help please

ksh123

I am being chased by a company claiming to have "purchased" a bad debt of mine for which they are requesting payment
The debt refers to a loan that I had from M&S a few years ago which I finally paid via a one-off "full and final settlement" about 4 years ago. At that time I was clearing my bad debts after years of struggle and it was a huge relief to know that things were at last settled.
The trouble is earlier this year I had a huge clear-out and shredded loads of old papers including those relating to what used to be my poor credit history.
I don't now know how to prove to these people that I have paid the debt they are trying to collect on.
Does anyone have any ideas?????
The second problem is that I have been ill for many months (on incapacity benefit) and this is making me feel quite desperate. Although I am sure I paid this debt these letters do make me doubt myself as my memory is very poor these days......I had years of being bullied by creditors and I can't bear to think it is starting again.
I would be grateful for any advice about how to get rid of these people.
(Also theytraced me via a "con" trick, but that's another story.....)
thanks

Martinslovechild

Contact your bank and ask for a duplicate bank statement from 4 years ago which will (hopefully) include the £4K payment.

Alternatively, could you contact M&S directly and ask them?

Good luck.

ksh123

I have changed my bank since then....do you think the old one will have my details still?
I would phone M&S if I could damn well stop blubbing for long enugh!! I make myself so cross!! I think, because of my past experiences, finances reduce me to a gibbering wreck which makes it quite difficult to communicate.......... :-[ :-[

Martinslovechild

I have changed my bank since then....do you think the old one will have my details still?

It's certainly worth a phone call to check..

Good Luck.

ksh123

thanks for your advice MLC. I hope you don't mind if I bump this up in case there are some more replies available....

trafalgar_2

Contact M&S by letter and they will send you out a copy of the closed debt ,then you will have proof and you won't need to struggle on the phone

MarkyMarkD

I'm not sure how informative a bank statement showing a payment to an unknown third party of £4k (or whatever - the amount wasn't in the original post but you seem to know it somehow).

I think that M&S is the first port of call as they owned the debt in the first place. They ought to be able to supply copy statements showing how the debt which they sold is made up - if indeed the debt collection agency don't have this, and they should do. If you made a substantial payment, this should be documented.

But if you made a full and final, but incomplete, settlement, you are dependent on seeing some documentation between yourself and M&S and you've already stated that you haven't retained it.

ksh123

Golly! that was quick.
Yes, writing to M&S instead of struggling on the phone is a good idea. Hopefully I can keep the debt company "at bay" for a while. they are VERY pro-active.......and I'm dreading tomorrow as it is a working day and no doubt they will be in touch again......

ffs

Thank you for the warning that this can happen. Good luck with contacting M&S and please let us know how you resolve this.