Catalogue company demanding info on the phone

DVardysShadow

adamantine wrote: »

sorry but it sounds to me like there is an outstanding amount on the account which is why they keep on calling you. you can send them a letter asking for everything to be done in writing and send it recorded but i have never ever heard of companies calling you to ask if you still want a catalogue or offer you the latest deals. only ever to ask for payment for outstanding amounts.

The company should send a letter. Telephone harassment over alleged debt is unacceptable.

immoral_angeluk

I've done the whole giving the phone to the kids thing. Once my eldest daughter (who was about 4) had a 20 minute conversation with some indian call centre about teletubbies!! :rotfl:

newcook

Just say to them you want the information sent by post.

If they still seem to have a problem with that just ask (nicely) to speak to a supervisor and explain the situation to them.

If they still chose to ignore your request and continue to call, when they ask ‘is that zaksmum?’ just say no, sorry you have the wrong number – please remove it from your database’

wannabe_sybil

I once got told that if I didn't confirm who I was then they would keep ringing me.

I told them that they could keep ringing me and I would keep reporting them to the Ombudsman and could I have the full address of their head office so that I could make a proper complaint. They didn't ring back.

Another success, from a tip on another forum, I tell them I can't speak English. In English. With a Lily Savage accent.

It does sound like either debt collection or attempt at identity theft.

Can anyone remember that thread where a debt collection agency kept ringing someone and they were singing 'The Lion Sleeps tonight' down the phone at them? Was it Capital One? If anyone can remember it then there may be some good suggestions on there.

newcook

I think it was one about debitas but I have a feeling it had to be removed 'for legal reasons'...!

skylight

Nope - Debitas. Still here!

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=741653&highlight=debitas

You need a good hour and coffee to get through this one. But its well worth it!

DS4215

Its a pity you can't set up a password with these companies that they quote when ringing you. One of my work colleagues refuses to speak to companies on the phone unless they can quote the second part of his postcode...

zaksmum

adamantine wrote: »

sorry but it sounds to me like there is an outstanding amount on the account which is why they keep on calling you. you can send them a letter asking for everything to be done in writing and send it recorded but i have never ever heard of companies calling you to ask if you still want a catalogue or offer you the latest deals. only ever to ask for payment for outstanding amounts.

No, there's definitely no outstanding amount on the account!! Whenever I've ordered off them I've paid immediately and if I look at my account on their website it shows a NIL balance. You can check back for the last two years transactions and it's nearly a year since I last ordered from them.

They do, of course, have all my details. They just want me to verify my identity before continuing with their phone call that I'm not interested in anyway. GRRRR! I've been out today but there's a number withheld call on the phone...hope that wasn't them again.

claire16c

Im pretty sure if there was an outstanding balance they wouldnt bother asking you for your details, theyd simply tell you! I cant see them waiting around to tell you that.

I cant believe they expect people to tell them something like this without proving who they are. They most likely arent but could be someone trying to steal your identity. What idiots to expect you to tell them.

you could definitely use some ideas off that debitas thread, just read a few hilarious ones, Im laughing my socks off!

purple.sarah

DVardysShadow wrote: »

I bought your line of reasoning until that point.

If they ring someone and they don't want to prove their ID, then that should be the end of it. Just because some demented machine says it has not got the answers it wants, it is no reason to continue for ever harassing someone who does not want to prove their ID. I can't believe that anyone would be so limited in out look that they think this would be reasonable

I meant can't not won't. As in the number will keep coming up on the automated dialler or 'demented machine'. It's not up to the individual call centre agent who they call. I wasn't saying it was reasonable, just that it's the way it works. That's why I suggested cancelling their account to stop the calls.