Resolvecall, JC Acquisition, Scottish Power - ARRGGGGGGGGHHHH!

emchoc

I had a message from Resolvecall who are apparently trying to recover an outstanding balance on behalf of JC Acquisition LLC who have purchased it from Scottish Power. 

I switched from Scottish Power in about 2019 (long enough ago that I'd forgotten I'd ever had an account with them). I've contacted them, but they can't access my account because it's been sold to debt collectors so they can't tell me anything. I'm trying to understand why I had an outstanding debt and, more importantly, why it's been sold!

NONE of my contact details have changed - if I cancelled the dd too early and still owed them for the final bill (which is possible) why wouldn't they contact me and ask for payment! Instead, they've waited 5 years, sold the debt (and so lost money on it) AND caused me a lot of stress. 

If I do owe the money, obviously I'm happy to pay it. And it isn't a huge amount - it won't cause me a problem to pay it. I just don't understand why. Any advice?

born_again

Send them a "Prove it" letter.

https://moneyadvisor.co.uk/prove-it-debt-letter-quick-guide-tips/

emchoc

born_again said:

Send them a "Prove it" letter.

https://moneyadvisor.co.uk/prove-it-debt-letter-quick-guide-tips/

Thanks - I've used the contact form on the Resolvecall website to basically say "prove it" so I'll give them a day or so to respond...

fatbelly

emchoc said:

I had a message from Resolvecall who are apparently trying to recover an outstanding balance on behalf of JC Acquisition LLC who have purchased it from Scottish Power. 

A triumvirate of incompetence.

Ask for compensation.

born_again

emchoc said:

born_again said:

Send them a "Prove it" letter.

https://moneyadvisor.co.uk/prove-it-debt-letter-quick-guide-tips/

Thanks - I've used the contact form on the Resolvecall website to basically say "prove it" so I'll give them a day or so to respond...

Think it might take a bit longer than a day or so... Given what they have already said 🤣

Put it on the back burner & forget about it till they come back with the details. 

FreeBear

emchoc said:

born_again said:

Send them a "Prove it" letter.

https://moneyadvisor.co.uk/prove-it-debt-letter-quick-guide-tips/

Thanks - I've used the contact form on the Resolvecall website to basically say "prove it" so I'll give them a day or so to respond...

Don't use email, web form, or text (and certainly don't use the telephone). Stick to old fashion letters in the post. It costs them time and money to respond and also slows the whole process down. If you are getting close to 6 years (5 in Scotland) since this alleged debt occurred, it will be statute barred soon. Once you get to the 6 year mark, they won't be able to start legal proceedings (but do be careful about the dates).

Brie

What FreeBear said.  Plus don't admit anything about owing money.  Don't say you might owe money.  Certainly don't put anything in writing other than "I don't recognise this and need proof it's owed."   If you admit you owe it that starts the 6 year clock all over.  

emchoc

Thanks all! To respond to some individual points....

fatbelly said:

A triumvirate of incompetence.

I love this  

born_again said:

Put it on the back burner & forget about it till they come back with the details. 

I don't really want to forget about it - they're going to start notifying credit reference agencies on the 18th of this month!

Don't use email, web form, or text (and certainly don't use the telephone). Stick to old fashion letters in the post. It costs them time and money to respond and also slows the whole process down. If you are getting close to 6 years (5 in Scotland) since this alleged debt occurred, it will be statute barred soon. Once you get to the 6 year mark, they won't be able to start legal proceedings (but do be careful about the dates).

But. Old fashioned letters cost me money and time as well! I know about the 6 years thing (England) but unfortunately I don't know exactly when this is from and scottish power can't tell me (I'm sure there used to be a banging my head against the wall emoji)

Brie said:

What FreeBear said.  Plus don't admit anything about owing money.  Don't say you might owe money.  Certainly don't put anything in writing other than "I don't recognise this and need proof it's owed."   If you admit you owe it that starts the 6 year clock all over.  

Thanks - I'm admitting to myself and this forum that I might actually owe the money - but certainly not to anyone else!

emchoc

Strap in, because I think I've uncovered previously unimagined levels of incompetence...

Update: 

I asked Resolvecall to "prove it" as above - they acknowledged the request within a couple of days, put everything on hold and I didn't hear anything further....

Yesterday, I got an email from Moriarty Law "We have received important new instructions from our client and attach a new communication that requires your attention and reply" - in order to access the communication, I have to click on a link and provide my surname and DOB which I'm obviously not going to do. But it got me thinking if it might be anything to do with this Scottish Power fiasco...

So I asked Resolvecall for an update - they've told me "Our client has requested that we return this account to them." - so I contacted Scottish Power next....

They still can't access my account because it's been sold to debt collectors, all they can do is tell me to phone the debt collection company on 0203 437 0310. Googling that number tells me that's JCIA (so that makes sense), phoning that number gives me JCIA's "we're closed" message. But then they mentioned (let slip?) that the debt was actually sold to LCS Debt Recovery and not to JCIA. I've never heard of LCS - they've certainly never been mentioned before, and that is very definitely not their phone number.


Partly I'm posting because I need to vent. And partly because there's a chance this might help someone else in future. But if anyone has any advice at this stage, I'd appreciate it

FreeBear

emchoc said: Yesterday, I got an email from Moriarty Law "We have received important new instructions from our client and attach a new communication that requires your attention and reply" - in order to access the communication, I have to click on a link and provide my surname and DOB which I'm obviously not going to do. But it got me thinking if it might be anything to do with this Scottish Power fiasco..

Respond with "If you have anything of value to say, kindly put it in writing and send the letter by first class post. You can write can't you...."

EssexHebridean

LCS are a shower of the proverbial brown stuff. 

Ultimately, if they want to formally tell you that you owe them money, they need to write you a physical hard copy letter that drops through your letterbox.