Nuisance calls from Egg

shrinkingman

Has anyone else had a problem with automated calls from Egg? My daughter has a card with them and she went slightly over her credit limit. As a result, I've been receiving automated calls from them every couple of hours to remind her to call them. The thing is, she hasn't lived with me for about eighteen months and I rang them to tell them this. Their response was a little less than understanding, they insist they can't do anyting about it without speaking to the cardholder. I pointed out that this was nothing to do with me and insisted they remove my number from their records. It's not up to me to act as a go-between and calling me at 8.30 at night when my baby has just gone to sleep is not an endearing habit.

What I'm wondering is, why is it necessary to make so many calls to a user like this? I don't know of any other company that does this, you'd expect them to simply write. Suppose I'd moved and the phone number was now used by someone else who'd never heard of my daughter?

bathgatebuyer

They do this unfortunately. They will text and phone until the account is back within it's limit. The mobile number I had registered with them was a mobile from a previous employer and the person who took from me was being bombarded time after time to the point of despair. I know she kept phoning them asking them for the calls to stop.

Interestingly, when I asked for all records of everything arising out of my account with them, the notes where she had called up asking them to change the number just said, "3rd party contact - action not required"!!!!!!!!

Mr_K

I think its your daughter you should be having words with (!). Its really up to her to get in touch with Egg.

You could also try registering with the Telephone Preference Service. (http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/). This should stop most unsolicited calls (worked for me).

bathgatebuyer

TPS will not act on any complaints if there's a pre-existing relationship between the caller and the recipient. Unfortunately the best thing to do is get the account back in credit otherwise the calls will continue.

shirlgirl2004

I agree. Your daughter needs to let them know that it isn't her number anymore and then get her account back in credit.

We've had the same automated calls when there have been potentially fraudulent transactions on the account so they can be useful. What would you daughter do if someone had used her card fraudulently? She might not know and Egg could be trying to call her to check whether a transaction was valid.

ALIBOBSY

Well obviously if the card gets back into the black the calls will stop, but the fact remains that the card company think it is alright to keep calling a number which is no longer used by the card holder. Given that this is your landline I would say you could rightly complain about this and have the number removed from the records.
however they are unlikely to accept this over the phone so I reckon you would have to make a complaint in writing. You would need to point out that this phone number is owned by yourself and the cardholder concerned is no longer contactable via that number (don't get into relationships, legally its not her phone line and she doesn't live at that address). If they still refuse complain to the regulator, you have NO relationship with egg so they have NO right to call you.
Say I made a dodgy application and used someone elses phone number then defaulted. Would it be alright for them to keep calling on the line because it is the number they held, no of course not.

If your daughter will do it you could also get her to send a letter simply stating that phone number xxxx, is not her number any more and should be removed from their records. She DOES NOT have to give a phone number. The credit act only asks that a debtor provides a lender with a method of contact, she should ensure she gives her correct address for this purpose.


All that said the other posters are correct in that she needs to face up to this and get things sorted, she may need to see the CAB or simular.

good luck

ali x

shrinkingman

After I'd had about four calls from them on Wednesday I let her know what was happening and she immediately contacted them to change the contact number and settle the account. I then received more calls that evening and the following day, I called Egg and asked for the number to be removed from their database, to which they agreed. I continued to receive calls so I called again and this time they said there was nothing they could do.

I regret telling them my relationship with her, it may have carried more weight if she was unknown to me. They assumed I was on speaking terms with her (which I am, but they don't know that) and suggested I speak to her to sort it out, which I resent, I'm not their messenger. They also had the cheek to ask me for her phone number, which I was not prepared to give them since they're quoting data protection to me.

If this is how they operate then I'd never consider doing business with them. I'd like to know if anyone has a similar experience with any other company, it seems an odd way of carrying on. They have her postal address becasue she gets statements from them, so why don't they write like most other people do?

YorkshireBoy

To be blunt, you're making a mountain out of a molehill, and not helping yourself.

The answer is incredibly simple. Your daughter has a secure messaging facility on her account...tell her to use it to inform Egg of her change of contact details.

End of problem!


EDIT: Having just logged on to my Egg account I see that cardholders can change their contact details themselves. Tell her to look under 'Personal Details'.

YorkshireBoy

shrinkingman wrote: »

They have her postal address becasue she gets statements from them...

Egg is an internet bank. As such they don't send statements for their credit cards...they e-mail a reminder each month to log on and check them.

Are you sure she's changed the address with them?

shrinkingman

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

To be blunt, you're making a mountain out of a molehill, and not helping yourself.

Ordinarily I'd agree, but I have a four month old baby, and getting these calls at night (after 8.30) is unacceptable. Multiple calls during the day is a nuisance to say the least, but when I get them at night too, that to me is harassment.

Incisor

bathgatebuyer wrote: »

TPS will not act on any complaints if there's a pre-existing relationship between the caller and the recipient. Unfortunately the best thing to do is get the account back in credit otherwise the calls will continue.

Wrong advice. Egg may have the contact details of the OP, but it is the OP's phone and Egg have no business with the OP. If it goes on after they have been told, it is harrassment.