Received a vague letter from Buchanan Clark and Wells :/

Senseless.Surroundings · 22 June 2015 at 6:19PM

Hi. I am new here.

Today I got home from work to find a letter addressed to me ( I have lived at my current address for nearly 2 years) from Buchanan Clark & Wells. It is very vague it says:

Dear Miss (myname)

We are trying to contact you with regards to a private matter. We have confirmed your address through a credit link obtained via a credit reference agency as being the same person who previously lived at the original address above.

Please contact by phone 08445714038 quoting the above reference number and one of our operatives will be available to take any relevant details to resolve the matter.

If you believe you are not our customer please contact us by phone 0844 (etc) to enable us to remove your address etc.

Yours faithfully.

David Smith.

My name is correct on the letter, as is the previous address (flat I rented for a year).

I have done a credit check and my score is good even though I've not had a credit account for that long.

I have no recollection of any bills I owe, I haven't received any letters from energy companies etc saying I have bills unpaid.

I'm really worried about it because my partner and I have just bought our house and have a mortgage to pay and we're trying to save for a car etc and I could do without the stress

Does anyone know what I should do? I am wary about calling them because I know that they can harrass you for information and it seems odd that they haven't just told me what I owe and why outright in the letter.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Any help or advice would be much appreciated.

sourcrates · 22 June 2015 at 6:27PM

Hi,
Typical BCW fishing trip, ignore them for the time being, if you recieve something in writing, with more information detailing why they want to talk to you, then respond with the provit letter :

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=2607247

Until then, ignore them, and carry on as normal.

Deal with them only in writing, never ring a DCA.

Senseless.Surroundings · 26 June 2015 at 10:47AM

Hi again. Today I got a text message from them asking me to call up urgently with a reference number, and I had a call the other day from a withheld number (which I didn't answer , but it could have been them ) I am really worrying about it now.

Marktheshark · 26 June 2015 at 10:51AM

They want your date of Birth so they can try and stitch you up.
Do not give them any information they can add to what they already have, initials, dates of birth, national insurance numbers of details from Crown documents.

They will attempt to device extra information by using the old chestnut "security + Identity checks"
If they believe you owe them any money they should write a correct demand including some proof of the claim.

sourcrates · 26 June 2015 at 10:57AM

Senseless.Surroundings wrote: »

Hi again. Today I got a text message from them asking me to call up urgently with a reference number, and I had a call the other day from a withheld number (which I didn't answer , but it could have been them ) I am really worrying about it now.

Hi,

Previous advice still applies, ignore texts, emails, calls etc, only respond if you receive something in writing from them.

A written request for payment is the only legally correct way to ask you to repay a debt, they can text and email, and call, as much as they like, they have no legal basis in law.

If they write to you, respond with the provit letter (link in my previous post) then at least you will know that the debt is, and if its you or not they are looking for.

andyfromotley · 26 June 2015 at 10:59AM

Do not ring them. If you have to know write to them but me, i'd just do nothing, ignore them until you get a letter saying you owe this company, this amount, for this reason. Then you can start dealing with it. ALWAYS in writing.

MisterBaxter · 26 June 2015 at 12:40PM

I can only echo what others have said when it comes to BCW. If they have something specific then they will have already sent you a detailed account in writing telling you what it is, how much it is and why they think you owe it. They are just trying to get information in the hope that they have the right person.

I've dealt with them a number of times in a professional capacity and they are not exactly what I would call competent; they can also be quite aggressive in their approaches.

Senseless.Surroundings · 26 June 2015 at 8:12PM

Thanks everyone.
I will definitely will not be phoning them, and I will respond to their letter only to say that they either give me full information of what their 'private matter' is about, or they leave me alone. I will not hand over any more information to them, and I will demand all correspondence in writing.

I will update you if they reply with something of more substance.

ntvmike · 12 July 2015 at 10:00PM

Ive just had a letter from them asking me to pay £60.06 for an outstanding debt to Talk Talk. My account is fine with Talk Talk, I did ring BC&W but decided to hang up, Ive sent an email to them telling them my account is fine, If it isn't, ill deal with Talk talk direct and to not send me anymore intimidating letters.Ive also screen shot my reply. Don't know if Ive done things in an acceptable way but what the hell. Were supposed to be a paperless society now lol

Received a vague letter from Buchanan Clark and Wells :/

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