Mackenzie Hall - what to do?

INeedAdvice_3

Hello!

My parents received a letter today from Mackenzie Hall, addressed to 'me' although they had the surname a bit wrong (think along the lines of Barker / Baker). They didn't realise the error until they had opened it with my permission.

They talk about an unspecified debt and say that my (parent's) address is a possible contact detail in chasing up this debt.

It's obvious they have the wrong person. Apart from the fact that they addressed it to someone with a different name to me, I don't have any debts - no store cards, credit cards etc. Not even a UK bank account as I live abroad.

My first instinct was to call them and tell them they have the wrong address, but having read some horror stories here and elsewhere online I am a bit scared!

I want to phone them, but also want to know where I stand. If they ask my 'real' name or my current address or phone number, am I obliged to tell them? I really don't want this obnoxious company to have my contact details. What if they want me to prove that I am not this person?

I have never had dealings with this kind of company before and I am nervous about it, especially as the only address they have is that of my parents! Should I maybe just ignore them on the grounds that it's not me the letter was addressed to anyway?

iolanthe07

They scatter these letters to people of similar or same names as those whose debts they have bought off the banks (usually for peanuts). They just hope some people will be panicked into paying. Most will be either statute barred or, like yours, sent to the wrong person. They don't care whether you actually owe the money or not. AFAIK you don't have to respond at all, but you might want to contact them to point out their error for your peace of mind. Don't give them your real name or any contact details. These people are predators and ruthless.

Welshwoofs

DO NOT PHONE THEM!!!!

I've had exactly the same thing with the same shower of barstewards. In my case I got a call out of the blue from someone asking if I'd ever lived at an address in Surrey and confirming my name. I confirmed my name was correct but also said I'd never lived in Surrey....I was a bit hassled at the time so didn't stop to consider why on earth some unidentified person would be asking me these questions until I'd put the phone down.

A few days later queue my first contact from McKenzie Hall wanting nearly £3k for an unpaid debt on a credit card I've never owned. They didn't go away.

The way I handled it was to throw a subject access request back at them demanding proof that the debt was mine. They didn't respond to that. In the end I took them to small claims court and they were ordered to pay £80 in costs. I've not heard from them since.

Do everything in writing, demand proof of the debt (which of course they won't have) and threaten them with court if they don't back down.

McKenzie Hall basically employ a scattershot approach of sending threatening letters to everyone with the same name as the debtor. They also specialise in buying up statute barred debts which the debtor wouldn't have to pay up on, even if they did have the right person. They operate on the basis that a proportion of people will be frightened enough to pay....even when they know the debt isn't theirs!

In short - they're scum of the lowest order.

INeedAdvice_3

Gosh!

Maybe I'll just not phone or contact them at all! They sound horrible. The letter wasn't even addressed to me, so they can't accuse me of ignoring it or something. I was going to do them a favour by letting them know they were on the wrong track, plus I wanted to protect my parents from getting any more correspondence from them but I don't think I'll bother, and I'll tell my parents just to throw anything away that comes from them.

I certainly don't want to take anyone to court - I'm 8 months pregnant and although the thought of a good fight is appealing to my hormones at times, I don't think it would be the best idea for my blood pressure!

I'm really quite cross, I think the letter gave my poor parents a bit of a turn. I'll have to tell them exactly what these people are up to. I hope this company will just give up once they get no reply.

Welshwoofs

INeedAdvice wrote: »

I'm really quite cross, I think the letter gave my poor parents a bit of a turn. I'll have to tell them exactly what these people are up to. I hope this company will just give up once they get no reply.

If they don't get a reply, their next step is to send a letter which purports to come from a firm of solicitors acting on behalf of McKenzie Hall. However if you look at the registered office for that firm you'll find it's the same address as McKenzie Hall. They'll repeat this tactic a few times via different named companies, with increasing threats, then they'll give up and sell on the debt to another bunch of bottom feeders most likely.

The names like like to use are Lowell Group, Lowell Portfolio (those they pretend are solicitors) and Red Debt Collection. I had a lovely little collection of letters by the time I was done with them

RobertoMoir

INeedAdvice wrote: »

Gosh!

Maybe I'll just not phone or contact them at all! They sound horrible. The letter wasn't even addressed to me, so they can't accuse me of ignoring it or something. I was going to do them a favour by letting them know they were on the wrong track, plus I wanted to protect my parents from getting any more correspondence from them but I don't think I'll bother, and I'll tell my parents just to throw anything away that comes from them.

I certainly don't want to take anyone to court - I'm 8 months pregnant and although the thought of a good fight is appealing to my hormones at times, I don't think it would be the best idea for my blood pressure!

I'm really quite cross, I think the letter gave my poor parents a bit of a turn. I'll have to tell them exactly what these people are up to. I hope this company will just give up once they get no reply.

They can't accuse you of "ignoring" it any way. Despite what their impressive letterheads and nasty letters claim, debt collectors have precisely zero point nothing in the way of powers to make you do anything. They like to make it sound like they have similar powers to bailiffs (which they don't) and they also exaggerate those powers too - in reality all they can do at this point are make lots of empty threats.

If you or your parents do decide to tackle them, I second the suggestion to do it in writing. But you are perfectly well within your rights to completely ignore them - and after all it sounds like you've got plenty else to be going on with! Just make sure your parents feel re-assured on the subject, of course.

fatbelly

If you do decide to tackle it in writing, please also complain to:

FOS
OFT (note 2.8 Examples of unfair practices are as follows:
a. sending demands for payment to an individual when it is uncertain that
they are the debtor in question, for example, threatening debt recovery
action to 'the occupier' or sending a payment demand to all people sharing
the same name/date of birth as a debtor in the hope that contact with the
correct debtor will be made.)
CSA

tsstss7

"opened in error, not known at this address return to sender ..."

Strikes me as the best course of action here. You don't live there anyway so thay are clearly fishing.

INeedAdvice_3

Thank-you everybody! I feel reassured now that I am within my rights

BigBother

Hi Sorry to here your problems- a hidden line in your post "as I live abroad" means that a UK debt cannot be enforced abroad - UK courts and DCA's have no juristriction in other countries - tell them to Foxtrot Oscar ASAP!