Oh my god so upset!!!!

completemess

Sorry for all my posts today, I don't know what i'd do without this forum.

I'm so upset Abbey have phoned my husbands place of work for me today about my credit card arrears - !!!!!!!!! It's a card in my name only so why on earth are they calling my husbands employer??? We used to have our mortgage with them before we moved and our old current account is with them. I have just phoned them and they do have my home number - are they allowed to do this. I am so embarrassed. My husbands boss spoke to them. Feel like writing a stinking letter!!!! What's the point though.

So ashamed x

skylight

A... holes.

Its annoying, but they are clutching at straws now, and obviously have your OHs details on file.

Write a stinking letter anyway. At the least it will make you feel better. And dont be ashamed. Its only money.

Slay1963

Surely this breaches confidentiality rules.

I'd phone them and tell them your not happy and will write to Watchdog. You never know, they might just apologise!!

completemess

The guy I spoke to before was not a**ed at all. He could barely speak English!!! It's a good job my DH knows about my debts. The only time they have been given my husbands work number was when we took our first mortgage out with them 6 years ago. My husband has since had his own company (didn't work out hence the mess we are in) and has gone back working for them so they've done a lot of digging to get the no. Why on earth haven't they just written to me? Grrrrrr sorry can you tell i'm fuming? Things like this make me realise i'm 100% doing the right thing going BR.

DON79

If they spoke to a third party (your husbands boss) and told him why they were calling (re arrears) then that is a breach of data protection. They will be allowed to ask for you and say which company they are calling from but that is all, they should not say, its (company name) from the arrears department. so depends what they said to your OH's boss. but they are also not allowed to act in a way that is embarassing to a debtor under new OFT guidelines as well. and also they can only use information collected (work phone number) for the purpose for which it was collected which is also a breach of the Data Protection Act is they have used your husbands number to try contact you about personal arrears, that is a misuse of information they have gathered.

Deep_In_Debt

i was going to say the same as Don that surely it's breach of the DPA. Write to TS and OFT and Abbey's complaints department.

completemess

Thanks everyone.

I am going to write a letter now and will copy and paste the bit about DPA Don cheers.

The guy from Abbey didn't say why he was calling, he was just incredibly abrupt apparantly so it was obvious. My husbands boss gave him a gob full according to DH and said he doesn't think they will phone again.

I'm sure they do things like this deliberately to cause trouble!!! Similar thing happened when RMA (on behalf of MBNA) sent a postcard to my home saying they were going to call despite phoning me daily for weeks (they said they meant phone mmmmm - it didn't come across like that on the postcard for all to see!!!!) Roll on my BR. Still annoyed and embarrassed about Abbey x

Deep_In_Debt

I think MBNA are well known for that kind of behaviour as well! Complain to the world, I did about one of my debts and the harrassment soon stopped. They think we don't know the guidelines and were born yesterday and will try and pull the wool over your eyes but when you start giving back, they really can't handle it. I had a grovelling apology from the particular creditor that was terrible with me.

Sometimes it pays to fire off some letters.

Good luck.

DON79

Data protection principles

1. Personal data shall be processed fairly and lawfully and, in particular, shall not be processed unless-
   1. at least one of the conditions in Schedule 2 is met, and
   2. in the case of sensitive personal data, at least one of the conditions in Schedule 3 is also met.
2. Personal data shall be obtained only for one or more specified and lawful purposes, and shall not be further processed in any manner incompatible with that purpose or those purposes.
3. Personal data shall be adequate, relevant and not excessive in relation to the purpose or purposes for which they are processed.
4. Personal data shall be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date.
5. Personal data processed for any purpose or purposes shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for that purpose or those purposes.
6. Personal data shall be processed in accordance with the rights of data subjects under this Act.
7. Appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data.
8. Personal data shall not be transferred to a country or territory outside the European Economic Area unless that country or territory ensures an adequate level of protection for the rights and freedoms of data subjects in relation to the processing of personal data.

this is from the official stuff!

DON79

And this is most recent OFT guidelines about contacting by telephone.

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/persistent_misuse/responses/oft.pdf

page 4, section 9 c + d.

completemess

Thank you so much. Have written a stinking letter and have included the info you have given me Don. It's made me feel better writing it if nothing else!!!!

MBNA are awful Deep In Debt, the company RMA they use literally hound you daily!!!!