Citi Credit card say I owe money and worried about credit record

thin_white_duke

Despite never having had a Citi card or recieving a statement I recieved a letter from a debt collection agency saying I owed £300 on a Citi card from 2000.

The debt collection agency has since written back saying they are treating the balance as irrecoverable but Citibank are saying the ammount will remain on my account pending payment as they are sure the debt is mine.

I'm worried that this will impact my (I thought) very good credit record, any ideas what I can do about this please?

lisyloo

Have you checked your Equifax, Experian and Call Credit records?
I would get the statutory versions for £2.

There are some free trials around but they can be difficult to cancel e.g. spend 40 mins on the phone, so I wouldn't bother and just pay the £2.

If it's not on your credit record then don't worry about.
I would ignore the letter.
If they harrass you write to them stating that it's not your debt and any further correspondance will be treated as harrassement and reported to the relevant authorities.

Have they provided any proof yet that the debt is yours? e.g. signed credit agreement?

onlypaddy

As this is from more than 6 years ago, it is statute barred - even if the debt was yours then they can not force repayment or report it to credit reference agencies.

it may be a fishing tactic by the DCA - they will contact everyone with a similar name to the actual debtor and hope someone owns up and pays it off...

ignore them...

thin_white_duke

lisyloo wrote: »

Have you checked your Equifax, Experian and Call Credit records?
I would get the statutory versions for £2.

There are some free trials around but they can be difficult to cancel e.g. spend 40 mins on the phone, so I wouldn't bother and just pay the £2.

If it's not on your credit record then don't worry about.
I would ignore the letter.
If they harrass you write to them stating that it's not your debt and any further correspondance will be treated as harrassement and reported to the relevant authorities.

Have they provided any proof yet that the debt is yours? e.g. signed credit agreement?

No none at all, highly suspicious.

Experian_company_representative

Might be sensible to ask for proof the debt is yours as it could be ID fraud (eg someone using your name at your previous address). If it is fraud, you might find other accounts on your credit report you don't recognise too. Either way, contact one of the credit reference agencies for help and advice. We all work together to help victims of fraud set the record straight.

James Jones

thin_white_duke

Experian_company_representative wrote: »

Might be sensible to ask for proof the debt is yours as it could be ID fraud (eg someone using your name at your previous address). If it is fraud, you might find other accounts on your credit report you don't recognise too. Either way, contact one of the credit reference agencies for help and advice. We all work together to help victims of fraud set the record straight.

James Jones

I have contacted them, their financial crime unit has investigated and confirmed that the card was sent to me at my current address and bank account details were set up for direct debits in a bank account held in my name!

Funny how I've never seen a statement for this alleged debt.

worried_jim

Its over six years old -ignore it.