Received bill from debt collection agency. Didn't order anything!

omgwhat

My dad received a letter from a debt collection agency today asking for 880£. He didn't order anything apparently. The bill originated from Viking Direct.

I did notice about 4 months ago that some packages arrived in the post that I wasn't expecting. I didn't really think anything of it. The next day somebody came to the house with a minicomputer claiming to be from DHL saying the packages were sent to the wrong place/wrong person and they need to collect them. So I handed them over to them. They seemed pretty official and everything.

What worries me is that could somebody have not recorded that the packages were collected again, and thought that the packages remained with the delivery address.

Will my dad have to pay this money to the debt collection agency? what will the debt collection agency say if he says "my son gave the packages to somebody from DHL who came the next day to collect them, since they were claiming they were sent to the wrong place"?

Any input much appreciated.

dmg24

Surely the DHL person gave you a receipt for collection?

The first thing you need to do is confirm that the debt is for this delivery. If so, your next step would be to contact the police.

omgwhat

no DHL didn't give me a receipt. why contact the police?

omgwhat

also. it most probably is that order. the packages were from viking direct

dmg24

omgwhat wrote: »

no DHL didn't give me a receipt. why contact the police?

Because if someone has used your address as a 'drop' then posed as a courier to get them off you, you have been done!

What was the name on the parcels? Did you not think to open them?

magpiecottage

If you received unsolicited goods through the post then, under the distance selling regulations, you were entitled to treat them as an unconditional gift and do whatever you wished with them.

That would include giving them to somebody turning up in a DHL van.

On the other hand, if goods are sent unsolicited then it is an offence to attempt to demand payment for them.

omgwhat

i cant remember what the name was on the parcels.

what happens if my plcae was used by bloody scammers and they posed as a courier? will my dad be liable to pay?

G51shopaholic

Simple explanation could be that someone cloaned your dad's credit card

but the goods will only be delivered to the address of the account holder - so they order goods - check online that the delivery had been made and then turn up at your door claiming to be from DHL to collect the items.

You handed them over without getting a receipt so if your dad signed for them it will be assumed that he still has them, as you can't prove that anyone
came and collected them.

Hence the advise to contact the police.

dmg24

magpiecottage wrote: »

If you received unsolicited goods through the post then, under the distance selling regulations, you were entitled to treat them as an unconditional gift and do whatever you wished with them.

That would include giving them to somebody turning up in a DHL van.

On the other hand, if goods are sent unsolicited then it is an offence to attempt to demand payment for them.

Whilst your statement is true in itself, in this case we are not dealing with unsolicited goods within the meaning of the legislation. You need to differentiate between what are truly unsolicited goods (i.e. those that the retailer intended to send without the recipient's consent) and those that have been sent by mistake, or indeed in all good faith from the retailer (believing that the items have been ordered). The latter two do not fall within the Act.

omgwhat

magpiecottage wrote: »

If you received unsolicited goods through the post then, under the distance selling regulations, you were entitled to treat them as an unconditional gift and do whatever you wished with them.

That would include giving them to somebody turning up in a DHL van.

On the other hand, if goods are sent unsolicited then it is an offence to attempt to demand payment for them.

Are you sure about this? Nobody from our house requested the goods. I didn't even think to open them. They mighhhhhht have been addressed to my dad. I cant really remember. Maybe not.

Can you provide links to official sites which explain these laws? Do you mean unsolicited as in nobody at the house requested them? I want my Dad to know this. How do i convince him this is the case? I'm sure you know what you are talking about, but I would like links to official webpages, or atleast names of specific laws so I can google them?

What shall I tell the debt collection agency?

dmg24

omgwhat wrote: »

Are you sure about this? Nobody from our house requested the goods. I didn't even think to open them. They mighhhhhht have been addressed to my dad. I cant really remember. Maybe not.

Can you provide links to official sites which explain these laws? Do you mean unsolicited as in nobody at the house requested them? I want my Dad to know this. How do i convince him this is the case? I'm sure you know what you are talking about, but I would like links to official webpages, or atleast names of specific laws so I can google them?

What shall I tell the debt collection agency?

See post #9. These were not unsolicited goods.