Not my debt?

timewar

Hello, not sure if this is in the right place but...

I was recently contacted by Lowell/Red debt collection company, they claim to have obtained a debt of just over £400 which I apparently owed to Capital One(who I have never used). They have given me several pieces of information such as a Lowell reference number, client agreement date of 14/02/2001(I was 7 years old on given date) and a credit agreement reference number. I do have an outstanding debt with Mckenzie Hall however this was under £100 last time I checked and I have not been contacted with either notification of my debt being passed on or of any extra charges. I am pretty sure this is just a scam due to the file being opened when I was 7 lol but is just ignoring it the right course of action or should I email/phone them? I was thinking of sending them an email saying basically I have never been a customer to Capital One and I was seven when you claim I first owed the money and something about harassment due to all the letters. Any advice would be much appreciated, cheers

cabbage

Be careful not to acknowledge the debtt, phone if possible. Having said that, On https://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk there's a template letter that doesn't acknowledge the debt and says all the stuff about harassment etc

FireWyrm

You were 7 years old at the time, you cant possibly owe it. Write to them (recorded) and tell them to remove your name from the potential candidates list as you are clearly not the person they are looking for and that continued interference in your life will result in more robust action from yourself. Demand an acknowledgement in writing. Watch out for court papers - Lowell are notorious for getting CCJs on flimsy evidence and rigorously defend if you get them.

timewar

cheers everyone, I have emailed them saying that I have never used capital one for a start and also the fact that I was seven when theyre claiming it was opened, requested they get rid of my details and close my file and threatened legal action if i continue to get harassed for the debt. what actually is this then just something they send to lots of people in hope some of them pay?

nottoolate

they letter bomb everyone they can find with the same or a similar name hoping they find the right person or some mug pays

timewar

also what is meant by don't acknowledge the debt? sorry if thats a stupid question haha

nottoolate

i think they mistook with that comment? if you are outright denying the debt then nothing you write could possibly be taken as acknowledgement

FireWyrm

timewar wrote: »

also what is meant by don't acknowledge the debt? sorry if thats a stupid question haha

It only applies if there was a remote possibility you did actually owe the debt, you dont. You outright are denying it on the basis that you could not have incurred it, being 7 years old when the CCA was signed.

Lowell are sharks and they just spam everyone and anyone even remotely the same name and similar address hoping they'll catch someone. You are not that person. Deny and then bin but watch out because they have been known to apply for and get CCJs with no evidence what so ever.

abby1234519

I actually had a job interview in Lowells once in Leeds. I'm not actually sure why I went to it?! Nice offices...

timewar

Hello again everyone, just received a reply from them today asking me to confirm several 'security questions' such as address, postcode and DOB. Surely if they have my DOB already they can see that the person I am claiming to be can not owe the debt regardless of whether it is actually me? Should I give them this info or carry on telling them to leave me alone and remove me from the p.c list? cheers

KennethC

I would write to them by recorded delivery or Royal Mail Signed for, or whatever it is called now, simply repeating the contents of your previous email and advise them that as you could not possibly owe the money, you have no intention whatsoever of giving them any of your details. Further harassment will result in you putting the matter in the hands of your solicitor.