Fredrickson International, dealings with...

Wizardess77 · 11 January 2017 at 9:36PM

I had never heard of this company when they called me yesterday and in the middle of a noisy car park at the time, they caught me off guard. They asked for me by my full name and when I confirmed they wanted me to tell them my address. I refused to give this information due to having "run ins" before with dodgy companies phishing in the past. She seemed confused as to why I wouldn't just give her this information and insisted that she would need this information in order to proceed. I pointed out that she had called me and if she told me the information she had in front of her and I would confirm if it is correct, she said that that wasn't the way their procedure worked so I asked what she was calling about. She said she was acting on behalf of Scottish Power and if I wasn't going to give her the details she required I had better call SP to confirm whatever the problem was. I agreed that I would do this and ended the call.
When I returned home I Googled Fredrickson International to find out they are a debt collection agency. Now this was when it started getting strange....we have just last month signed up to Scottish Power, we are already one month in credit with them and the account is in my other halves name only. So I called them and explained the phone call I had received. The man was very helpful as I wasn't the account holder and he confirmed that they held no information what so ever in my name and absolutely no money outstanding or owing. I decided that the original call with FI must of been a phishing call.
Until today I received another call from them....I reported that I had contacted SP and that they had confirmed there was no issue and that I thought this call was "dodgy". She asked if I had received their letter, no I said, she said they would resend another letter and would I contact them once received. The call ended. I have no intention of calling a number that arrives printed on a letter.
Are these a genuine company and does anyone have any dealings with them.....?
Thanks for any help.

boo_star · 11 January 2017 at 9:55PM

They're a genuine company, yes.

Like most debt collectors though, they're scumbags.

Don't expect the calls to let up though, that's just the way they operate.

daytona0 · 11 January 2017 at 10:05PM

The first reply refers to them as "scumbags", but they wouldn't exist if people were to just settle the balances that they owe

(well ok they would, because not everyone who gets chased owes money, but you know what I mean!).

Companies house shows them as active and so yes they are perfectly legitimate.

What's in question is how they obtained your full name and number. Now either the company is phising you, or they believe you owe them a debt.

In terms of phising, they've advised you that a letter would be sent out..... how would the letter ever arrive if you believe they are phising for your address details? Doesn't make sense. They seem to have given up quite easily and in a strange fashion!

It sounds to me like you've got a debt attached to another property that you have lived in previously. That's why Scottish Power say you're ok right now and that's why you have not received any letters.

boo_star · 11 January 2017 at 11:44PM

daytona0 wrote: »

The first reply refers to them as "scumbags", but they wouldn't exist if people were to just settle the balances that they owe (well ok they would, because not everyone who gets chased owes money, but you know what I mean!).

I refer to them as "scumbags" because they flout debt collection guidelines and, like most debt collectors, don't accept that maybe they've got the wrong person.

Nope, it's another debtor trying to get away with it.

I worked in a bank in debt management (not collections) several years ago and despite all the ill will towards banks we followed the OFTs Debt Collection guidelines and would remove a phone number if the person on the other end said we'd got the wrong number.

These clowns won't.

daytona0 · 12 January 2017 at 12:09AM

boo_star wrote: »

I refer to them as "scumbags" because they flout debt collection guidelines and, like most debt collectors, don't accept that maybe they've got the wrong person.

Nope, it's another debtor trying to get away with it.

I worked in a bank in debt management (not collections) several years ago and despite all the ill will towards banks we followed the OFTs Debt Collection guidelines and would remove a phone number if the person on the other end said we'd got the wrong number.

These clowns won't.

I've just glanced the debt collection guidelines and it seems that section 3.19 is most relevant to this....

OFT wrote:

3.19 In order to avoid the risk of 'mistaken identity' (where a person who
is not the actual debtor is pursued for the repayment of a debt) and
with a view to ensuring that debtors are pursued for the correct
amount of any unpaid debt, all businesses involved in debt recovery
need to take reasonable steps to ensure that they maintain accurate
and adequate data (including in respect of debt history).

Seems a bit strange that the debt collection company have both the full name AND mobile number of the OP.... Sadly, without passing data protection on the call it is unknown as to how accurate the data is which is held.

I would wager that OP is being contacted in regards to an old address here... Not sure how valid it would be mind you, but certainly something that would need nipping in the bud.

Is that the part of the guidelines which makes you refer to them as "scumbags"? If not, please let me know which part would exclude OP from their debt "if the person on the other end said we'd got the wrong number."

That would come in helpful should I find a debt collection agency chasing me for money in the future

"Hey, is this daytona0?" - Why yes it is - "You owe us £200 but please confirm your address for data protection" - Sorry, i know I said I was daytona0 but you've got the wrong number - "Ok mate, no problem. We will never contact you again and we will not issue a CCJ against you" - Cheers buddy

PS: Does that also work with CCJs when the letters go unanswered?

PPS: You do realise that your bank would have re-possessed people's homes whilst you were there, as well as selling on irrecoverable debts to the likes of Frederickson International? And they CERTAINLY would have passed over the contact information of their ex-custmers!! The sad thing is that you were probably the first stage in that chain, offering debt management plans! Doesn't sit right that you'd be so quick to remove someone from a list because they stated that you had the wrong number! You obviously got the number from somewhere, and people lie, so maybe you missed a few opportunities to save people from their own stupidity?

skintandfat · 12 January 2017 at 2:18AM

I had dealings with them and they gave up quickly
The called me and started on about a debt (which I knew of), I told them I prefer to do things in writing and they told me they didn't

I then asked if they had all the account information including copies of letters (the arrogant agent said they did)
Oh good I said - you will see that I use this number for business purposes and as such record all calls, by continuing with this and subsequent calls you and your company agree to me recording the call and doing what I want with it - including posting online as an example of good or bad business practise.

They continued the call but fobbed me off saying they would call back- they didn't

If you have an android phone you can get an app that records calls- I just called EDF after they continued a contract despite me cancelling during the cooling off period. I told EDF I had a call recording and gave them the date, time and duration of the call and they started taking things seriously..... funny that

Wizardess77 · 12 January 2017 at 12:07PM

Hi again and thank you for the responses.
I did a full check on my credit rating last night, all of my previous energy supplies were on there for both my address and previous one, all of them said fully up to date or fully resolved and accounts close. As I said we only started using Scottish Power last month so they couldn't possibly be chasing debt. And when I spoke to SP yesterday they confirmed that they had no accounts in my name for either my address and I got them to check my previous one too.
From reading more about Fredrickson International I think that they might be a genuine company but I think maybe they have some underhand/opportunist procedures and processes that maybe aren't foolproof and in this case they have made a mistake. After all SP are saying they are not acting on their behalf.
It's worrying me that in order for me to clear this up I am going to have to open myself up to them and provide them with more details about myself, it's worrying me that the onus might fall on me to prove that I don't owe the money, rather than on them to prove I do and in the mean time what happens to my credit rating. After watching my father go through many credit issues I am fastidious about my own.
It seems so unfair that they can just create this sort of stress in someone's life, it's my 40th birthday next week and my other half is taking me away this weekend for a surprise, I'm finding it really difficult to get in a celebritory mood

hollydays · 12 January 2017 at 8:30PM

You could easily solve this problem
By asking for a Scottish power reference and a Scottish power number to contact..

Fredrickson International, dealings with...

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