Advice Re AIC Please!

SparklySox

Have been contacted by AIC re: Amex debt!

I have offered to pay £100 monthly which they have refused. Now keep getting phone calls and now texts requiring me to contact urgently.

They require me to settle in full or pay £796 by Wednesday to stop further action.

Can anyone advise me what to do? I am so worried as cannot afford either of what they have suggested!!

Thanks in advance

SparklySox

nottoolate

when did you first take out the card?

FTW

SparklySox wrote: »

Have been contacted by AIC re: Amex debt!

I have offered to pay £100 monthly which they have refused. Now keep getting phone calls and now texts requiring me to contact urgently.

They require me to settle in full or pay £796 by Wednesday to stop further action.

Can anyone advise me what to do? I am so worried as cannot afford either of what they have suggested!!

Thanks in advance

SparklySox

How long ago was the last payment on this debt? That is, assuming that it is your debt.

Send the 'prove it' letter by recorded delivery should be your first step. You'll find a good one to use elsewhere on this site, or in other threads.

What you've said or not said in phone calls with them is irrelevant.

In any written correspondence you have with this company (or any DCA, for that matter!), do NOT put a signature on for any reason - that's important!

pure_dead_dopey

Sparkly

AIC are muppets, tell em you will pay £100 per month in writing and ask for standing order details. tell them this is all you can afford and it is what you intend to pay, end of. Note its the end of the month and these muppets are desparate to up their collections to up commission, don't give in, be strong and pay back on your terms. Everything in writing, no signatures anywhere. Debt collectors have about as many rights as the milkman, they can do very little and can threaten all they like, if you are prepared to pay £100 per month on a debt, no court is going to look at it, they know it, and now you know it.

Good luck and stay strong and assertive!

fermi

How much roughly is the debt?

Do you know whether AIC are acting on behalf of Amex? Or have AIC bought (been assigned) the debt?

FTW

pure_dead_dopey wrote: »

Sparkly

AIC are muppets, tell em you will pay £100 per month in writing and ask for standing order details. tell them this is all you can afford and it is what you intend to pay, end of. Note its the end of the month and these muppets are desparate to up their collections to up commission, don't give in, be strong and pay back on your terms. Everything in writing, no signatures anywhere. Debt collectors have about as many rights as the milkman, they can do very little and can threaten all they like, if you are prepared to pay £100 per month on a debt, no court is going to look at it, they know it, and now you know it.

Good luck and stay strong and assertive!

I understand what you mean, but before agreeing to pay them anything, I'd be questioning what right they have to collect on it. Hence the prove it letter first.

If there's been a full 6 year period (5 years if the OP is in Scotland) that has elapsed in which the OP has made no payment on this account, and has made no written acknowledgement of debt, then statute barring applies. Then, it would be up to AIC to prove that it's not statute barred.

If they want paying, then have them work for it first.

SparklySox

Thanks folks!!

I'm pretty sure it is my debt as i did have a Amex card.

Is it still worth sending the prove it letter??

How do i know if they have bought the debt or are acting on behalf of AMEX?

Still not sure what to do next?

Help!!!!!

bargainbetty

You are 'pretty sure' it is your debt? So they haven't actually proved that it is your debt, nor have they proved how much is owed? Stuff that. Send them the prove it letter, and don't hand over a penny until they have proved it is your debt and how the amount was calculated.

It may not be yours, it may not be the right sum, there could be all manner of things to discover. Find them out first, then settle the account, once you know it is yours.

fermi

How much roughly is the debt they are after?

If it is your card, when would you have first taken it out?

How long ago was the last time you paid or acknowledged the Amex debt?

Do AIC refer to "their client" or that they are "acting for Amex". Or have they said that they have been "assigned" the debt?

If you can answer those questions we will have a better idea what might be the way to respond.