Need help with a 'debt'

rsykes2000

Hi all and thanks in advance to anyone who can help. I checked my Experian credit file online today for the first time in a while and I noticed that I have a default (dated0 3/07/2006) on there owing to an entity called "INTERNATIONAL COLLECTIONS GROUP LIMITED" which I can't find using a google search.
I have to state now that this is most emphatically *not* my debt - it was taken out in my name a few weeks after I moved from the property and not by me - and is for a mail order company, but obviously I have no idea which and have to assume the above named people are debt collectors. Does anyone know how to get in touch with these people ? What are my chances of getting this removed from my record ? Thanks for any advice.

skylight

Contact Experian and tell them its fraudulent and has nothing to do with you and you want to be dis-associated from this company.

See what their response is.

Also, you will need to do this to the other major credit checks companies too.

rsykes2000

Cheers. I am adding a Note of Correction to the account, but I'd still like to get hold of the company to find out why the debt is there originally and who they bought it from. Does anyone have any contact details for INTERNATIONAL COLLECTIONS GROUP LIMITED ? Thanks for any asistance.

rog2

rsykes2000 wrote:

Cheers. I am adding a Note of Correction to the account, but I'd still like to get hold of the company to find out why the debt is there originally and who they bought it from. Does anyone have any contact details for INTERNATIONAL COLLECTIONS GROUP LIMITED ? Thanks for any asistance.

Try looking on the Companies House Register - You can do a free search on their website. If you get anything, post the results as this company could be a 'front' for a larger organisation - possibly the original creditor.
Another place to look would be the CSA Credit Services Association website.
Good luck.

CLAPTON

a notice of correction is not much good and may be a handicap to you.
surely experian have an address for the company .

if not, then tell experian you wish to DISPUTE the entry, this gives them 28 days to contact the company and respond to you.

needaspirin

The main branch of your library should have a Companies Register listing the company address and names of company directors for all companies in the UK. You can them write directly to the MD.

MikeyB_2

I've just checked for you on Companies House (had nowt better to do) and couldn't find the company listed there under either a current or a previous names search. There were a few with similar names e.g.

INTERNATIONAL COLLECTION LIMITED
100 CHURCH STREET
BRIGHTON
BN1 1UJ
Company No. 04501699

but that one's accounts are marked as dormant so it is probably not the one you're looking for

That it claims to be a limited company but isn't listed at Companies House seems more than a little suspect. I'd agree with the advice above - contact Experian and ask them to chase it up. They really should know where the company is located

MikeyB_2

Forgot to say that you can check for yourself (and for free) at this web address:
http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/WebCHeck/findinfopage/

HTH

rog2

MikeyB wrote:

INTERNATIONAL COLLECTION LIMITED[/B]
100 CHURCH STREET
BRIGHTON
BN1 1UJ
Company No. 04501699

but that one's accounts are marked as dormant so it is probably not the one you're looking for.

It could well be - I had a similar problem with a company called NATIONWIDE COLLECTION SERVICES Ltd. I did a check on Companies House register and it also came up as a 'dormant' company. My initial 'debt' was with Black Horse, and after requesting info under Data Protection Act, finally got a reply from a BH compliance manager, from same address as Nationwide Collection. It would seem that some companies either own, or use, names of dormant companies. This could be the situation in your case.
Probably one of their scare tactics, but I wonder what the legal position is.

rsykes2000

I apologise in advance for the length and potential general rambling nature of this post, it's late and I've had a beer or 2...
Today I received a demand from a group of debt collectors related to the above debt that they claim is owed by me. Going back about 3 months ago I contacted Experian and they told me the original debt was taken out in Sept '05 for Littlewoods catalogue. Now at the time I was going through the breakup of my relationship and the sale of my house so it got put on the back burner as I had more important things to deal with. Just moved into my new place 2 weeks ago. I have managed to find some information relating to where I was living, the house was sold by me in Sept '03 (ie 2 years before the account was reactivated by Littlewoods). Unfortunately the solicitors I used to sell the house (Walker Morris Online) have been taken over and can't reissue any letters relating to the sale and completion because they can't find my account on their new system. Professionally useless in my book, it was only 3.5 years ago after all...
I've not yet called the company, but obviously I want to prove I was not living there and could not have bought whatever was purchased from Litlewoods; get the default removed from my credit record as it is causing me credit difficulties and I will be wanting to purchase a property in the near future which this will I think either prevent or make way more expensive. I have the following documentation :
1: Letter from Walker Morris relating to the sale, dated 31.07.03.
2: Deeds request from HSBC bank (my then mortgage company), dated 01.07.03.
3: Letter from HSBC dated 01.09.03 saying mortgage has been paid off by Walker Morris solicitors.
4: Mortgage statement from HSBC dated 03.09.03 with mortgage account closed.
5: Tenancy agreement for next property, dated 04.09.03 (I lived there for apporox 6 months until Feb '04).
6: Letter from solicitors re purchase of my next property (one I lived in for nearly 3 years) dated 24.03.04.
7: Title register from Land Registry done in Jan '07 stating that the property was owned by a housing company from London since 10.03.04.
8: Letter from solicitors dated 02.02.07 relating to sale of my last property.
I am sure I can also find a council tax bill or 2 from the last 3 years for the place I was living in at the time this alleged debt was taken out.

So, my general questions are : Do you think any reasonable debt collector would accept this lot as proof the debt was not taken out by me as I wasn't living there ? Are there any other documents I should search for that you can think of ? I have to state again, the debt is most certainly not mine, I am not trying to get out of paying what I owe, it is genuinely something I have nothing to do with.

And if you got this far, thank you very much for reading and I will be most grateful for any other comments made.

mh1923

Isn't it up to the debt collectors to prove it WAS you rather than the other way around? Have you disputed the debt with Experian yet?