Roxburghe 3G debt - scared, please help :(

JaneL84

Hi all,

Hope someone can help me.....

In 2004 I took out 2 contracts for me and my ex on 3G. The phones and network were terrible, i complained time after time after time spending hours talking to India. I even wrote to the head of Carphone Warehouse- lot of good that did me! 3g blamed CW, CW blamed 3g and so round in circles i went until i cancelled the contracts.... I told them i was cancelling as they had not stuck to their terms and conditions of service and to be honest i don't remember much after that....

In 2005 i got a debt letter (can't remember the company) saying i owed around £300 to 3g. As a student i didn't have that money but they kept on harrassing. Eventually i paid up £100 then moved and heard no more.... until November 2009...

I got a letter from Red debt collectors saying i owed nearly £400. It mentioned my last payment was £100 back in 2005 and it had been passed to them. I decided not to fight and i don't fancy my chances against 3g although i do maintain i was right to cut my contract (also never had a problem getting phone contracts after them with 02 and vodafone.....) Anyway, i set up a payment plan with Lowell (posing as Red?! i don't know how it all works...) and I have 1 payment left to make next month and it's over with.

2 weeks after the letter from Lowell I got one from Roxburghe, saying i owe nearly £900 to 3g!!!! Perhaps stupidly i ignored this letter as Lowell are dealing with this debt so how can another company be chasing me for the money?!?! On Friday however i got my 3rd letter from them saying i have 72 hours to make payment or they will take action... im so scared they will send someone round, i honestly don't know what to do. Can 2 companies buy the same debt? What if i do owe it to Roxburghe and not to Lowell who have already taken 4 payments from me? Tearing my hair out and going round in circles, does anyone know what I can do?

Very grateful for any advice.....

GeorgeUK

I would advise sending the 'prove it' letter. Unless you have more than one contract that was outstanding, this may not even be your debt, or you have been paying off someone elses. You need to get the details of both of these if possible.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=11570893&postcount=2

JaneL84

Update

I sent the 'prove it' letter by post and by email. I got a response to the email saying they would 'look into' my case.... this morning however I got a letter from 'Graham White' solicitors, apparently a part of 'michael sobell solicitors' who funnily enough have the sane address as Roxburghe! The letter basically says I must pay £846.58 straight away,just like the other letters.
They've clearly ignored my request for proof this debt is mine so I'm not sure what the next step is? It says if I ignore them they will use my silence as evidence against me in court!?

Can anyone give me any advice....?

GeorgeUK

Here's an editted version of the 'Account in dispute' letter that Fermi posted on the boards.

FORMAL NOTICE - ACCOUNT IN DISPUTE

Dear Sir or Madam,

Account number: XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

I must admit that I am rather bemused as to why this account has been passed to yourselves, as it is in dispute with the **original creditor/DCA** and has been since DATE.

Not only is this a breach of the Consumer Protection From Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and the Office Of Fair Trading's debt collection guidelines, but also in breach of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Now I would respectfully suggest that this account is returned to the **original creditor/DCA** for resolution of these defaults and breaches.

If **New DCA/Solicitors** chooses to ignore my dispute and attempt enforcement, I will initiate legal action and file reports with the appropriate authorities, including, but not limited to, Trading Standards, Office of Fair Trading, Information Commissioners Office, Financial Ombudsman Service and possible court action.

After taking advice, I am of the opinion that any continued pursuit is in violation of the Administration of Justice Act 1970 section 40 as well as breaching a number of the OFT Collection Guidelines and the Consumer Protection From Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

I hope that this will not be necessary and an acceptable solution can be accomplished.

I would appreciate your due diligence in this matter.

I look forward to hearing from you in writing.

Yours faithfully

They need proof to submit to a court - not silence. And you've not been silent - you've requested proof that the debt is yours. Have you also requested proof that the debt you paid off was yours?

fatbelly

JaneL84 wrote: »

I sent the 'prove it' letter by post and by email. I got a response to the email saying they would 'look into' my case.... this morning however I got a letter from 'Graham White' solicitors, apparently a part of 'michael sobell solicitors' who funnily enough have the sane address as Roxburghe! The letter basically says I must pay £846.58 straight away,just like the other letters.

These are just standard letters from a (very) dodgy debt collection agency.

I agree - send George's letter.

Also consider a complaint to the FOS - this thread gives the general idea