WRONG WEBSITE - Metropolitan Collection Services - Central Debt Recovery Unit

sct73

Dear all,

I hope you can help, I have a debt with HSBC which I have been paying off on a monthly basis. Recently my bank details changed and the payments failed to go through. I have received a large number of calls from MCS, all rude and abrupt!! I also received a letter telling me to pay immediately to avoid further action.

The letter states on the front that I can make payments securely on line at www. paymcs .com this is also printed on the back of the letter amongst other methods of payment.

No matter how many PCs or different servers I try, the website address doesnt work. the address that does work is https:// www. paymcs.com but this isnt the address that is printed on the letter!

I have sent MCS a letter informing them of this, but that due to the large number of phishing scams, I am unhappy to make payment through this edited URL. I have asked them to contact me in writing with a solution to making payment but all I have received is a Central Debt Recovery Unit letter telling me they will call me on Saturday.

Am I right to request correspondance in writing only, and am I right in objecting to pay via this website as I cant access the website they have advised???

Tixy

You are perfectly entitled not to use that website. Personally I would ask for their bank details so you can set up a standing order.

And yes, you can certainly request all communication is in writing and its a very good idea to do so.

sct73

Will this have affected my credit rating?

Im tempted to continue to argue that I wish to pay via the advertised link on their correspondance, so they might change it!!! Im more than willing to pay but it infuriates me that they chase the debt so heavy handedly yet advertise a method that doesnt work!

Mikeone

You're well within your rights to request all correspondence by letter, but I think you're splitting hairs over the website.

The url they quoted isn't incorrect, it just missed a prefix which most browsers would either autocorrect or generate a message telling you to use https. You must know this as you said yourself it works via https.

Tixy

If the debt is now with metropolitan then its quite likely they have issued you with a default, if you already had a default then the fact that payments were missed has probably been entered on your credit file, only way to know is to check it.

Even if that website was correct it would mean putting in your bank details to their systems. Many people advise that you don't do this but stick to standing order so only you can control how much you pay to them.

sct73

Mikeone wrote: »

You're well within your rights to request all correspondence by letter, but I think you're splitting hairs over the website.

The url they quoted isn't incorrect, it just missed a prefix which most browsers would either autocorrect or generate a message telling you to use https. You must know this as you said yourself it works via https.

All browsers I have tested it on so far (ie7, chrome, safari and firefox) all tell me to edit the URL but do not redirect me, but surely MCS should be avertising the correct URL, I only know this is safe and correct because it is my job! It wouldn't take much for them to fix, if they want everyones money so badly!

PNPSUKNET

so whats your point your trying to make...

sct73

PNPSUKNET wrote: »

so whats your point your trying to make...

Im trying to find out if I am within my rights to withhold making payment as the method they advise to pay by doesn't work.

Mikeone

sct73 wrote: »

Im trying to find out if I am within my rights to withhold making payment as the method they advise to pay by doesn't work.

You can try it, but I really doubt it will hold any water with them.

stevieb1

https:// is basically a _secure_ site .. over http://

techy speak ..
http:// == Hypertext Transfer Protocol
https:// == Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure

in essence same site just giving you the "padlock" by the address bar.
any payments made online should be minimum https://