MSE News: Is it just Wonga? Send us your debt demands from fake lawyers

Former_MSE_Helen

MoneySavingExpert is calling for you to email us copies of any letters you've received from fake lawyers chasing debts...

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Is it just Wonga? Send us your debt demands from fake lawyers



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CKhalvashi

SCM, not registered since 2011........

fermi

CKhalvashi wrote: »

SCM, not registered since 2011........

Sechiari Clarke and Mitchell???

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/scotch-irish/conversations/messages/44007?

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090422/debtext/90422-0019.htm

The reporter was training to work in early collections, dealing with
people who had defaulted recently. Nearby was late collections, which
dealt with people in arrears for five months or more. They used
different tactics to get the bank’s money back. Although they are
employed by Lloyds, they told customers they were from Sechiari Clark
& Mitchell (SCM), the bank’s solicitors. One was overheard saying they
would forward details from the conversation to Lloyds.

A spokeswoman for Lloyds said some of the late collection team
operated under the SCM name because they were dealing with cases just
before legal action was initiated. However, when speaking to our
reporter, one phone operative said it was useful to pretend they were
not from Lloyds “because we can blame Lloyds for a lot of stuff”.

CKhalvashi

fermi wrote: »

Sechiari Clarke and Mitchell???

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/scotch-irish/conversations/messages/44007?

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090422/debtext/90422-0019.htm

Thanks for finding those for me Fermi, I was just looking for some info of this nature.

http://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/scam-alerts/barrister-stephen-poulsen-scm-solicitors-ltd.page

'The genuine firm closed in 2011'

fermi

Then there is of course the debt collectors who try their best to look like law firms.

Classic example:



Although there is in small letters at the bottom a statement that they are a "trading style" of the debt collector, the clear main intention of the letter is to hoodwink the less observant or not clued up into thinking it is an actual law firm writing to them.

The types of legal threats stated also give that impression.

gbhxu

I'd like to add Mercers (Barclaycard) to the list of fake lawyers

boo_star

gbhxu wrote: »

I'd like to add Mercers (Barclaycard) to the list of fake lawyers

The list is huge, there's really no point in naming them all.

Major financial institutions use them, DCAs and clearly now PDL companies.

I think it goes far deeper than Wonga.

Whiner

Could this be the next PPI claim?

boo_star

Whiner wrote: »

Could this be the next PPI claim?

Possibly.

You could argue deception and (pecuniary) advantage therefore fraud.

Whether the OFT does it's job though, unlikely.

Skie_2

What about the many shady companies involved in private parking tickets? You get multiple notices to pay them, then they send them from various imaginary organisations threatening legal action/court/bailiffs.

darrenforster99

I'm probably not allowed to say much about this but I know another firm that sent out fake legal letters, although I never questioned it because they were quite a well known and respected company I didn't question whether it was legal what they were doing, I guessed that it was just they were owed money and they wanted it back - where does it state in the law you can't pretend to be a solicitor? Anyone can fill in a small claim court form and demand payment off someone for a small claim, no requirement for legal training, and I guess anyone can take anyone to court without a legal team if they so wanted to - it would only be like hiring a useless solicitor.