BE Broadband - warning to ex-customers

Tirian

I received a text today from BCWGroup (a debt collection agency) asking me to call them - had no idea what it was for. Knowing how these outfits operate, I rang back and entered the reference no. in their automated response system.

It then requested my house number, which I declined to give (by pressing # repeatedly until it gave up asking and put me through to a human).

Went through the same schtick, with them until they requested my address, at which point I told them that they should tell me why they wanted to speak to me. They said it was regarding an account with BE Broadband - which I closed over a year ago when I moved out of a shared flat, fully paid up. In fact we paid an extra month's line rental because they said we hadn't given them enough notice to close at the end of the month we left, and we couldn't be bothered to argue it out.

Since then, have heard absolutely nothing from them - until now, they have apparently decided that we owe them some unspecified amount of money, and set a DCA on us rather than going to the effort of sending a letter or an email themselves to the contact details they have on record.

I told the BCW that if BE had any issue with me, they should contact me themselves in the first instance. He then tried to collect contact details from me - I refused and told him that BE should contact me with the details they have (I've not changed my email address or mobile no. since closing the account, so they've got no excuse at all for behaving like this).

So be warned - if you've used BE Broadband in the past, they're clearly on some kind of rampage to intimidate ex-customers into handing over some extra dough. I await with interest to see if BE will pay me the courtesy of direct contact to explain what exactly they think I owe them for.

To note: BE Usergroup forums suggest that a large number of ex-customers have been contacted in this way http://beusergroup.co.uk/index.php?id=717

Wannie_2

Tirian wrote: »

I received a text today from BCWGroup (a debt collection agency) asking me to call them - had no idea what it was for. Knowing how these outfits operate, I rang back and entered the reference no. in their automated response system.

It then requested my house number, which I declined to give (by pressing # repeatedly until it gave up asking and put me through to a human).

Went through the same schtick, with them until they requested my address, at which point I told them that they should tell me why they wanted to speak to me. They said it was regarding an account with BE Broadband - which I closed over a year ago when I moved out of a shared flat, fully paid up. In fact we paid an extra month's line rental because they said we hadn't given them enough notice to close at the end of the month we left, and we couldn't be bothered to argue it out.

Since then, have heard absolutely nothing from them - until now, they have apparently decided that we owe them some unspecified amount of money, and set a DCA on us rather than going to the effort of sending a letter or an email themselves to the contact details they have on record.

I told the BCW that if BE had any issue with me, they should contact me themselves in the first instance. He then tried to collect contact details from me - I refused and told him that BE should contact me with the details they have (I've not changed my email address or mobile no. since closing the account, so they've got no excuse at all for behaving like this).

So be warned - if you've used BE Broadband in the past, they're clearly on some kind of rampage to intimidate ex-customers into handing over some extra dough. I await with interest to see if BE will pay me the courtesy of direct contact to explain what exactly they think I owe them for.

To note: BE Usergroup forums suggest that a large number of ex-customers have been contacted in this way http://beusergroup.co.uk/index.php?id=717

Your post appears almost wholly disingenuous.

From the link...

From all reports I have seen, O2 and BE customer services are being very helpful if contacted about it.

Another link

moonrakerz

Tirian wrote: »

they're clearly on some kind of rampage to intimidate ex-customers into handing over some extra dough.

Sounds much better than saying it is a c*** up ! BUT................if you have proof of this - suggest you go the police............

Tirian

Wannie wrote: »

Your post appears almost wholly disingenuous.

From the link...

Another link

You are being completely disingenuous. BE Broadband have my telephone number and my email address, my post was forwarded for a year after I moved. They made no effort whatsoever to contact me, yet decided to sell my details to a debt collection company despite my not having any outstanding dues.

To be chased by a debt collection company for a non-existent debt is intimidating - perhaps you've never dealt with one, but I can assure you that they can be pretty underhand.

BT have nothing to do with it. It took me some work to find the note on BE Broadband usergroup boards - somewhere I never looked at even when I was a customer.

I posted this to provide information in case it can put at ease some other person(s) who receive unwarranted debt collection agency texts/letters - not as troll food for bored antagonists, so perhaps if this doesn't affect you then you should be grateful and not comment on something you don't know anything about.

bod1467

Are you aware that you should still be able to access the BE forum via the Usergroup site? Might be worth a visit to raise your concerns as staff are regularly there.

PS - if you do, I'd suggest a passive tone to the post - no point in raising flame-bait unnecessarily.

Tirian

I will readily acknowledge that I have been somewhat less than 'passive' above - however I do find it fundamentally objectionable for

(a) a company to wait over a year after the end of a contract before suddenly deciding that I owe them money

(b) company to sell my details to a debt collection agency, over a supposed debt without bothering to even try to contact me directly first

(c) someone to label me disingenuous for raising my concerns about this, and trying to provide information to others in a similar boat.

The BE forum posts highlight that this is the third round of letters/texts that have been sent out in this way, and that BE are already well aware that they have been going out to people whom they have not bothered to contact themselves - but have clearly continued regardless. So I'm not convinvced that raising it with their reps on the message board will achieve anything.

boxst

Have you actually spoken to Be*? I have found them nothing but superb.

Steve

Tirian

I've no reason to speak to BE. I don't have an account with them, I don't even have a record of my dealings with them - the bank account I paid them from was set up specifically to deal with shared finances for the flat I was living in and is now closed.

After a year, I shredded the statements just before my most recent house move, since there was no point in taking them with me.

I'm afraid if BE have any issues over their account with me, then it is for them to bring it up - and the appropriate time to do so was about a year ago. Perhaps even up to three months after the contract end (i.e ten months ago) .. but after a year, I certainly don't see that it's in any way my responsibility to go chasing after them.

boxst

Yes in theory, but to live a peaceful less arrogant life then picking up the phone and saying "Hi, you appear to be asking me to pay ..." would be the sensible route.

But okay.

chanz4

one call or email to BE can solve all, whats hard about that?

Tirian

Equally, one phone call from them could solve all. What's the problem with that, rather than jumping straight to the debt collectors?

Apparently I'm arrogant for expecting them to get in touch with me about money they want me to pay them. That's hilarious!

Do you also want me to call every other company I dealt with a year ago, just to check with them whether they suddenly feel like charging me some extra? Should I go through all my receipts and get in touch with all the shops I've been to, to check if they want to retrospectively adjust the prices I paid?

Once again, I have no idea why BE would think that I owe them money. They have not indicated to me that I do. I don't know what amount is in question, or even what it would be for.

There is nothing at all arrogant about stating that if BE want some money from me, they should contact me directly and tell me what they want money for, and how much they want. That's just how normal people and normal businesses operate!