Letter from Brachers Legal Services re: 'American Express Services'

BenParker

Hi all

I’ve had a letter through from Brachers LLP, who appear to specialise in debt recovery. I can't share an image of the letter as I'm a new poster, but it's on company-headed paper and reads:

'Dear Sir

Our client: American Express Services
Confirmation of your contact details

We are writing to confirm your correct contact details to ensure you receive important information from us promptly and by your preferred contact method.

Please call us as soon as possible on 01622 767645, quoting reference number AME: Redacted. When you call, we will ask you to confirm that the contact details we have on file are accurate. You can also tell us how you would prefer to be contacted in future. We are available to assist you Monday to Friday between the hours of 8am and 6pm.

If we do not hear from you, we will assume the contact details we currently have on file are correct.

Yours faithfully,
Brachers LLP'

To my knowledge I don’t hold any products or services with American Express. I have two credit cards, a Mastercard with MBNA (not sure if there is a relationship with AmEx here I am unaware of?) with a few hundred pounds to be paid off, and a Visa with Barclaycard, which has been paid off in full and the account is currently dormant.

As a result of receiving this letter, I also logged in to check my latest credit report - and there’s nothing which indicates any change in my score or circumstances.

I spoke to the person identified on the Brachers letter this morning on the phone (going through the main switchboard), who asked me to confirm my address details, which I did as these were on the letter I’d received. He then asked for my date of birth, which I said I didn’t feel comfortable disclosing over the phone without fully knowing who I’m speaking to. They refused to give any more information without me giving further personal details.

I therefore ended the call by saying they could contact me via post using my home address if they wanted to offer any further information about what this related to.

I was also debating sending a subject access request to Brachers to ask what information they have on file relating to me.

Has anyone had anything similar and could maybe shed further light on this or offer advice? Is this just a wild phishing attempt?

Should I be happy to disclose personal information to Brachers over the phone beyond my address?

Thanks in advance.

[Deleted User]

If you don't think it's yours then yes request via letter or email a DSAR on the debt or any information they have.

It's likely they are trying to match a debt with a name and yours came up

SnowTiger

BenParker wrote: »

I’ve had a letter through from Brachers LLP, who appear to specialise in debt recovery. I can't share an image of the letter as I'm a new poster, but it's on company-headed paper and reads:

'Dear Sir

Our client: American Express Services
Confirmation of your contact details

We are writing to confirm your correct contact details to ensure you receive important information from us promptly and by your preferred contact method.

Please call us as soon as possible on 01622 767645, quoting reference number AME: Redacted. When you call, we will ask you to confirm that the contact details we have on file are accurate. You can also tell us how you would prefer to be contacted in future. We are available to assist you Monday to Friday between the hours of 8am and 6pm.

If we do not hear from you, we will assume the contact details we currently have on file are correct.

Yours faithfully,
Brachers LLP'

I'd guess they have a list of old debts with partial client details.

That the letter is addressed 'Dear Sir' and asks you to confirm 'correct contact details' suggests the information they have is incomplete.

I'd ignore it.

In this case I think 'confirm your correct contact details' means we don't have your details - please give them to us.

BenParker

Thanks both - appreciated.

Barney_Rubble_0403

Ignore until a letter arrives (if) with your correct details stating that you owe a certain company money. As the others have said its a phishing exercise at the moment and if you give them the missing information it increases the chances of the Dca trying to pin it on you and bullying you into paying.

So sit back and relax.

Ben8282

Ignore this letter.

BenParker

Hi all

I've had a subsequent letter with accompanying documentation from Brachers which states:

'Further to our previous communications, our efforts to come to a mutually acceptable repayment arrangement have not been successful. We remain hopeful that you will respond and that a suitable repayment arrangement is still possible, but until that happens we must now consider legal action. We are therefore writing to you in compliance with the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims.

The outstanding balance is £8,230.79 as at today's date. Please find enclosed a statement setting out the outstanding balance, which also confirms whether or not interest or any other charges are continuing to accrue.

Your liability for payment arises under a written card agreement entered between you and our client on 13/12/2018. A copy is available upon request.'

They've included a copy of an American Express 'Statement of Account' which relates to an account I don't recognise. The account holder has a name which is similar to mine but clearly not the same, and references an address which I have never lived at. Therefore I'm assuming this all relates to AmEx attempting to track down this debt, and Brachers using the electoral register to find possible candidates.

Within the paperwork they've included a standard reply form which gives me the option to tick boxes indicating 'I agree and I owe the debt', 'I owe some of the debt, but not all of it' etc. There is a box to tick to indicate that I 'dispute the debt', which requires me to set out in a separate document why I dispute the debt and provide copies of any supporting documents. I have 30 days in which to send back this form.

I appreciate I'm probably being hugely naive, but given the strong tone of the letter indicating throughout that it would not be advisable to ignore the letter to avoid legal action, am I now best to get in contact with the legal firm either directly, or by sending the form back to set out clearly why the debt is not mine?

If so, what information can I safely include in any response that doesn't risk me giving away more personal information than I need to?

Many thanks

Willing2Learn

From what you have written, I don't believe this is a Letter Before Action (LBA). I think this is just them trying to cause you worry and panic. I would not worry about it. I would even be tempted to ignore it. They still seem to be phishing!

Though if it were me, and I knew the debt was not mine, I would send them a proveit letter by Royal Mail. I definitely would not waste my time phoning them.

[Deleted User]

As above - send a prove-it letter saying the debt is not yours and asking them politely to back away and cease contacting you about the debt

[Deleted User]

!!! wrote: »

As above - send a prove-it letter saying the debt is not yours and asking them politely to back away and cease contacting you about the debt

...or you'll be engaging the services of a solicitor with a view to suing them for harassment.

Willing2Learn

@BenParker

Have you checked your three credit files to ensure that the account is being misreported?