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Letter from Jefferson Hobbs
Shrimping_Shelly
Posts: 18 Forumite
Just thought I'd let other people with an IVA know about a letter I received from Jefferson Hobbs today.
I received a letter addressed to both of us from Jefferson Hobbs with the following wording - "Dear Mr & Mrs .... We would be grateful if you could call us on freephone 08009949004 regarding a legal issue that you should be aware of. We have not been specific about matters as they are applicable only to you and no other third party and for that reason we wish to maintain confidentiality.
When calling please quote reference CRM18232 .
For your guidance our office hours are .....
We look forward to hearing from you
xx
For and behalf of Jefferson Hobbs"
So it looked legal. I dont have a landline anymore so rang them from my mobile. The woman who answered said it was to do with our IVA (at this point was having palpitations thinking something was wrong) THEN she said they are a company who offer IVA reviews and a service to see if they could offer services that may be of benefit to us. At this point I admit I got angry, as the letter had me worried. I asked where they got our details from and she very snottily said as it was a matter of public record they wrote letters to lots of people who are into their 2nd year of IVA. So after telling her that I had just made an expensive telephone call from my mobile for nothing I hung up on her (yes I know rude of me.
So beware of similar letters
I received a letter addressed to both of us from Jefferson Hobbs with the following wording - "Dear Mr & Mrs .... We would be grateful if you could call us on freephone 08009949004 regarding a legal issue that you should be aware of. We have not been specific about matters as they are applicable only to you and no other third party and for that reason we wish to maintain confidentiality.
When calling please quote reference CRM18232 .
For your guidance our office hours are .....
We look forward to hearing from you
xx
For and behalf of Jefferson Hobbs"
So it looked legal. I dont have a landline anymore so rang them from my mobile. The woman who answered said it was to do with our IVA (at this point was having palpitations thinking something was wrong) THEN she said they are a company who offer IVA reviews and a service to see if they could offer services that may be of benefit to us. At this point I admit I got angry, as the letter had me worried. I asked where they got our details from and she very snottily said as it was a matter of public record they wrote letters to lots of people who are into their 2nd year of IVA. So after telling her that I had just made an expensive telephone call from my mobile for nothing I hung up on her (yes I know rude of me.
So beware of similar letters
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Comments
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Dodgy bottom feeders.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/54732017#Comment_54732017
Steer well clear, as you've already worked out.
Free/impartial debt advice: National Debtline | StepChange Debt Charity | Find your local CAB
IVA & fee charging DMP companies: Profits from misery, motivated ONLY by greed0 -
Shrimping_Shelly wrote: »Just thought I'd let other people with an IVA know about a letter I received from Jefferson Hobbs today.
I received a letter addressed to both of us from Jefferson Hobbs with the following wording - "Dear Mr & Mrs .... We would be grateful if you could call us on freephone 08009949004 regarding a legal issue that you should be aware of. We have not been specific about matters as they are applicable only to you and no other third party and for that reason we wish to maintain confidentiality.
When calling please quote reference CRM18232 .
For your guidance our office hours are .....
We look forward to hearing from you
xx
For and behalf of Jefferson Hobbs"
So it looked legal. I dont have a landline anymore so rang them from my mobile. The woman who answered said it was to do with our IVA (at this point was having palpitations thinking something was wrong) THEN she said they are a company who offer IVA reviews and a service to see if they could offer services that may be of benefit to us. At this point I admit I got angry, as the letter had me worried. I asked where they got our details from and she very snottily said as it was a matter of public record they wrote letters to lots of people who are into their 2nd year of IVA. So after telling her that I had just made an expensive telephone call from my mobile for nothing I hung up on her (yes I know rude of me.
So beware of similar letters
I had a similar letter a while back from another company - same type of thing though.
Basically, they are trying to conclude your IVA, by making you go bankrupt - a service for which they will charge you (more than the £700 it costs to go BR yourself I suspect).
These companies get our details from the insolvency register.
File the letter in 'recycling'.0 -
Hi
Mailshotting Bankruptcy Assist Outfits have been around for a number of years now.
The now defunct IVA Council (I think they were called) arguably pioneered this sector - alas I knew them well.
Opportunists in my opinion, you dont need to pay anyone to do the forms etc, go to a charity or do it yourself if possible.
More important dont do or change anything without getting professional independent advice (not a good idea to hand over any monies either)
The night flight seats could be in demand again I hear.
Just my take0 -
I had one of these letters from them yesterday. Quick internet search quickly found they are dodgy. Straight in the bin! (After I'd removed my address, of course!)I wish I was a glow worm, a glow worm's never glum
Cos how can you be gloomy, when the sun shines out your bum?
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I wouldn't worry in the slightest about being rude- I am severely rude to anyone who calls, writes or anything, when it's a sales call and out of the blue.
It does bother you though I can understand why you did call them- my IP had warned me at the outset that I would get correspondence telling me I'd been missold etc, so I was forearmed, I am in year 3 and I've had nothing like that though for a while thank goodness, just looking forward to being debt free now as soon as poss!!!now debt free and determined to maintain good spending habits and build savings0 -
These ambulance chasers, this one along with IVA Council, have been around a long time. Thought they would have been forced out of business by now.0
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MoneySaverLog wrote: »These ambulance chasers, this one along with IVA Council, have been around a long time. Thought they would have been forced out of business by now.
Hi
Some of them have made a packet out of things people can do themselves and in my opinion given some dubious advice along the way.
They hold licences (or should do) so it would appear they are doing nothing illegal.
Its not just the IVA to bankruptcy assist 'outfits' that cold call & mailshot people or use the insolvency service register for contacts (or should that be leads) such can be the nature of commission, marketing & profit in the debt advice industry.
Many people have gone from IVA to bankruptcy (depending on circumstances) without using these 'companies' or paying silly fees to help fill in B/R forms.
If there was not the 'market' then these companies could not operate or survive, but perhaps they would then think about moving onto something like double glazing, timeshares, sub prime mortgages etc, maybe catching a late plane on route.
My opinions & take again, based on rock solid experience.0 -
These firms have no idea of your personal situation all they know is what's published on the register. They are preying on the most vulnerable suggesting they may have been miss sold a IVA.
There is a place for assisted bankruptcy but not by touting for business by trailing the insolvency register and eluding to the miss selling of IVA's0 -
MoneySaverLog wrote: »These firms have no idea of your personal situation all they know is what's published on the register. They are preying on the most vulnerable suggesting they may have been miss sold a IVA.
There is a place for assisted bankruptcy but not by touting for business by trailing the insolvency register and eluding to the miss selling of IVA's
Hi
Yes, I agree.
It can be very unsettling and potentially costly
Im for the free bankruptcy help however, not paying hundreds of pounds or maybe more for someone to fill in the forms.
Having said that all B/R circumstances are not the same and again people have the right to choose.
Also like I say these outfits are not the only companies that trawl the Insolvency Register.
There are also not many that seem to want to pick up the pieces of failed and failing IVAs so like I say where there is a potential market then....0 -
Received letter from jefferson hobbs today so glad i went o n internet to see who they are. Found this thread on moneysaving expert will now stay clear.0
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