ID Theft - Being chased by Fredrickson International

Sangria_Girl

Hi,

I was a victim of ID theft last year, I am now receiving letters from the debt collection agency Fredrickson International ltd, including 1 letter from Bryan Carter solicitors. (strategically these always arrive on a friday - an attempt to ruin my weekend?)

I have sent them the template 'prove it' letter and a further 2 letters containing my crime reference number, however they are choosing to ignore this. My last letter threatened reporting them to the OFT & that I would commence legal action, but they are still chasing me for a debt that is not mine.

Any ideas what I can do next? I dont want to keep sending letters to these muppets - i've already spent a few quid in postage, and theres no way I want to phone them. If possible I'd rather keep legal advice a last straw. Is there any hope this company will loose interest and stop sending me letters?

I've kept copies of all letters I have sent and my proof of postage receipts.

Any advice would be great, as this is really starting to stress me out! thanks

RAS

have you spokjen to the original creditor and ensured they know it is ID theft and get them to cancel the action?

Sangria_Girl

Thanks RAS. Yes I had contacted the original creditor by both letter and later telephone giving them my crime ref no. which the police begrudgingly gave me. all told i probably phone the company 4 times.

These debt letters appear to have 'come out of the blue, and the wording is very clever - to get you to phone an 0845 number which i'm not going to do - have heard that fredrickson will hound you with telephone calls if they get hold of your number.
I also signed up to credit expert and the account was removed last year. I've checked credit expert again, as i'm a signed up member - account has not re-appeared. are this debt agency just trying it on?

pepe2008

Write to them ONE more time. Tell them that you have provided proof of the Crime and that you will not enter into any further correspondence and, should it reach a Court, you will provide all your evidence to ensure that they will be liable for all Court costs.


edit. and ask them for a Copy of their Complaints Procedure

RAS

Absolutely.

Forget prove it. Tell them that if you ever hear from them again, you will report them to the OFT for haressment.

pepe2008

RAS wrote: »

Absolutely.

Forget prove it. Tell them that if you ever hear from them again, you will report them to the OFT for haressment.

Why wait, report them anyway.

Sangria_Girl

sorry, i meant to add - when i phoned the company (i insisted on speaking to their finance dept, after several hopeless calls to their advisors) they said if i could provide them with a letter to their head office with my crime reference number then the account would be closed. i did this & after i sent the letter, the entry on my credit report disappeared. the letters from fredrickson commenced 12 months after this happened, and have taken me by surprise as i thought the matter was closed. i was initially sent letters by capquest in 2009. is it legal to chase someone when it has been proven the debt is not theirs?

has anyone else had a similar experience with fredrickson? thanks for reading this.

Sangria_Girl

thanks for the advice guys - is there a number to contact for the OFT? it mentions on their website they dont deal with personal cases, which is why i havent yet contacted the OFT. I went to my local citizens advice centre yesterday & was dissapointed as they were no hope whatsoever.
I will take your advice and write 1 final letter to Fredrickson Int.

Thanks

flaire

Remember to use Recorded Delivery when posting. I once had problems with a debt collection agency concerning debts owed by a previous tenent and despite me photocopying my then tenancy agreement and posting it - they still continued sending round baliffs.

A friend advised me to send my tenancy agreement by Recorded Delivery as they when could not deny receiving it (which they had been).

Never heard from them again.

So, give that a whirl.

Sangria_Girl

thanks flaire - will do that in future. i'd initially sent my letters recorded delivery, but then switched to proof of posting to save on cost. thank you all for your advice so far - you've been much better help than the CAB and the police! i do feel a glimmer of hope this may be resolved. i'll update here next week and let you know how it goes with the OFT.....just angers me to think what i and others in my position have to go through and pay to stop being hounded by debt collection agencies..........think it's cost me over £30 so far, and counting!!

pepe2008

OFT are on www.oft.gov.uk .
They dont take on individual cases but will log the Complaint and advise the Company. Its a numbers game, enough Complaints against a particular Company can lead to action being taken.

The Financial Ombudsmans Service will take on individual Complaints and will make an award for Compensation if it feels that this is warranted.