Help - Lloyds Bank is chasing me for somebody else's debt

geoff2

I'm actually posting on behalf of a work colleague. He is being chased by a collection agency for a debt owed to Lloyds Bank by somebody else who happens to have the same name. What should be his first course of action? Is his credit ref affected? Would be grateful for suggestions, thanks in advance.

[Deleted User]

Tell them it's not his debt. They're probably chasing a lot of people with the same name.

Check his credit files and if it appears, tell them to remove it.

ALIBOBSY

Debt collection agencies are the lowest of the low and will often send out batches of letters in hopes of getting someone with the same name/similar name to a debtor to pay up. This usually happens when they can't trace the debtor and they send out batches of letters to the last area they lived in in hopes of tracking them down/scaring them into paying up.

Tell him not to call them under any circumstance they will lie and threaten and say any old rubbish to try to get people to pay up, remember these agencies work on commision and do not care about finding the correct debtor or checking if debts are correct and ensuring they have the right paperwork. They just want cash.

I would chuck the letter to be honest and think no more about it, but these agencies work on the fact that people are scared and used empty threats about how they "may" take legal action.
If he really wants to he could send a letter, put no more information about himself than they already have in the letter and inform they he has never had a debt with llyods and they should not contact him again.

TBH I would definately push the ignore stance as a letter may just encourage them lol.

Ali x

National_Debtline

I would suggest he checks his credit files to see if the debt appears, if he does then the debt collectors obviously think they have the right person so your friend would likely need to challenge it. Best case scenario is that it's just a case of mistaken identity - he could request a copy of the agreement and may be able to prove they have the wrong person from something as simple as the date of birth or contact information.


But he may also have been the victim of fraud. If that is the case he may need to challenge things a little differently as the personal data on the agreement may match up with his own. Ask how the letter is worded (sometimes that can give a clue if it is a 'blanket' letter or specifically for him) and if he is worried tell him to take full, free telephone advice.


Laura
@natdebtline

geoff2

Thanks all for your kind contributions. I have passed them on to my colleague.