Should I phone Wescot?

MrsSave

A letter arrived here a week or 2 ago addressed to someone else. I could see it was from a debt collection agency, so I opened it (I'm not sure if this is allowed or not). I know that the person the letter is addressed to has never lived here. Our house is pretty new, and we are only the second family to live here.

It was from Wescot and mentioned that a debt had been passed on to them. It said nothing more, other than they would be back in touch. I ignored (and threw away) the letter.

This morning another letter has arrived. This letter mentions who the debt is to, and the address that the person lived at the time. Basically it is my old address, which I lived at with an ex (it was his house) around 8-9 years ago. They have somehow linked this to me (possibly because my maiden name, and this ladies' name is the same, though I am married now, and also our middle names start with the same letter - her full middle name isn't written).

Basically, do I phone Wescot to let them know it isn't me? It does give that option at the back of the letter. Or am I best not to make contact?

Will I get into trouble for opening mail addressed to someone else?

I'm due to have a baby in 4 weeks, and don't fancy coming home from hospital at Christmas with a newborn and having to deal with someone else's debt.

I'm pretty sure I shouldn't have opened the letter to start, so please don't shout at me!

Thank you.

sourcrates

Hi,

The old adage applies here, not your debt, not your problem.

Dont be phoning them, you can open up a whole can of worms for something thats nothing whatsoever to do with you, they want paying, and DCA`s are not too particular who pays, as long as someone does.

There was a similar post not too long ago, from someone who`d done exactly as you have, and it was the start of a long train of events that got them involved with an old debt they originally had nothing to do with, basically the DCA didn't believe them, and it escalated to a ridicules point.

So my advice to you is ignore it completely, as getting involved in matters that dont concern you, can come back to bite you.

Write on the letter "Not known at this address" and pop it back in the postbox.

MrsSave

Thank you Sourcrates. Sounds like good advice. I think what got me nosing was the fact I knew that this person had never lived here. We've had letters before for the previous family (still do from time to time 4 years later), so I just chuck them all back in the post box with 'not known' on them. Will do that for this person now as well. It seems that they're clutching at straws by finding someone who used to have the same surname, and who used to live at the same address (though at completely different times!).

sourcrates

Wescott do this a lot, in there attempts to trace debtors.

If it becomes a nuisance, a short letter to there compliance debt should end the game.