persoanl account Debt going back 20 years

caz2010_2

I posted a thread a few days ago to which I received good advice. Just to recap. My husband received a phone call from TOWER INVESTIGATIONS LTD asking him to confirm his name and date of birth. This man then proceeded to tell my husband he had a personal account that was not closed down 20 years ago and the company concerned Lloyds had not taken legal action yet. We know nothing of this debt and especially as it goes back 20 years apparently, he cant even remember if he had a Lloyds account at that specific time. The address they were quoting was an address where he stored his work plant as in, wheelbarrows, mixers etc. It was the address of a shop who's back yard he simply used for storage. It was never a personal address where he lived. The phone call ended with the man saying he would send info to my husband. He is totaly baffled by this. two days later he gets a letter from GLOBAL DEBT RECOVERY LTD purely stating my husbands name, the amount of the debt and an account number??. No mention of the company/bank concerned and how/when it became a debt. oN THE REVERSE OF THE LETTER IT GAVE HIM SEVERAL PAYMENT OPTIONS.!! Both letters have a photocopy signature on them, no actual name as the sign off and the type set is the same for my husbands name and address. The little square markings on both letters, although different sizes, are also the same. The Letter from global just says the outstanding balance on your account is shown above. Yours sincerely. The letters do not look professional. I have type a response using the sentence I DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY DEBT TO YOU OR ANY COMPANY OR ORGANISATION THAT YOU CLAIM TO BE REPRESENTING. In the letter I have said its the first we have heard about this debt and asked for details of the bank/company concerned, how the debt accrued, exactly when it accrued and statements.

Can anyone shed any more advice on this PLEASE and whether the letter I am about to send is neutral enough......

Olipro

20 years > 6 years, thus way over the statute of limitations, disregard it.

Although, you might wanna check the alleged collectors out too, might just be straight-up fraud.

System

If you do not receive a convincing reply letter, then I would report it to the police as suspected fraud.

jalexa

caz2010 wrote: »

My husband received a phone call ... asking him to confirm his name and date of birth...

Confirm? You mean the caller already knew (or possibly does now)?


Never provide personal information in response to an unsolicited inbound call, or any call where the caller cannot substantiate their bone-fides.

Always check after the call if it was "number witheld" if you do not have "Caller Display". Although many bone-fide companies use "number witheld", its an easy and obvious excuse not to take the call further. Ask the caller to write, a bone-fide caller already has your address.

vax2002

How to Answer Your Phone:
Caller: Hello can I speak to Mr/Ms xxxxxx please = YOU Please can you confirm who is calling and the reason for calling.
Any genuine caller will oblige.
Once you know the facts you can then chose who you want to speak to before you confirm any details, remember this is YOUR phone they have called, stay in control.

alanq

Searching the web there is no shortage of people having been approached by this firm claiming time-barred or unrecognised debts.

For example:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/34820351#Comment_34820351

caz2010_2

Just to update you I sent the Statute barred letter and have received a letter back from global saying their file has now been closed.Result!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you all so very much