Vodafone bill from 2003!

pinkprincess09

My husband has received a bill this morning from Vodafone from 2003 for £124! He has always been with O2 and cannot recall ever having a Vodafone mobile, they have threatened collection visits in the letter what can we do?:mad:

NeverInDebt

No expert on debt but I thought you have up to 6 years to claim any debt if thats the case this should be out of time

http://www.cleardebt.co.uk/debt-advice/debt-help-guides/out-of-date-debt/

pinkprincess09

That's what I presumed anything older than 6 years was written off , in fact I'm sure it's breaking the data protection act them even having records 11 years old . Not had any correspondence about it until now .

mobilejunkie

Vodafone wouldn't collect by visiting; only debt collectors would do that. Sounds like a scam or someone pulling your chain. Call Vodafone and tell them about the letter. If you go round in circles contact the WRT rep on here (see Vodafone complaints thread). He will try to help even if the rest of the company doesn't.

grumbler

pinkprincess09 wrote: »

...I presumed anything older than 6 years was written off ,

Can't be enforced in fact. Not necessarily written off.

in fact I'm sure it's breaking the data protection act them even having records 11 years old .

You are wrong again.

pinkprincess09

grumbler wrote: »

Can't be enforced in fact. Not necessarily written off.
You are wrong again.

That's really helpful thank you :T

Marktheshark

As they have a serviceable address, do not do anything until they either begger off or try and issue court papers.

Silk

pinkprincess09 wrote: »

My husband has received a bill this morning from Vodafone from 2003 for £124! He has always been with O2 and cannot recall ever having a Vodafone mobile, they have threatened collection visits in the letter what can we do?:mad:

Are you sure it's from Vodafone ?
What is on the letterhead?


My thoughts are if it's from Vodafone and a genuine letter then you need to check your credit file to see if your husbands had the debt lodged against him in which case it might be identity theft. If so you need to contact Vodafone. The 2003 may be a misprint and should be 2013


If the letter is from a debt collection company it may just be a phishing letter as your husband may share the same name as the debtor, in which case ignore it or send a "prove it" letter.


If it's a genuine debt from 2003 it must be a company pretty low in the food chain knowing full well it would be statute barred 5 years ago for £124 :rotfl:

pinkprincess09

Thank you-it's not direct from Vodafone the letter has come from a company called BCW group , says they have been instructed to carry out a visit to the home to recover the debt !

Silk

pinkprincess09 wrote: »

Thank you-it's not direct from Vodafone the letter has come from a company called BCW group , says they have been instructed to carry out a visit to the home to recover the debt !

Ahh ..Buchanan Clark and Wells, they are not unknown to send out phishing letters ....to be honest I would double check your credit file and if there's nothing from 2013 just ignore it.

Techhead_2

There are a couple of possibilities worth considering.

Identity Fraud, a Vodafone contract may have been taken out in his name. Again, check your credit file.

Singlepoint, Vodafone owned Singlepoint (in the days when networks could not sell to consumers) and Singlepoint offered O2 contracts as well. Since then he will have been transferred to O2 proper. So there is a possibility this is an old debt related to that and BCW are having a stab at collecting it. Again, check the credit file.