away though.

    I also know that the actions taken by one of the previous officers to get me to pay when I made those previous payments was not legal either, so I intend to appeal that separately. I'm significantly better informed about all this now that I was this time yesterday!
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