First credit debt collection :(

cocker100

Hi all,

Was just wondering!

Which 1st Credit were brought to book in that Panorama programme last year?

1st Credit Ltd of Reigate or First Credit Management?

How come they are allowed to trade with such similar names?

Cocker:)

cocker100

Hi all,

Its gone a bit quiet on here recently? Anyone had any recent dealings with these lot? Still thretening their usual stuff with me but still not carried any of it out!
Anyone else noticed that their compliance officer has changed?

Cocker:)

pepe2008

I'm playing the waiting game.....their 8 weeks is up on 13th, then I can Complain to FOS. ( They have tried bleating to CCCS about me ).....that will be 4 months since original CCA req following Stat Demand.
Lets see.

Bazza66

cocker100 wrote: »

Hi all,

Its gone a bit quiet on here recently? Anyone had any recent dealings with these lot? Still thretening their usual stuff with me but still not carried any of it out!
Anyone else noticed that their compliance officer has changed?

Cocker:)

They have received my CCA request last Tuesday. Still waiting to hear anything. The clock is ticking....

nos4R2

I am new to this forum and have been reading this post with interest over the last couple of days, after finding it after a search for 1st Credit and Citi.

My wife has a Citi Card, and last year was forced to retire because of poor health and a poor employer. As I was already out of work due to a dicky heart this caused more than a few financial problems. I contacted NDL, and later Payplan, and with their guidance I wrote to all of our creditors and started making a token payment via standing order. This seemed to satisfy most including Citi.

Then out of the blue my wife received a letter pertaining to be from Citi saying that they had "assigned" the outstanding balance (albeit somewhat inflated) to 1st Credit. I was quite angry at this apparent change of policy. So I cancelled the standing order and stated drafting a letter to Citi stating my disdain at their actions.

On closer examination I realised there was something not quite right about the letter; the stationary looked like a monochrome copy of the coloured type usually sent by Citi, and the print quality was very poor; virtually unreadable in places. This caused me to change my tack. I reinstated the standing order and redrafted the letter to read such:

My Addy
Someplace
Somewhere

Citibank International - Peoples Bank Cards
Po Box 191
Salford Quays
Manchester
M5 3AT

7th February 2009

Ref. Account number: **************


Dear Sir

I received a letter this morning in relation to the above account. This letter pertains to be from your company, but when viewed in comparison to other correspondence from yourselves, it is clear that the letter is a forgery.


I felt this should be brought to your attention, as among other things the letter claims that a company called 1st Credit has purchased the above account from you and that I should stop paying you and now make payments to them.


If this letter is legitimate, and 1st Credit are using poor copies of your stationary and claiming to be you, with your approval. Could you please confirm to me that you wish me to stop making payments to yourselves, and that you have indeed sold that detailed above to 1st credit and supplied them with all relevant documentation?


If I receive nothing to the contrary I will continue to make payments to you.

Yours sincerely

Printed Signature


I will await a reply from Citi, although they may not bother. If/when I receive a letter from 1st Credit (fortunately when we first started getting into money troubles I changed our phone number to avoid harassment), I will ask them for a genuine letter from Citi confirming the transfer of the debt, and send them a CCA request.

I'll let you know how things pan out.

pepe2008

Letters from 1st Credit can often look like photocopies. they are also know to use 'Barclaycard' stationary.
However you should recieve proper notification from Citi that the Account has been Assigned ( sold cheaply ).
If you receive letter from 1st, write to them ( or e-mail as you get auto-response) and insist that all communication is in writing.
Never sign a letter to them.
Inform your Debt Managers ( if using a dmp ) immediately that 1st have got involved.
Download the Debt Collection Guidelines from www.oft.gov so that you can see when they break these guidelines.
Complain when they do. ITS FREE AND ANONYMOUS
See whether 1st are going to accept your offer, if they dnt,and try to turn nasty ( They WILL threaten Charging Order, Bankruptcy, statutory Demand etc thats their norm ) then send a CCA request, download template letter from www.nationaldebtline.co.uk and follow their instructions.
Dont put up with any cr*p from 1st, they go at you hammer and tongs for a month ( their collection agents are paid commission on phone payments) then calm down.
Keep us posted.

nos4R2

By the way, just checked 1st Credit's website http://www.1stcreditltd.com/ and the pictures certainly look like the buildings of the company featured on Panarama. If you do want to phone them (don't forget to put 141 in front of the number when you phone), you can find the normal number there instead of the expensive 0870 number they give out in letters.

debtman2007

Nothing new from me thankfully. My last letter from Ms Shim Quee was about 6 weeks ago now. Has she moved on then?? Got a conscience maybe??

cocker100

debtman2007 wrote: »

Nothing new from me thankfully. My last letter from Ms Shim Quee was about 6 weeks ago now. Has she moved on then?? Got a conscience maybe??

Not sure!

My most recent letter was signed by a Mr Mike Harker, Compliance Officer!

Maybe they have recruited more staff due to demand!!:mad:

I'm sure Pepe is still dealing with Ms Shim Quee so not sure what is going on!

I'm due another letter shortly, so i'll let you know who its from.

Cocker:)

nos4R2

my wife recieved a letter this morning "introducing" 1st Credit to her. As yet we have not recieved anything from Citi other than the letter from 1st Credit maquerading as them.

They mention the DPA and say they are willing to send me details held, on receipt of £10 and sae. Not that that bothers me to much, it would be interesting to find out, but to be honest being an OAP on min state pension only, the £10 fee is a bit much. I will be sending the £1 fee though and requesting CCA info.

In fact I am going to the PO tomorrow to get a pile of £1 POs to send to our other creditors. Pity if doesn't work for overdrafts. We wanted to pay our debts but a lot of our creditors refuse to talk to us, being only prepared to talk to a 3rd party and will not entertain any offer unless it is part of a DMP or IVA. We contacted CCCS, NDL and PP, but none where able to help as we do not have enough money for a DMP although they have helped with advice and letter templates.