O2 - Wescot

sourcrates

brokeroad wrote: »

I'm not sure I want to communicate with Wescot at this stage.
My assertion is that O2 should have closed the account 4 years ago. Obviously they didn't, although it has not been used since my wife switched providers. Therefore no activity on the account in all that time.
So Wescot may have some sort of proof of something that we were completely unaware of.

Hi,
All wescot will have got is an account number and a balance, that's as basic as it gets, they bulk buy these, so called, defaulted accounts for pennies, then try to extract the full amount from your good self, they will have no record of the account history prior to them becoming involved, and in all honesty they don't care, as you say if you cant provide a mobile number to 02, they cant trace your account, the same goes for wescot, they cannot prove you owe the money without that information, the result is catch 22, unless they have some kind of proof you owe the debt, they cant really do anything to you but send you threatograms, personally I`d send them the dispute letter, asking them to "prove it" you may get a letter back saying "we are looking into this "etc, then I doubt you will hear from them again, in two years time the debt will be statute barred anyway, remember its up to them to prove you owe the money, not up to you to prove you don't.:)

happy_bunny_2

Westcot are chasing, you need to get rid of then with the prove it letter and maybe a follow up. It's up to them to get the info Off O2 which sounds like they have little hope. If they continue to ask you to pay without proof,complain, refer to FOS, OFT. That will cost them several hundred quid and they will drop it like a hot potato.

brokeroad

I wonder that if they have the account number, why would they not have the associated mobile phone number!
We will send the prove it letter, are they obliged to disclose information to support their case, such as the account number and phone number if they have it?
With that information we could go back to O2.
I doubt very much that the so called debt is statute barred, as according to my wife's credit report (granted may not be accurate) it has accrued monthly up to June this year.

sourcrates

As I have said above, these accounts get sold on, and usually the only info they have is a name, an account no, and a balance owing, usually because the original creditor either dosent have any more info, or its lost it, or for some other reason, you have to bear in mind these companies sell these accounts in blocks of maybe a thousand different accounts at a time, when you look at it like that you can see why they only provide basic info, you said above the account was four yrs old so it will become statute barred in two yrs time if not acknowledged (6 yrs total) basically if they cant provide you with proof tell em to stick it !!!:rotfl:

happy_bunny_2

If they can't produce the account number and/or phone number, they should not be chasing you when they fail to provide it.

Good luck

HB

brokeroad

Just an update on this one. Sent a prove it letter six weeks ago.
heard nothing until today, then my wife received a mail (like a pay slip), it's from wescot.
Important Message
Who is this message for? - Mrs ....
What address does this relate to - Our address ....
What should I do next? Call the number supplied below
What is this about - reference no (their ref no)
Who should I ask for? ...
Who is this from ...
What if I'm not the person named? - Call the number below so we can update our records

What do we make of it, what is it telling us? They have not replied directly to our prove it letter.
Obviously we won't be calling!

brokeroad

Any opinion on what we should do next, based on my previous comment, ignore, reply?

happy_bunny_2

I think I would ignore them.

If they had details, why didn't they respond to the prove it letter.

Just keep a record of everything sent and received, in case you need it for an OFT complaint later