Text from "Opos Limited" - should I get in touch?

DazedAndConfused1980

Hi all,

Sorry if this isn't quite the right place, but this is a difficult question to fit into any of the folders.

Today, I received a text message from an 07- number. It reads as follows:

"This is a message for (my correct name), please contact OPOS Limited on (phone number) regarding reference (reference number) as soon as possible. Thank you."

I tried Google and found out quickly that this is a debt collection company, and people have complained about harassment from them.

I have no known debts. I've never had a credit card, for instance. I was only in arrears once, but it was well over 10 years ago and only for a value of about £200, which I paid off as a student.

Part of me wants to call them to check it out - but I'm concerned if it's a spurious claim then that'll somehow "legitimise" things, and lead to further problems.

What do people think?

GingerBob_3

DazedAndConfused1980 wrote: »

Hi all,

Sorry if this isn't quite the right place, but this is a difficult question to fit into any of the folders.

Today, I received a text message from an 07- number. It reads as follows:

"This is a message for (my correct name), please contact OPOS Limited on (phone number) regarding reference (reference number) as soon as possible. Thank you."

I tried Google and found out quickly that this is a debt collection company, and people have complained about harassment from them.

I have no known debts. I've never had a credit card, for instance. I was only in arrears once, but it was well over 10 years ago and only for a value of about £200, which I paid off as a student.

Part of me wants to call them to check it out - but I'm concerned if it's a spurious claim then that'll somehow "legitimise" things, and lead to further problems.

What do people think?

Ignore it. Question is, and of course you may not be able to answer it, how did scum end up with your mobile number?


Just noticed that you said they divulged their number - so block it.

Westminster

I would be disinclined to speak to them on the phone.

If you get something through the post then have a good look at it - although it too could be essentially a 'fishing trip'.

This would be a good time to get copies of your CRA files from Noddle, Clearscore and Experian (I think you can get this free via Barclaycard if you are a client?)

EDIT - To quote a section from their website:

We will provide you with a cost effective, robust debt collection service, by combining state of the art technology, expert management and a highly trained negotiation team.

How are your privacy settings on your social media accounts?

Many people leave a surprising amount of information exposed.

With any luck - you share the same name as someone who does owe them money rather than them actually having found a delinquent account of yours.

Arleen

The notion of ignoring debt collector at your "doorstep" is asking for the case to escalate further and causing you a lot of trouble in the future, so ignore that "advice."
If you don't owe money to anyone then this most likely is a case of mistaken identify, those happen, so a quick call should resolve the case. I would recommend for you to record it, by for example calling via Skype, as you are legally allowed to do in the UK.
This will not make you liable for the debt, as long as you won't admit to that during the phonecall - and why would you do that if you don't owe it? Of course, it may turn out that you forgot about an account some years ago, and it just came back to haunt you. Won't know before you will reach out.

But if you would rather not resolve it over the phone, which is the fastest way to fix it usually, then write them demanding to prove the debt.

And I wouldn't put much weight into the harassment complaints against debt collector companies; it comes with their territory that even most moral drive of them still perform a job that is highly unappreciated by most of the population. Of course, if there is a mountain of complaints, that would be a different story, but there isn't as far as my google shows.

DazedAndConfused1980

Arleen wrote: »

But if you would rather not resolve it over the phone, which is the fastest way to fix it usually, then write them demanding to prove the debt.

I guess it's more that I'm pretty sure I don't have any outstanding debts and it's a random text in the middle of the day.

I called them, btw - I gave them the reference they quoted and my name and number (as these were all things associated with the text), but they wanted more information (postcode, address etc.).

I told them that I wasn't comfortable with giving out that information without knowing more about the debt, claim and claimant (given that I didn't really know who they were, and don't recognise the debt at this time) - but if they could explain the nature of the claim, I would evaluate whether I thought it was spurious or not.

The bloke on the phone was very clear that they would not tell me any more unless I provided more information. I told him that meant I was going to have to end the call, which he apologised for but re-iterated his stance.

In the end I just said to him that I'm not comfortable dealing in these matters over the telephone, but I will respond in writing if they get in touch and provide full details of the claim, with a source that I can verify - then I hung up.

Can't really do much else from my perspective.

If I seem a bit nervy, it's because I had trouble of this nature years ago. I moved into a rental house, and following a phone call I was hassled by debt collectors who were trying to claim a previous occupant's debt. It was only £40 or so, but they were very intimidating. Fortunately I'm a big lad so it was no problem for me to keep them at bay whilst I worked behind the scenes to eventually get it quashed, but had I been perhaps an elderly person or someone easily intimidated I might have paid.

Arleen

They cannot disclose any information about the debt without confirming your identity; this is why he asked about those details. Reverse the situation, would you like them to discuss your potential debt with anyone who will call them and pretend to be you, without doing even basic security checks?

Keep in mind that if you write them those are details, you will have to give out anyway, as for how otherwise they will write you back? And it's up to you to contact them, not the other way around if you want to clear it out. Otherwise, they have an option of either escalating it further by taking the debt to court, dropping it and marking it in their files as a loss (which will the most likely be sold to other debt collection company) or keep trying to nag you into paying. The last option will very quickly get them in trouble with the ombudsman, as it's illegal for them to harass people.
They mostly first try to collect it without involving courts as doing so is expensive, and very often you don't see any money back anyway.

But it is in your best interest to set this case straight quickly, as this will take the problem out of your mind for good, either by turning out to be not your debt or that it is an account you've missed (it can happen to anyone).

DazedAndConfused1980

Arleen wrote: »

They cannot disclose any information about the debt without confirming your identity; this is why he asked about those details. Reverse the situation, would you like them to discuss your potential debt with anyone who will call them and pretend to be you, without doing even basic security checks?

Perhaps, but they sent me a text message that contained an individual reference number that only I know. Surely if I get back to them with my correct name and have that reference number, they can be certain enough?

Either way, I'll wait for them to get in touch via letter. If it's a genuine claim from a genuine company then they'll be able to do that.

MataNui

"The notion of ignoring debt collector at your "doorstep" is asking for the case to escalate further and causing you a lot of trouble in the future, so ignore that "advice.""

You wouldnt happen to work for one of these parasites would you? They are not on the doorstep. He has simply had a text from a bunch of crooks on a fishing trip. Of course he can ignore it. If they cant confirm details of the debt then they cant take it further can they?

OP. Dont engage with these people. All they need is a similar name in a large geographical area. I can 100% guarantee you that dozens to hundreds of people with your name will have had the same text. If the debt was associated with your name at your address you would have had a direct letter. They simply have a debt for someone with your name whos last known address was within about a hundred miles of where you live.

Arleen

MataNui wrote: »

"The notion of ignoring debt collector at your "doorstep" is asking for the case to escalate further and causing you a lot of trouble in the future, so ignore that "advice.""

You wouldnt happen to work for one of these parasites would you? They are not on the doorstep. He has simply had a text from a bunch of crooks on a fishing trip. Of course he can ignore it. If they cant confirm details of the debt then they cant take it further can they?

OP. Dont engage with these people. All they need is a similar name in a large geographical area. I can 100% guarantee you that dozens to hundreds of people with your name will have had the same text. If the debt was associated with your name at your address you would have had a direct letter. They simply have a debt for someone with your name whos last known address was within about a hundred miles of where you live.

And How do you know that precisely? And no, I don't work for a debt collection agency, but I also don't see them as fist coming of Satan himself as they provide a service that keeps the modern day financial market going.

At @op did you move in recent years? If so, any letters they will send will be to the address they had on file. It doesn't mean the debt isn't legitimate but that this is the only address they HAVE to contact, and you didn't want to provide them with a current one.

DazedAndConfused1980

Arleen wrote: »

At @op did you move in recent years? If so, any letters they will send will be to the address they had on file. It doesn't mean the debt isn't legitimate but that this is the only address they HAVE to contact, and you didn't want to provide them with a current one.

I have, yes, but I've provided forwarding addresses. Before calling the number earlier, I called up my previous landlords/letting agencies looking for any possible debt, and came up with nothing.

Arleen

DazedAndConfused1980 wrote: »

I have, yes, but I've provided forwarding addresses. Before calling the number earlier, I called up my previous landlords/letting agencies looking for any possible debt, and came up with nothing.

Well, you have the same choice as before. Ignore the issue and hope that this is case of mistaken identity and that they will not move forward with it (remember that if they have old address, which would be in case of forgotten account, then that is also the address that will receive court papers) against you. Or tackle it with a single phonecall, and have it out of mind and out of sight.