Debt we don't know about? Is it even ours?

lhead123

Hi
My husband has today received a letter from Intrum saying that he owes more than £9000 and he has 'failed' to contact them.
He's not taken out any financial products for around 15 years, so if it is relating to anything from before that time, it will be statute barred. 

He wants to phone them to find out what it's about, but I'm worried that if it is his debt and is statute barred then this will reset that and he'll have to start paying. 

We have checked Equifax and Transunion and nothing is showing on his credit reports (thoughEquifax doesn't show his mobile and bank account that are showing on Credit Karma). Just waiting for Experian to send the info for his free one from them.

What should we do? 

elsien

Send them a prove it letter? 

There are templates floating around somewhere if you do a search.

lhead123

I've read that they can count a prove it letter as a form of admitting the debt - we are certain that its nothing to do with my husband unless it's over 20 years old, but don't want to give them any reason to think it's his if they are fishing for people with the same name as him (it's not an uncommon name)

fatbelly

You cannot acknowledge a debt verbally but it would be a mistake to phone them.

They have made an assertion by letter. He should respond by letter, as above.

The debt free wannabe forum is the place for queries like this, and where you will find the prove-it template

elsien

https://debtcamel.co.uk/prove-it/

lhead123

Hi
My husband has today received a letter from Intrum saying that he owes more than £9000 and he has 'failed' to contact them.
He's not taken out any financial products for around 15 years, so if it is relating to anything from before that time, it will be statute barred.

I'm thinking it's more of a fishing letter to anyone with his name (it's not an uncommon name) - it doesn't have anything on it other than his name, our address and an amount of money. It doesn't have his DOB or anything. 

He wants to phone them to find out what it's about, but I'm worried that if it is his very old debt and is statute barred then this will reset that and he'll have to start paying. 

We have checked Equifax and Transunion and nothing is showing on his credit reports (thoughEquifax doesn't show his mobile and bank account that are showing on Credit Karma). Just waiting for Experian to send the info for his free one from them.

What should we do? I read that you shouldn't send a prove-it letter if it's an old debt (this says HFC Bank which I think went into liquidation in 2016/2017) as it can reset the statute barred time.

user1977

lhead123 said:

I've read that they can count a prove it letter as a form of admitting the debt

Where have you read this?

Jenni_D

Is it likely that they're on a fishing trip ... contacting people with the same name as the alleged debtor?

lhead123

user1977 said:

lhead123 said:

I've read that they can count a prove it letter as a form of admitting the debt

Where have you read this?

On the debtcamel site it says not to send a prove it if you know the debt is very old. 

I can’t remember where else I read it, I’ve been searching the internet for about 2 hours to find more info. 

lhead123

Jenni_D said:

Is it likely that they're on a fishing trip ... contacting people with the same name as the alleged debtor?

That’s what we are hoping….should we send them a letter saying anything?

elsien

Asking for proof does not reset the clock on the debt. You would have to acknowledge it or make a payment for that to happen.
But if you don’t want to send a letter and you think they’re fishing, I would probably go down the ignoring it route. Phoning is never a good idea -it just encourages them and you don’t want them getting your number and harassing you by phone. 

Debt collectors have no power to do anything, whatever they may threaten. They would have to issue you with a court claim to take things any further and that’s when you’d be able to see any evidence they may or may not have.