Letter from Dutch debt collection agency

eastberks44

Help! I just got a letter in Dutch from Vesting Finance Fiditon which appears to say I have a debt of 26,000 Euros about which I know nothing.

I have done a brief internet search and this agency appears to be genuine, part of the ING Bank, and there are no other reports of scam letters being circulated in their name.

Below is the text of the letter (without account or reference numbers and with the amount altered slightly to prevent me being traced through this forum), and also Babylon's attempt at translating it.

What should I do? Should I send the standard "Prove It" letter as I would to a UK debt collector? Or just keep completely quiet to not give away that the letter found its target? Can I expect violent bailiffs at the door?

Any help would be appreciated!

Ons kenmerk:xxxxx
Opdrachtgever: ING
T.n.v.
Betreft:

Geachte heer xxxxxxx

In het verleden hebben tijdelijk geen actie te ondernemen om uw schuld te incasseren. Dit betekent niet dat uw schuld is vervallen. U bent ons nog steeds een bedrag verschuldidg van 26.000,00 euro

Betaling
Wij verzoeken u het totaalbedrag binnen tien dagen over te maken naar rekeningnummer xxxx, op naam van Stichting Beheer Derdengelden Vesting Finance. Vermeld hierbij ons kenmerk xxxx. Zo voorkomt u dat wij u oproepen om voor de rechter te verschijnen.

Betalingsregeling
Is het voor u niet mogelikj om het bedrag binnen tien dagen te betalen? Neem dan direkt contact met ons op.

Totallbedrag
Het totaal verschuldigde saldo bedraagt nu:
Saldo 19900.00
Rente 5300.00
Incassokosten 800


And this is what Babylon Translation renders it as:-

Our reference:xxxxx
Sponsor: ING
T. n.v.
Subject:
Dear Mr xxxxxxx
In the past have temporarily to take any action to collect your debt. This does not mean that your debt is canceled. YOU are still a verschuldidg of 26,000.00 euro

Payment amount
We ask you the total amount within ten days to account number xxxx, in the name of Foundation Management Derdengelden Fortress Finance. Please quote our reference number xxxx. That way you avoid we call on to court.

Payment Plan Is it for you not possible to the amount within ten days to pay? Please directly contact us.

The total balance due is now:

Balance 19900.00
Interest 5300.00
Interest Collection 800

rizla_king

Reply.

IK heb geen kennis van deze schuld. Steek je hoofd in een ezel.

asmwp

rizla_king wrote: »

Reply.

IK heb geen kennis van deze schuld. Steek je hoofd in een ezel.

"I have no knowledge of this debt. Stick your head in a donkey."

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

rizla_king

asmwp, that may be an appropriate reply for the company in your thread as well.

asmwp

I was just thinking that as well!! That's made my day!:rotfl::rotfl:

eastberks44

Seriously, should I reply at all or just concentrate on beefing up home security in case they come knocking?
Also, could I have been a victim of identity theft meaning there is a genuine record of this debt having been taken out in my name? In which case, could my mis-sold CPP identity theft policy actually be of some use?

sourcrates

In all honesty I would take no notice of it, as long as you didn't walk into a dutch bank using mickey mouse credentials, take out a loan, blow the lot on a great weekend in Amsterdam, then wake up on the ferry home unable to remember any of the above, then I wouldn't worry, more than likely a scam, or at the least a fishing trip, no one is going to be knocking on your door, and I don't think you can be extradited to the Hague for debt avoidance, unless someone knows better ?, any idea at all where they may of got your details from or what the debt might be for ?.

pauletruth

obviously question it. have you lived in holland. any chance this is a debt your sort of forgot about.

worst that can happen is that they would need to prove to a british court that its your debt.

however thats a long way off. ask for communication to be in english as you dont speak/read dutch.

ask them what this is in relation to and when.

dont worry.

homelovin

'We ask you the total amount within ten days to account number xxxx, in the name of Foundation Management Derdengelden Fortress Finance. Please quote our reference number xxxx. That way you avoid we call on to court. '

Come on! If I receive any letter or email from any company telling me to put an amount of money in the following account I just thow it away. Scam. Scam.Scam. Dont even waste a momentthinking about it.

sennypijama

Agreed. It's a scam.

firefly369

My OH is Dutch and he says it is written in really bad Dutch. Looks like a scam to him.