Help! Orange are threatening me for money which I don't owe!

MosesRoses

A few months ago I had my Orange mobile broadband account disconnected as the service was appalling and they were unable to offer me a suitable alternative. The person who I dealt with said there would be no further money for me to pay.

Since then they have sent me several bills for an apparently random lump sum of money which they didn't detail or explain - how professional - and today I've received a letter threatening to contact the debt collectors within 7 days. I had already directly contacted the person who cancelled my account, back in October, and he emailed me confirming that I was not owing anything. So it's just sheer blardy inefficiency on their part, and they are wasting my time.

So I need to make an angry call (which, by the way, I will record - of course I'll let them know this), but I would like to be able to make my own threat of what further action I will take if they do not clear my account and any other records such as my credit rating. This is what I need your advice for:

- I'll tell them that I shall be writing to their Chief Financial Officer, but I would also like to know which external body would look into this - would it be the OFT or some other group?
- Apart from my credit rating, are there any other areas where they would keep records of this account issue?

Huge thanks in advance.

silkyuk9

Well it seems you have written confrmation that you do not owe any money. I thinks thats all yuo need, so let them do what they want. At the end of the day it will cost them to take you to court etc. As long as you have concrete confirmation that you owe nothing I wouldn't worry. Let them chase you. If it directly gives you a bad credit rating i'm sure you can have thisoverturned, but, i do not know about this topic so maybe someone wil credit rating experiance may help you on that.

Again, if you have written confirmation that you owe nothing, let them take you to court!

kwikbreaks

Big companies don't usually take small debts to court - they sell them on to debt collection agencies (which may in itself impact a credit rating - I really don't know). I think debt collectors are no longer allowed to adjust your anatomy with bolt croppers but they will not be averse to contacting your neighbours on the pretext that you are not replying to their reasonable demands to repay debts and wondering if you are still at the address - I've been contacted like this about a neighbour once in the past although admittedly a long time ago. There are doubtless many other legal methods of extorting some cash.

If this were me I would try to nip this in the bud and get them to stop chasing. If you incur costs in doing so you would be entitled to file a claim in the small claims court for reimbursment of reasonable expenses (phone calls letters and time) but that all takes time - I'd just absorb the hassle and get it sorted.

TallPaul78

OFTEL / OFCOM is the official body that you can report them to.

kwikbreaks

Ofcom used to be pretty much useless. They probably still are but there is at least some useful advice on their website....

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/complain/internet/isp/cancelled/

Is it just me or have others noticed that a lot of publicly paid for websites actually are starting to become genuinely useful and usable?

MosesRoses

Thansk for your advice all; I rang them and of course they admitted that they'd messed up. So they've cancelled the a/c properly (so they say) and I've asked them to send me a letter confirming it all.

muddyfoxbike

Hi, i'm new here but i have received a letter from a dca who are acting on be half of Arrow Global LLC (another debt collection agency) regarding an Orange account. I have never had an orange account. I have been with o2 for over 10yrs! Anyway i rang the people (FREDRICKSON INTERNATIONAL LTD) and told them i have never had an orange contract or any dealings with Arrow Global. They told me there was a possible settlement figure available to me should i wish to payup! I replied that why should i agree a settlement for a debt i DO NOT owe? I then asked them if they had details of the original s0-called aggreement/account, to which they said they didn't. in the end i told them i was going to seek legal advice and hung up.
Do you or anyone know how and where i can get the contact info for Arrow Global? and what is the best action i may take? thanks

dfh

Tell them to S3D OFF !

magpiecottage

Have a look at this thread.