[Help] Argos fraud debt from 12 years ago

Zambas

Hi all,

I'm looking for some advice please, there's a company called Cabot who have wrote to me, they claim I owe 'Argos Card Services - Store Card' £453.41, It's a debt relating to a purchase they said I made in 2008, I have no idea what it's for and I'm 100% certain I have never had any credit from Argos.
I was in my twenties back then, went through some tough times and was on medication for depression so my memory is very cloudy from that period, I did have several debts back then and buried my head in the sand, I was being sent letters and I ignored them without even opening them, bad move I know but I was young.
My then girlfriend at the time helped me, we collected all the letters, went to the citizens advice bureau and they went through the letters, contacted the companies and arranged nominal repayments of £1 per month, these payments left my bank for several years and that was that.

Fast forward to 2020 and I have contacted Cabot, they have done an investigation and stated the following timeline of events :

The Argos account was opened on 04/03/2008 and remained active for 11 months until a default was applied on 03/02/2009, the account was paid (£1 per month setup by the citizens advice bureau) for a further 7 years and the last payment made on 11/02/2016

Sometime in 2010 - The account was sold to a company called Direct Legal Collections who are part of the 'Cabot Credit Management group', they have stated that DLC were the owners, they assigned the account to be dealt with by a company called Fredricksons, they have sent a statement of payments for £1 going out from from 2009 until 2016

16/01/2017 - A company called Mortimer Clarke Solicitors contacted me for the debt, they (Cabot) have stated that I advised I didn't know what the debt was and requested a copy of the original agreement, Cabot have stated that their records show they received a call from a male on 16/01/2017, the call was passed to a manager who didn't pass security, because they were unable to pass security checks, they did not respond to a request for a copy of the agreement.

01/11/2017 - The account was then placed with Mortimer Clarke Solicitors who they (Cabot) said attempted to contact me on numerous occasions.
They said MCS were unable to conatct me and started legal proceedings on 09/12/2016, they claim I would of received court documentation (I never) to put forward my defence, as documentation was not returned (I never got anything) a County Court Judgement was obtained on 13/01/2017 for £374.16

02/11/2017 - Cabot have enclosed a letter from a company called 'ME III Limited' who said I also contacted them and disputed the debt, as I failed to validate they were unable to help - I can remember not giving some random company any information because I thought it was a scam, this 'ME III Limited' have no website or any online presense so I won't just give out my personal information to someone that wrote a letter but again I disputed the debt and asked for the agreement they claim I entered into.

10/02/2017 - Cabot state their records show I called and passed security, they offered to sent a copy of the agreement but stated I declined as I recognised the debt - This is 100% a lie, I have requested a copy of that call and have not received it.

Cabot have concluded that they believe I was fully aware of the account and therefore remain liable, following on from that I have reported the matter to 'Action Fraud' and have been provided with a crime reference number, I then contacted Cabot again and provided the crime reference number and requested a SAR (Subject Access Request) for the call recording they claimed I acknowledged the debt, this was made on 25/08/2020 and I have not received anything from them.

I then contacted Argos directly and disputed the debt, I provided them with the crime reference number and again asked for a copy of the original agreement, Argos have said they don't have it, they asked if I ever had a HomeBase account, they said some old debt show as Argos Card Services but are actually for HomeBase.
Argos Fraud Team have investigated and said they have reviwed the account in full and confirm there is no evidence of fraud but can't offer any evidence that I made the purchase.

TL;DR
I have no idea what this debt is, I'm 100% certain it's not mine.
Cabot have wrote confirming that no fewer than 3 times have I requested the original agreement and never been sent it.
Cabot can't tell me what it's for.
Argos can't tell me what it's for or even if it was Argos, possibly HomeBase.
I have a CCJ I wasn't aware of, I've never looked at my credit file in my life, I never do credit except for mobile phones and had no issues obtaining any.
Cabot have said they don't agree it's fraud.
Argos have said they don't agree it's fraud.
Action Fraud haven't done anything but provide a crime reference number.

Please help, I know 100% the debt is not mine, nobody can prove anything because it was over 12 years ago, my appeals have all been denied, I've nowhere else to look for help.

McKneff

Even if you did owe it, they cannot chase you for it. After 6 years the debt is statute barred . 
Google for statute barred letter and send one. 
Also tell them the matter is now clsed and any further correspondence will be treated as harrassment and you will seek egal advice.
Keeo copies of everything

Zambas

Is it statute barred though if the citizens advice bureau setup £1 direct debits, the last payment was 2016 and they have a CCJ against me ?

DCFC79

Maybe try the ombudsman service, its a free service to use.
You mention statements showing a £1 going out from 2009 to 2016, does this list any details eg account the £1 is sent from, anything to show its from an account of yours ?

Other posters who are more experienced might well post better advice.
Do keep the thread updated with any progress.

Zambas

DCFC79 said:

You mention statements showing a £1 going out from 2009 to 2016, does this list any details eg account the £1 is sent from, anything to show its from an account of yours ?

No, just a reference number made up entirely of numbers.

DCFC79

Zambas said:

DCFC79 said:

You mention statements showing a £1 going out from 2009 to 2016, does this list any details eg account the £1 is sent from, anything to show its from an account of yours ?

No, just a reference number made up entirely of numbers.

Have you done any communication by letter rather than phone ?
If you have then its good as you have a paper trail.

Zambas

DCFC79 said:

Does this reference number match any reference on any communications you've had ?

Have you done any communication by letter rather than phone ?
If you have then its good as you have a paper trail.

None of them match up, each company made their own reference number, according to Cabot it's been passed between Cabot, Fredricksons, Mortimer Clarke Solicitors, Direct Legal Collections, ME III Limited and possibly more.
Each contact with them has been by phone, never letters or emails, I've never confirmed any details so never discussed anything, I knew the debt wasn't mine so I never made it passed verification, I genuinely thought it was a scam trying to get my info.

DCFC79

Zambas said:

DCFC79 said:

Does this reference number match any reference on any communications you've had ?

Have you done any communication by letter rather than phone ?
If you have then its good as you have a paper trail.

None of them match up, each company made their own reference number, according to Cabot it's been passed between Cabot, Fredricksons, Mortimer Clarke Solicitors, Direct Legal Collections, ME III Limited and possibly more.
Each contact with them has been by phone, never letters or emails, I've never confirmed any details so never discussed anything, I knew the debt wasn't mine so I never made it passed verification, I genuinely thought it was a scam trying to get my info.

Id deleted part of my reply as didnt think it as needed.
As I mentioned, Id give the ombudsman/ the FOS a try.

Should always do anything like this in writing.

sourcrates

Its rather a coincidence that a similar £1 payment arrangement was set up for all those years, the debt is not statute barred, as its had payments made to it, those pesky little £1 payments stopped it going SB.

You have made this harder for yourself by responding to calls and emails, anyone chasing a debt legally has to write to you, until they write to you, ignore them, then send the provit letter, see where that takes you.

Zambas

sourcrates said:

Its rather a coincidence that a similar £1 payment arrangement was set up for all those years, the debt is not statute barred, as its had payments made to it, those pesky little £1 payments stopped it going SB.

You have made this harder for yourself by responding to calls and emails, anyone chasing a debt legally has to write to you, until they write to you, ignore them, then send the provit letter, see where that takes you.

Thanks for the help everyone, The citizens advice bureau setup several £1 payments to various companies on my behalf, I didn't know who I was paying and why.
What's a proveit letter ? I know the debt is not mine but they won't tell me what the purchase was for or let me verify I signed anything or any proof of ID, If I had that I could send my signature to prove my innocence.

sourcrates

Zambas said:

sourcrates said:

Its rather a coincidence that a similar £1 payment arrangement was set up for all those years, the debt is not statute barred, as its had payments made to it, those pesky little £1 payments stopped it going SB.

You have made this harder for yourself by responding to calls and emails, anyone chasing a debt legally has to write to you, until they write to you, ignore them, then send the provit letter, see where that takes you.

Thanks for the help everyone, The citizens advice bureau setup several £1 payments to various companies on my behalf, I didn't know who I was paying and why.

So it could quite easily be yours then, you must admit the evidence does point to it, you say yourself you can`t remember ??

If Cabot can be bothered to write to you in the future, respond with this -

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2607247/letter-when-you-know-nothing-about-about-the-debt-aka-prove-it-letter

It not your job to prove or dis-prove anything, that is the job of those chasing you for money.