Overdue energy bill letter with scam phone number that Octopus says is not a scam!

Aldo55

On Saturday morning I received a letter through my door from Flint Bishop Solicitors. It was for an overdue energy bill from Octopus Energy for £455.83. It has an account number on it which I didn't recognise. I immediately assumed it was a scam. The telephone number given was 0330 123 9024. The letter was official and looks genuine. I checked their office contact numbers and this didn't match.

I have emailed Flint Bishop and await a reply. I then emailed Octopus on Saturday. Attaching a photo of the letter. I put, the letter and company details look genuine. Except the phone number. Is it a scam?

Octopus replied I can confirm this is not a scam letter. It's associated with your late mother ( my mum passed away on January this year and I took over the account. She was 85.) It was for the period of 27th September 2019 to the 7th November 2020. When the account was then updated to just your mothers liability. My Mum had been paying the bills herself since my father died in 2011. I don't know where they got this from.

This was the first I have heard of this overdue bill. I received no emails or letters from Octopus regarding this.

I investigated this further and it was an old account number from my Mums bills. I looked at her bank statements from this period. She was with Co Operative energy up to November 2019 and payments were taken out. In December 2019 a payment was taken out with this account number for Octopus. There were no more payments made to this account number. In April 2020 her bank account was credited with £111. It seems she was in credit. I kept sending in the meter readings. I still have readings which I sent. In November 2020 she was given a new account number and regular payments followed.

This 0330 123 9024 phone number I checked on who called me. It was searched over. 3000 times. Has been flagged for suspicious activities, currently being primarily associated with the legal services scam.

I was about to phone the number then I stopped and checked out the above website. Im glad I did now. I hate to think what would have happened if I had given my bank details.

I'm worried, concerned and confused. I don't know what or who to believe. Can anyone please give me any advice on what to do. Thank you very much.

elsien

Whose name is on  the letter as the account holder? 
If your mother did owe any money, it would be due from her estate, not directly from you. Are you her executor and was her estate solvent?

GrumpyDil

Given what Octopus have stated it sounds like a genuine letter but as @elsiensays related to your deceased mother's estate.

The estate and not you is liable for the debt, although if the estate wa solvent then the estate should settle it. 

You could always try ringing the solicitors by getting a direct number to discuss if you are uncomfortable with calling the number on the letter.

Gerry1

The number is probably legitimate: the Leeds office uses non-geographical 0330 123 9xxx numbers. Non-geo numbers are legitimately used to route specific types of calls to the appropriate destination, e.g. people working at home.

However... https://flintbishop.co.uk/important-notice-phishing-email-alert-flint-bishop/

Aldo55

Thanks for your replies and help. My name is on the letter. 
Would the back billing policy not cover this issue? As it's well over 12 months.

Thanks again I'll contact Octopus then try contacting the solicitors on another number.

elsien

Back billing doesn’t apply where you’ve had a bill and not paid it. 

Do you know why your mum didn’t pay at the time?

Aldo55

Hi Thanks for your help. Octopus took the payments by Direct Debit. My mum was credited into her bank account in April 2020. She had enough money in her bank account. I think she had built up credit on her Energy account. I don't know why the money wasn't taken from her bank account? We may have assumed the energy account was still in credit as no payment was being taken out. I was still sending in meter readings.

I'll phone Octopus and find out. I don't know why it has taken this long to sort out? And why I didn't get an email or letter before being handed to Solicitors.

Thanks Again.

Phones4Chris

Who are the executors of your late mother's estate? Did they get any letters and ignore them?

Aldo55

Hi If my Mum had known about this bill she would have paid it. Direct Debits weren't taken from her bank account. They took an initial payment with the energy account number in December 2019 by Direct Debit then no more. 

Why they didn't take anymore Direct Debits for this energy account number is strange? Why did Octopus then change her energy account number and regular Direct Debit payments, started to come off?

Thank you

markin

If that account number was only ever in her name it is very scamy of them to put your name to it.

Aldo55

Hi Thanks for your replies. Small things just do not add up.

An overdue bill? My Mum paid by Direct Debit.Octopus knew her bank details. Why didn't they take what was due at the time by Direct Debit? Meter readings were being sent in. 

The account number in question didn't start until December 2019. Not September 2019.

According to the Octopus website. Octopus send emails, SMS and letters letting people know their behind on their payments. Before handing to debt collection agencies. Nothing like this was ever received.

Flint Bishop does have a phone number for their Leeds office starting 0330. But it doesn't end in 9024.
Why would over 3000 people search for this 9024 number and flag it up as a scam on the Who called me website?

IF, this does prove to be a scam. Where could I go to complain? OFGEM don't deal with energy company complaints.

Many thanks for reading my post and sending your replies.