Claims management company claimed on my behalf without asking and now want a cut?

bcs7

I’ve had success in the past claiming PPI from both Lloyds (£7.5k) and Barclaycard (£2.5k). I never bothered with claims companies, just filled in the forms on the bank websites.

Last week I received a letter from Lloyds saying they’d upheld my PPI mis-selling complaint. This was a bit out of the blue as my original claim with them was about 7 years ago. I’d got the Barclaycard payment 2 years ago.

They listed 4 different card numbers of which the oldest was the one this payment of £4.2k is for. The other 3 don’t have sums against them but they look like the ones I claimed previously. I need to check my records to be sure.

Although the letter looked all official I started to think it may be a scam but the contact details (telephone, email etc) all match with the official site. And it says they’ll make payment in the next 28 days either by cheque or to my account. So I don’t have to do anything other than wait.

However I did notice above the Lloyds ref number there is a separate “Claim Hunters Limited” ref number.

This morning I’ve received a separate letter from this Claim Hunters company. Basically saying they’re invoicing me for 20% + 4% VAT of the offer from Lloyds. They want this to be paid within 7 working days of me receiving the refund. They’ve included a copy of the original Lloyds offer letter with their invoice.

Now the first I’ve heard of this company is when I’ve received these letters. I’ve never instructed them to claim on my behalf.
So I assume they have no basis to claim any of the money and are just chancing their arm?

How do I know that with the PPI deadline Lloyds will have found this remaining card themselves and sent me the offer anyway?

[Deleted User]

bcs7 wrote: »

Now the first I’ve heard of this company is when I’ve received these letters. I’ve never instructed them to claim on my behalf.

Unless this company have a signed Letter Of Authorisation from you then they have no right to any part of your redress.

However, if you have never engaged with this firm than that does raise the question of how can they possibly know that you have had a successful PPI outcome?

I'd contact Lloyds direct to ascertain the facts.
Don't call them on any telephone numbers listed on the "offer" letter without checking that it's a Lloyds number first.

SonOf

Did you submit your complaint to Lloyds using the Lloyds bank site or a spoof site that is made to look like Lloyds but is actually one belonging to a claims company? (we have seen posts that turned out to be spoof sites before).

Contact the CMC and tell them that you didn't employ them and have not signed any contract with them and asj for them to provide evidence that you employed them.

Also contact Lloyds and ask them why they have notified Claim Hunters Ltd when you have not employed a claims company. It is possible that Lloyds have made a mistake and recorded a CMC in error.

The banks have also been reporting that there has been in an increase in complaints from CMCs that are little more than name and address and just ask the bank to check there is PPI and start a complaint if there is. Usually without the individual knowing the CMC is doing that.

[Deleted User]

SonOf wrote: »

Did you submit your complaint to Lloyds using the Lloyds bank site or a spoof site that is made to look like Lloyds but is actually one belonging to a claims company?

Unlikely fully seven years on from the original complaint:

bcs7 wrote: »

received a letter from Lloyds saying they’d upheld my PPI mis-selling complaint. This was a bit out of the blue as my original claim with them was about 7 years ago.

bcs7

It was through the official site as Lloyds are my bank.
The claim was dealt with at the time by Lloyds themselves and all paid to me with instructions to pay the tax. This was 7 years ago.

I need to find the paperwork from the original claim but from what I remember it was for PPI on loans. I used a chunk of it to pay the loan off completely.

This latest claim is for a credit card which I have had with Lloyds although I don’t think I thought of claiming.

Maybe they just used my name and address on the off chance I had something to claim. I’ve certainly never signed anything.

[Deleted User]

bcs7 wrote: »

Maybe they just used my name and address on the off chance I had something to claim. I’ve certainly never signed anything.

That would be highly illegal. Are you absolutely certain you've never had any contact with this firm in the past?