Nasty Letter From Debt Collectors-please Help

cacti

Last year and early this year I had 3 letters from companies called Telogram, H L Legal solicitors and Mackenzie Hall. All were addressed to me, in my correct name and address. The Telogram letter just said there was a message for me, the other 2 wanted me to confirm I was the person the letter was addressed to. I posted on these boards and was advised to do nothing. I do not owe anything, as far as I know. I am so worried now I am beginning to doubt my own memory. I have never had any letter asking me to pay a debt from any company with which I have had dealings. No one at ny address owes anyone anything. Today I had a really nasty, threatening letter from Mackenzie Hall saying I owed a certain amount to a company called, Capquest, which I understand is anouther debt collection agency. They invited me to fill in a standing order form to pay off the debt, which incidentally is not for a large amount. If I do not pay the money they threatened me with litigation proceedings, seizure of assets etc. They also said that they wrote to me last week to advise me that they would be taking proceedings if I did not pay. Needless to say, I did not get this letter and so far, in none of the communications, have they said, who they think I owe money to, from when, and for what. It is possible they are after someone who lived at my address several years ago.
PLEASE what can I do? Is there any regulator or Government Department I can complain to about this nasty letter? Obviously I won't fill in the standing order form but it has shaken me up a bit and any advice would be gratefully received.

smudgemanc26

I think you need to establish with this company what this debt is all about and get some more details. They have got your name and address from somewhere and if its an error on their part they need to be tracking the right person down.

It might be best just to ring them up saying i have received a letter in error i think but it has my name on it can you give me some information as to what it is about as you want money from me.

shebear44

You must report them to Trading Standards, Regulatory Services, Mottisfont Court, High Street, Winchester, SO23 8ZE as CapQuest are a Hampshire based company. The Office of Fair Trading, Fleetbank House, 2-6 Salisbury Square, London EC4Y 8JX will also investigatge. I have had problems with CapQuest and found the Consumer Direct helpline very useful. They can be contacted on tel. no. 08454 04 05 06. Do not let them intimidate you. They have bullied lots of people into paying money they do not owe.

Tootsie_Roll

shebear44 wrote: »

You must report them to Trading Standards,

Really ! What for ? Sending a letter. Crikey, what do you do when someone offends against you for real ?

tealady

Toots, that is SO funny!! seriously somewhere on this website are template letters you can send to the company. The letters say that you do not acknowledge ANY debt with them and puts the onus on to the company to provide proof. If they dont they are in the brown and smelly stuff (and I'm not talking Branston Pickle here). Good luck.

SunderlandBlackCat

Tootsie_Roll wrote: »

Really ! What for ? Sending a letter. Crikey, what do you do when someone offends against you for real ?

They are legally required to make sure that the person they are chasing is actually the person owing the debt but that requires time, effort & an adequate level of intelligence, so instead they send blanket threatening letters to anyone they can find on electoral registers etc anywhere in the country with the same name in the hope that someone will panic & pay them some money rather than go to court.

Trading Standards take a very dim view of this.

SunderlandBlackCat

I'd also advise you to write to experian, equifax & callcredit to get a copy of your credit file just to make sure no-one has been running up debts in your name.

Ignatius_A

I'd suggest a politely worded letter something like the following (feel free to hack about as required) If any advanced financial wizzes want to hack it around and add some legalese, please feel free it's a rough draft

Dear Sirs,

I received your letter of xx/xx/07 (ref: xxxxxxx). It is a great suprise to me that you believe I am indebted to you for the sum of £nnnn. At present I am of the firm impression that none of my debts remain outstanding and I have been unable to match this request for payment with any previous financial dealings.

As you can appreciate, before I can make an agreement to resolve this issue, I will need additional details including the date(s) the debt was initiated, and the original company to whom the debt was owed. Any additional information you can provide (dates, signed agreements, prior correspondence addresses and contact details, bank accounts or debit/credit cards used to make any payments) may also assist in resolving this issue.

I also ask you to consider the possibility that the amount owing may have been as a result of identity theft and that both the original creditor and myself may be the victim of fraud. As such, any documentation you can provide will greatly assist in resolving this issue.

Yours Faithfully



you


If you have a Capital One Platinum card, I believe they have a free identity theft service? Might be worth giving them a call. - see http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cards/identity-fraud

Additionally, the Citizens Advice Bureau may be a good place to start, too

rog2

Hi cacti - Unfortunately you have been contacted by some of the WORST examples of lowlife Debt Collection Agencies who will totally ignore the OFT guidelines to which they should, legally, adhere.
They even have their own resident TROLL, who scours this forum adding his own vitriolic comments to detract from any genuine advice that you have been given.
REPORT THESE THUGS TO TRADING STANDARDS

smithja

Hi there

When you write to them point out it is a criminal offence pursuant to section 40 of the Administration of Justice Act 1970, to harass you for someone elses debt. A company was doing it to my father as we have the same name, and they dropped it and sent him an apology as soon it was mentioned.

Regards

James

fermi

Tootsie_Roll wrote: »

Not so - there are a minority of losers on this site that are still blaming everone else for their problems instead of facing up to the truth, when you tell it like it is they get upset at someone daring to challenge their very warped view. Naturally I have very little sympathy for these types of people and think they probably deserve everything they get.

Pls remember Debt-Free Wannabee's for support and help not judgement