Ebay getting DRS to manage my 'unpaid' account

[Deleted User]

I got an email titled 'WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU' from DRS. They are managing my unpaid account on behalf of eBay, claiming that I owe £22.99. The email goes on to say that due to coronavirus, they are unable to talk to me but I am still required to pay.  

I contacted eBay asking them why I owe £22.99? A few moments later the customer support agent says that I owe £14.99 for selling an item 3 months ago. Upon further digging, the agent says that I owe £1 because when listing the item I used a promotion. The agent then offers to clear my £1 account since it was a mistake on eBay's part.

Why didn't I pay the £1 three months ago? eBay spams my email so I reported them for spam. 

I called DRS to let them know that eBay made a mistake. I provided the reference number on the email. The agent then tells me, they need my full name, phone number and address for security purposes. I refused to give them my details and the agent refused to help. Their advice was 'if one person tells you one thing and another person tells you another thing, just do that then'. What does that mean? I don't know. I asked if I can speak to someone else, they refused. I asked if I can get a recording of the call, they refused. The agent insisted that they need my details to know who they are talking to before they can help.

'WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU' in big bold letters.

What should I do now? 

I don't want this to hurt my credit rating. 

fenwick458

i'd ignore it, you've contacted ebay. do DRS really pursue debts so small? i just don't see how it's economical to do that?

RFW

throwaway3000 said:
What should I do now? 

I don't want this to hurt my credit rating. 

It can only hurt your credit rating if you are taken to court and lose, you won't be. You don't have  credit agreement with Ebay so they can't report to the credit agencies.

A while ago I had something similar, a debt agency called telling me I owed money to a company. I checked with the company, there was an error on my account, they cleared it. I called the debt agency, as a courtesy, to let them know. They wanted details I wasn't prepared to give and basically said they didn't believe me. I told them that was there problem, I'd done my bit and they were welcome to pursue it if they really wanted to. I never heard from them again.
Debt agencies just want money, they don't care if you owe it or not. If they call you again, tell them to refer back to Ebay and to stop calling you. If you ask them to stop calling they can't call again. If they do you can report them to Trading Standards for harassment. You can't stop them writing to you but that's all they can do.

[Deleted User]

RFW said:

throwaway3000 said:
What should I do now? 

I don't want this to hurt my credit rating. 

It can only hurt your credit rating if you are taken to court and lose, you won't be. You don't have  credit agreement with Ebay so they can't report to the credit agencies.

A while ago I had something similar, a debt agency called telling me I owed money to a company. I checked with the company, there was an error on my account, they cleared it. I called the debt agency, as a courtesy, to let them know. They wanted details I wasn't prepared to give and basically said they didn't believe me. I told them that was there problem, I'd done my bit and they were welcome to pursue it if they really wanted to. I never heard from them again.
Debt agencies just want money, they don't care if you owe it or not. If they call you again, tell them to refer back to Ebay and to stop calling you. If you ask them to stop calling they can't call again. If they do you can report them to Trading Standards for harassment. You can't stop them writing to you but that's all they can do.

Thank you for your response. 

I reposted this in Credit File & Ratings and someone responded saying that I was in the wrong and if I was taken into court, I would lose. 

[Deleted User]

I think they potentially could take you to a small claims court. 

[Deleted User]

MarkN88 said:

I think they potentially could take you to a small claims court. 

Even if eBay confirms it is a mistake? I called them eBay and they said I should ignore the debt collection company. They said the information will be passed on to the debt collection company within 7-14 working days.

[Deleted User]

throwaway3000 said:

MarkN88 said:

I think they potentially could take you to a small claims court. 

Even if eBay confirms it is a mistake? I called them eBay and they said I should ignore the debt collection company. They said the information will be passed on to the debt collection company within 7-14 working days.

If there going to update the debt collection company then you have nothing to worry about. 

RFW

MarkN88 said:

I think they potentially could take you to a small claims court. 

Anyone could potentially. No big company will take anyone to court for £23, it's not worth it to them.

[Deleted User]

RFW said:

MarkN88 said:

I think they potentially could take you to a small claims court. 

Anyone could potentially. No big company will take anyone to court for £23, it's not worth it to them.

Which is why I used the word “potentially”. I doubt any company would choose that option either but they could if they wanted to, therefore potentially.