Abacus/Clear Debt and Kays/Home Shopping Direct - warning

earthmother

I have just had a call from someone called Clear Debt, apparently on behalf of Kays/Home Shopping Direct (who are one of my creditors currently with the CAB), checking that I was 'happy with how the DMP was going', how long it was due to last, how many creditors I had etc, and the icing on the cake, 'that the CAB had given me the right information' when I went to them. He also asked if the phone calls etc had stopped, to which I said 'apart from right now' which I think threw him a bit, lol.

I'd had two missed calls from them yesterday (it's an an 0161 number in case anyone else has had the same), so had googled them and was pre-warned. Apparently they are an IVA/Debt Management company (also known as Abacus), obviously touting for business.

Once I made it clear to the 'Senior Consultant' I'd been passed to that I was happy dealing with the CAB, and knew exactly what I was doing, he back-tracked very quickly, but I'd like to bet he was going to try and sign me up to some scheme or other. Whilst I wasn't taken in (thanks a lot to you guys), I know some people with larger debts/longer payments, or just lack of knowledge about the whole system, may be tempted, so thought I'd mention it here in the hope of pre-warning people.

I've also warned my CAB advisor, as I'm sure he won't be impressed to find that Home Shopping Direct are effectively handing out creditor details (and it was all my personal and DMP details they had) to the highest bidder.

fermi

Report Kays/Home Shopping Direct to the OFT.

By referring you to an external debt company and passing your personal details to them, they are in breach of OFT rules.

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/consumer_credit/oft664.pdf

Deceptive and/or unfair methods

2.7 Dealings with debtors are not to be deceitful and/or unfair.

2.8 Examples of unfair practices are as follows:

........

f. passing on debtor details to debt management companies without the debtors' informed prior consent

earthmother

Thanks Fermi - I wasn't aware of the rule, but it's good to know. There were none of the usual 'can you pay more' or 'we now have the debt' comments, so they obviously were only calling for sales, so I may well make that report.

I have two other HSD accounts with the CAB - it will be interesting to see if that means I get two other attempts - give them enough rope and all that.