mobile phone debt thats not mine

littlesue

I wonder if someone can help. Today i recieved a rather nasty letter from a debt collections company. They said i owed £75 in arrears for a mobile phone contract with three. The only thing is i'm not with three nor have i ever been. I told them this and they just told me to get in touch with three which i did. Now i'm having to wait for three tp investigate which will take a few days and in the mean time i'm worrying myself silly about it. The company said they traced who ever did it to my adress. The only thing is i have such a common name it could be lots of people.
I would grateful for any advise.

Vikipollard

Didn't want to read and run. Does it have your actual name on (and the address)?

I've read several posts where the debt collection agencies seem to look for anyone with a certain name in a given area and may well then send letters to all of them to see who responds. Often it turns out that the name might be the same, but the address is wrong, or the other way round. And the chances of the date of birth being right as well are small if it's not your debt.

If you're sure it's not you, and three don't sort it out, I believe there's a 'prove it' template letter which someone cleverer than me will be able to link. If you do send it, then I believe the advice is NOT to physically sign the letter, as that way they don't have any evidence of your signature.

Hope you get it sorted quickly.

littlesue

The address was mine but the name although simlar was addressed to a 'miss' and i'm 'mrs' plus the middle name wasn't my maidian name either. Like i said its a very coomon name. I really don't think someone has stolen my idenitiy but when the company have done a 'preliminary search' as they say i'm her. Their threatening to send a collector to my door and thats scary. They said is anybody in my family claiming to be me and i told them it couldn't be my husband and all my kids are under eight years old so its total madness. I mean really, my husband barley remembers my birthday let alone how old i am!.
Thanks for your help viki.

Vikipollard

They won't send a collector to your door, and in the event that someone turns up, they have about as much power as a blown fuse. They have no rights.

I believe bailiffs are only sent if a court order has been granted but I'm sure someone with more knowledge will give you the full monty detail in due course.

This sounds like a fishing expedition and they need to prove it's your debt. So they have your name wrong, e.g. Miss Jane Beryl Smith (on the letter) not Mrs Jane Samantha Smith?

Might be worth getting a copy of your credit file (I think it's about £2 for each of the 3) just to see if it appears anywhere on there.

Hope someone Much More Knowledgeable Than Me comes along soon to advise

littlesue

I will do that, thanks. Its good advise. Like I said there are thousands with the same name as i have its very popular. I just hope three sort it out before christmas. Thanks so much for your help. Have a nice christmas.

fatbelly

There are loads of threads like this - usually involving Lowell and 3.

Prove-it

Be prepared to complain about them.

littlesue

Thankyou for your help. I have just read 'prove it' and will send them this letter. I'm just pleased some people on here could help ease my mind, i wouldn't have slept for worrying otherwise. We're in debt management any way and i thought i was done with the horror of letters like the one received today.
Thanks again for all your help and a merry christmas to everyone xx.

littlesue

Just thought i 'd say the company that three are dealing with are C.A.R.S has anyone else had dealings with this company?