Advice please regarding 1st credit :(

claireds

Hello
Hoping to get a bit if advice just to make sure I'm going to do the right thing really.
Had a letter from 1stcredit ( just been reading about their bully boy tactics again), saying they are trying to get in contact with me and believe I live at this address. Obviously they want me to call which I won't do.
I don't know what debt it could be referring to but all of mine are over six years old and in that time I have heard diddly squat.
When they send the next letter detailing supposed debt, shall I send the usual statute barred letter also asking for proof all all correspondences and payments made.

Just want to be sure as had to do this at the beginning if the year with the student loans company who wiped the debt.

Thanks for reading.

Crofty75

david39

In your position, provided that you are certain that you have no defaulted debts that are not statute barred, I would totally ignore the letters.

At the moment, they are probably phishing - that is, trying to claim a debt off you that is the responsibility of someone else with the same name or has lived at your address before you or one of your statute barred debts.

As soon as you respond to them, by mail or phone, you will confirm that they have a possible catch and they will continue to harrass you. If you ignore it, they will eventually go away and try it on elsewhere.

Of course, if you are liable for a debt, then you need to take the necessary action which is detailed elsewhere on this board.

claireds

Well I know for defiante that the letter will be for me, sadly I have one of those odd surnames unlike smith lol

However, all of my debts are over 6 years old and as I mentioned I havent heard from any of my creditors in this time, even after trying to change my address with them.

They have obviously found me via another debt collection agency whom I statute barred my student loan with.

So, shall I just ignore it and wait to see what letter they send next, hopefully it should detail what the debt is for.

spinozy

I'm in exactly the same situation. Received a letter from them today. I do have an unpaid debt, but it is about 8 years old, and have had no contact, and there has been no acknowledgment in this time.

From what I've read, the main thing is to ignore them at this stage, even if you know it is definitely you they are after. They have to prove that they are able to claim the debt. If it is over 6 years old and statute barred they will simply not be able to do this. Don't phone..don't write to them...don't acknowledge any debt at all.

I'm intending to ignore the letter altogether. They have no phone number, and can write as many letters as they like...I won't be opening them. From what I've read, they will use all sorts of threatening rhetoric to convince you they have a right to get the money back...but they don't unless you admit to the debt.

leesparky

Hi Claire, Spinozy

I also received that same letter today.

I'm in exactly the same position as I have unpaid unsecured debts over 8 years' old too - from an address 4 moves ago. I'm planning on ignoring everything I get, but I'll let you all know what letters I receive and what happens.

Can I ask that you let me know the same please?

spinozy

Hi Leesparky

Yep I'll let you know what letters I get in the future, and what, if anything, takes place in the future.

johnnny49

hi, yes i had the same letter today as well after not hearing anything for from creditors for about 8 years and my six years since default on lending was up in september 2009. i have also been at my current address for a year and on the electoral roll there..i have got a new credit card since then and have recently applied for more credit so as to improve my credit rating in anticipation of a mortgage application next year. my recent credit applications were for a mobile phone contract and barclaycards credit builder card. i have a suspicion that it would be the application for that particular credit card that may have alerted them to my whereabouts.
i will ring debtline on monday for advice but suspect they will tell me just to ignore. will post again after i have spoken to them

leesparky

Hi Johnny

Your situation sounds similar to mine in that I started rebuilding my credit over the last 13-14 months. I put myself on the electoral roll 14 months ago, did the year of the credit-builder prepaid Mastercard, and then applied and got the standard Capital One credit card 3 months ago. All this is for the same reason; to get myself ready for a house move and mortgage next year.

I've moved house 3 times and show this along with the 9 year time-span all on Equifax, Experian and Call Credit, so I have nothing bad to see on my credit file at all. So I can't figure out why any creditor and/or debt recover company knows anything about me.

joespurs

Hi Guys,

I also got a letter from 1st credit on friday to my home address (have lived there since April).The letter said they are looking to contact me with regard to a personal matter and if I do not contact them within 10 days they will assume that I am who they are looking for and send all correspondence to my address.

Now to my knowledge barring my Mortgage I have no outstanding debts and have only ever had my bank account registered to one address (parents who are still at the same address) despite living in different properties up until my current property.

Do I assume that they are just fishing for someone with the same name with a debt outstanding somewhere in the UK? I really want to call them for a rant but would contacting them be "opening a dialogue"

my main concern is if I leave it does that mean I am saying that its me they are looking for?


thanks for any feedback!

leesparky

joespurs wrote: »

Hi Guys,

I also got a letter from 1st credit on friday to my home address (have lived there since April).The letter said they are looking to contact me with regard to a personal matter and if I do not contact them within 10 days they will assume that I am who they are looking for and send all correspondence to my address.

Yep, that's the same letter I think we all got!

fermi

joespurs wrote: »

my main concern is if I leave it does that mean I am saying that its me they are looking for?

Certainly not!

What if you were out of the country for a month? Moved on recently? Or any other legitimate reason for not responding?

Just assuming that you are the person they are looking for is not a reasonable assumption, and has no legal basis.