Broadband Scam?

Thready

Hi

Having got in from work I find I have recieved what I perceive to be a speculative scam letter from company purporting to represent BROADBAND BILLING.

The letter [correctly addressed to me and using my full name] is from a company calling itself 1st Credit and their address given is:

PO Box 278
Reigate
RH2 7WB

Tel: 0870 1642056

It reads as follows:

Dear Sir/Madam

Relating to Account Number: BROADBAND BILLING 64879
Balance Outstanding: £123.98

BROADBAND BILLING have asked us to contact you regarding the above balance.

Can you please contact this office immediately so that we can make arrangements with you to clear this overdue account.

Payments should be made payable to BROADBAND BILLING

PLEASE QUOTE THE 1st CREDIT REFERENCE WHEN MAKING PAYMENT.

If, prior to this letter you have made a payment in full, please disregard this notice.

Yours faithfully

[signature unreadable]

On Behalf of BROADBAND BILLING

My BB provider is Madasafish and I pay by dd monthly, [although I have been online to check my statement and satisfy myself that I have paid].

I have mailed Madasafish to make them aware, but would welcome your input as to whether I should do anything else [ie report to someone] about this or just bin it?

TIA

normanmark

It's a scam, report to your local trading standards authority

Thready

Will do normanmark :-)

normanmark

Unless your provider sends the letter then id treat is as a scam, keep copies so you can pass them onto your ISP, so at least they're aware as well

GuessWho_2

These people appear to be in the big league of debt recovery.

Perhaps more of a mistake than a scam?

I saw a reference where they had contacted someone else in error.

They have a website

http://www.1stcreditltd.com/


Maybe an idea to go to their contact us page and give them a ring to find out more details and see if they recognise your letter?

their website has been around a while:-

Registrant:
1st Credit Ltd
Enterprise House Bancroft Road
Reigate SURREY RM2 7RP
UK
Domain Name: 1STCREDITLTD.COM
Administrative Contact Technical Contact:
Demon Internet -Thus hostmaster@demon.net
Thus PLC
Gateway House
322 Regents Park Road
Finchley London N3 2QQ
UK
448452720666 fax: 448452700097
Record expires on 24-Jan-2007.
Record created on 24-Jan-2002.
Database last updated on 23-Nov-2006 16: 26: 45 EST.
Domain servers in listed order:
NS0.DEMON.CO.UK 158.152.1.65
NS1.DEMON.CO.UK 158.152.1.193
NS2.DEMON.NET 209.246.126.109

Thready

That's interesting Guess Who.


It's a very unprofessional looking letterhead, all the makings of a home made one and photocopied to boot.

I will contact them tomorrow to see what they have to say.

Thanks for the research.

GuessWho_2

There are many references to this company in the Reigate area, so they are not a *fly by night*
They appear to be serious players!

Assuming that letter has come from them, then they should accept your dispute and sort it out.

The reference to *Broadband Billing* could possibly refer to what appears for that company on your card/bank statements.
For instance, with V21/Fast4 we were billed as *ISP-Sub Net*
(but i'm guessing here)

On their website they link to some organisation or body called CSA which appears to be some sort of *Trade Union* or controlling body for debt collecting companies.

They have a code of practice

http://www.csa-uk.com/COP%20-%20CSA.htm

where it states:-

r) Where a debt or the sum owed is disputed, as soon as is practicable, supply information to the debtor in support of the claim. Where no information has been supplied by the creditor, obtain the required support, or failing that cease collection action.


They also have a complaints procedure, but request contacting a named senior person within that company first to try and resolve the issue.

On their members list, they name the individual for this company as


Contact Person: Mr B Kingdon

Telephone: 01737 228 555

there is also an email address, but better to sort this out over the phone, i would have thought.

pickle

You could contact the local Trading Standards Office and ask if there's a scam and for their advice about this.

Madasafish_Customer_Care

Hi Thready,

I just spoke to the finance team and we have no business dealings with 1rst Credit. Thus the letter that your received was not in relation to the account that you hold with us.

Did you have a broadband account with someone before you were with Madasafish? It may be worth getting in contact with your old provider if you were.

Sorry that I can't be more helpful!

Kind regards,
Samara

Thready

Samara

Thanks for that, I did email your dept. as I thought you would want to be aware.

Yes, I did have a bb provider prior to yourselves, but that was a couple of years ago and was also paid monthly by dd and I have double checked my bank statements and am assured that I do not have any outstanding payments owing to them.

I have emailed 1st Credit and await their reply, and will wait for their response before taking any further steps.

Thanks all for your input, I will post when I know more.