Funeral plan company disappeared with our money

Shaun_of_the_Dead

davidmcn wrote: »

Sounds like the police are already aware. Your in-laws can report their loss as well, though bear in mind the police don't offer a debt recovery service, they'll just be interested in pursuing any criminal aspect of it.

More likely the police will knob them off to Action Fraud who will record it and do little else.

hollydays

Topher wrote: »

Thank you for the replies: I think embarking on suing someone is far too big a deal for my in laws, or for us on their behalf. What I need to find out is how to contact anyone at all from the company or a representative. They started the payments through an agent, but all contct numbers, addresses etc. have just gone dead or are closed off, yet, from the Tony Hetherington article it seems that the main address is still the address of two other similarly named companies. Is this something one takes to the police?

Unfortunately, when a company isn't reputable, ie criminals, they aren't going to make themselves available for a chat.:(
What you want and what you need to do are completely different.

born_again

Topher wrote: »

I
My inlaws have just had a notification from their bank that a regular payment they've been paying for a few years has been turned down. In other words the people they were paying to were no longer able to receive their payment.

Direct Debit or Standing Order?

If a DD I'm wondering if the direct debit indemnity might cover this if they have not been notifying the inlaws of the next payment.

If it's a S/O then sadly it's gone.

Leedslass40

Can I ask whether you have tried/intend to take any action? My gran passed away yesterday, she'd bought and paid in full for a plan from equitable lifecare. Obviously we tried to call them using the numbers given and were shocked that we couldn't get through to anyone. Luckily, we can get the money together to sort out her funeral but it was another stress that, as a family, we didn't expect 

andyAMT

I had a very similar experience when my mother passed away last week. Rang the number and nothing. They had previously taken care of my father a couple of years back so nothing had alerted me to any problems coming my way. I just wonder how many people are in a similar position and exactly how Simeon Mellord, who just walked away from the situation apparently,  and associates can sleep at night.

Topher

Leedslass40 said:

Can I ask whether you have tried/intend to take any action? My gran passed away yesterday, she'd bought and paid in full for a plan from equitable lifecare. Obviously we tried to call them using the numbers given and were shocked that we couldn't get through to anyone. Luckily, we can get the money together to sort out her funeral but it was another stress that, as a family, we didn't expect 

There is no action available. I've been advised to get a police crime number on it, which should be possible to do either online or with a phone call (even pre- Covid 19 this was a laughable suggestion). The idea behind getting a crime number is that should anyone investigate this particular crime in the future, you have some record of it being perpetrated against you. 

lincroft1710

andyAMT said:

how Simeon Mellord, who just walked away from the situation apparently,  and associates can sleep at night.

look up psychopathy and sociopathy on Wikipedia