Red Debt Collection (Lowells) & 3 mobile

Glad i found these posts!

I have received two letters from Red with different reference numbers and different amounts owing to 3G Mobile....does that make me lucky lol!

Well i have only ever had years ago a 3 pay as you go phone, no contract, no insurance or anything, so am somewhat bemused to where one debt came from let alone two!

Anyway i tried to call the 0844 number to see what was what...turned out to be a nice scottish lady working at a car dealer ship in glasgow! Funny thought Red was based in leeds!

Next Step was to try emailing them seeing i couldnt get through by phone, guess what the email bounced back and with failed delivery.

So seeing as i dont know how to contact these underhand people...does anyone have any ideas on what to do next?

thanks

Hi,

The Red debt collection services is a SCAM. They have sent a letter to my husband about the "money" he owes to 3G and he has never been a customer of 3G.

I believe the scam is in phoning them up, the phone number must be a very expensive one charged by the minute. I also think that they do get some people actually paying so it must be worth it enough for that alone.

How can we get these people brought to justice and stop them sending out phoney letters. I am going to first contact the csa (credit standards authority) as they have used their credentials at the bottom of the letter. Does anyone else want to join forces to provide the proof of the illegitimate practice going on here? I feel sorry for the poor susceptible people who will lose sleep and money over this scam.

Best regards

Emma

Hi All,

I have come home this evening to exactly the same thing, namely

"Reference No: 9245xxxx
Original Creditor : 3G Mobile
Balance Outstanding : £12.86

We would inform you that we have been appointed duly authorised collection agent for Lowell Portfolio I Ltd and have been instructed to recover the outstanding monies due to our client.

As you have failed to settle your outstanding balance or enter into a repayment plan our client has now instructed us to consider either :

1. Using the services of a Licenced "Home visit Agent" ....

2. Start legal proceedings with a view to gaining a County Court Judgment....

Before a decision is made as to the most suitable form of action (described above) regarding your oustanding debt we would like to give you the opportunity of contacting us and agreeing repayment.

If we do not hear from you by 26/08/2008 and you persist with non payment our client may have no alternative than to use other recovery methods as described above, both could see your balance increase as any costs incurred may be added to your account.

This debt is not going to go away and ignoring this problem could potentially make your situation worse and we therefore strongly recommend you contact us NOW:

0844 844 4720

Payment can be taken over the telephone by debit or credit card

Yours Sincerely

Nigel Beaven"

Interestingly the date of the letter is 21st August so I'm to assume Royal Mail took almost a week to deliver it !?!.

I did have a mobile contract with 3 Mobile, not 3G, but it was cancelled at the end of its term around 4+ years ago after I'd had overwealmingly bad service from them. Cancelling the account was painful as I recall but I'm of the opinion all debts were settled.

My experience with 3 probably echoes that of many with bad customer service (in India) and poor reception in most areas I took the phone to.

I'm discusted and livid that this dodgy outfit have somehow been given my details via 3. What's more annoying is any such debt outstanding would have been better recieved had 3 made request for payment of it over the last 4 odd years.

I have dug out the letter I sent 3 in cancellation and it's dated 7th June 2004. One thing that's uncanny is the following passage I wrote in my letter :

"I have made two phone calls to customer services trying to provide notice. I called on the 2nd June and was told it was “too early to cancel as renewal is 7th July” and told to “call back on 7th June”. I have done this today and been told I can’t give you notice until “the beginning of July otherwise I’ll incur a cancellation charge of £12.50”.

I’m not looking to end this contract early so I certainly don’t expect to be charged for cancelling at the end of 12 months. I was merely giving a month’s notice of this intent."


Now this makes me wonder...are they trying to charge me for cancelling, even though I clearly stated I'm not trying to cancel early just to cancel upon day of what would have been renewal?.

Either way I'm unsure how to proceed with Red. I neither want to phone them nor send them a tenner to see proof of what debt they proport to. My other quandry is what the reference number relates to? It's not my original account number as I have that detailed on the letter I sent in 2004 and it has more digits for a start.

Any thoughts? last thing I want is a CCJ against me but not liking being scammed either.