Wescott Credit services

jasmin10

Hi I'm hoping that someone maybe able to help (sorry if this is in the wrong place)

I have come home to a letter from Arrow Global adressed to me in my old maiden name (I got married 6 years ago.

In the letter they say they have been trying to contact the above person regarding a personal and that I should phone them on a number that they say is for Westcot Credit Services.

I have never been contact by either of the companies and cant understand why I am being written to in my old name that I havent used for over 6 years.

I have no debt and feel very scared that a debt collection agency is trying to get hold of me.

Please help, what should I do, do I phone them?

fermi

Phoning a debt collector would be the last thing I would do.

If it was yours, then sounds as if it would probably be statute barred anyway.

See this link: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2606811

jasmin10

Thanks for that Fermi.

I am 100% sure that it isnt as I dont have any credit cards or loans etc (probably about 12 yrs ago but these were all cleared). I married in Oct 2006. and have never used my maiden name since and certainly never received any letters requesting payments from debts.

So, shall I just bin it then?

fermi

Old debts can sometimes pop up from accounts you thought were cleared, but as said, even if valid then they would be statute barred anyway.

If it was me then I would be inclined to keep the letter but just hold action for now. See what happens.

They may only be trying their luck, and not really know if you are even the correct person to chase. Mis-traces are common.

If they continue to write and get somewhat aggressive, then you could write back telling them to naff off.

The one thing I would do is check your credit files.

It is quite possible if this is a mistrace that Arrow have slapped a default on your credit reports. Or even if an old debt of yours, they could have falsely placed a 2nd recent default. Arrow Global frequently do that, so I would check.

jasmin10

Ok, I will hold onto it. I have never had a problem getting mobile accounts etc, I just signed up for a new contract in March, so wouldnt have thought I would have got that if there was an issue.

I'm going to see if I can get a credit report. From one of your past posts I see that Experian is one that I can get. Do I get one in my married name?

What do I do if someone turns up at my address asking if someone (my old name) lives there?

jasmin10

bump fao fermi please

Experian_company_representative

You have to apply for a credit report using your current name and address.

The chances are that your previous name is already linked to your new name, so your report will include information recorded in both. If for some reason the link between your names is not shown you can ask us to register the link using our alias request form - that's assuming you want us to do this.

Credit defaults only stay on your report for six years, so if there is an outstanding debt and it pre-dates June 2006 it should not be on your report now.

James Jones

fermi

"should not" is not the same as "do not"

Unfortunately, Arrow Global have a bad habit of registering brand new defaults on old debts with the default date falsely as the date they bought the account.

I know. They did it to me. And they have done it to many others. Hence the suggestion to check.

jasmin10

Hi Fermi thanks for the reply. I have had a look at my credit report. It has a default back to 1998 . It says, Shop Direct Financial Services (catalogue I think) Account start date 3/11/1998 Date of Default 6/10/2007, Default Balance £0 btw the address they have for this is one from 4 years ago.

Under another heading it says: Arrow Global, Account Type Mail Order Account Start Date 12/5/2005 Opening Balance £165, Date of Default 21/9/2006, Default Balance £169. The address on this is one from 1998.

The shop Direct is the one that has been passed to Arrow by the looks of it.

What it your opinion re the dates and what should I do.

One thing I do have is a letter from a Catalogue dated 2005 chasing payment of £121 but I was in contact with them and it was reported to the Policy as a fraudlent transaction as the address they had down at the time the goods were ordered was one that I didnt live at, I wonder if this could be the one that is showing. I have kept this letter along with the persons name I spoke to and the police ref number.

fermi

Well, they are either:

(a) Recording a false recent default for a debt that is 12+ years old and statute barred. Which is dead wrong.

(b) Or recording false defaults for a more recent debt that was never yours.

Either way, the info they are recording is inaccurate and defamatory, so they are in breach of the Data Protection Act/Principles.

There is some useful info on this thread:

--> https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3952913

and

--> https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3838433

especially regarding them recording false defaults on old accounts.

But the principle is the same if the account/debt was not yours. Reporting a default would be a breach of the DPA.

There are contact details in those for Arrow, so you can complain.

jasmin10

Can you confirm whether you agree with what I said about the Shopping Direct one with the date of 1998 and a default value of £0 is that of the same but was passed to Arrow who just put the date the account was taken over by them?

I have read the links you posted and amazed at what some companies do.

Do I phone Arrow and say that I am that person now, or shall I still leave it.