Email stating Court action imminent

Orangetree2026 · 13 May at 10:00AM

Hi,

I stopped paying my debts late last year. All my accounts have defaulted and I have been paying £20 per month on the same date to credit cards and £35 per month to loans to clear £38k debt. (including these two companies mentioned)

I have never contact my creditors other than by email to say what I would be paying and set up standing orders. I have never sent any SOAs either.

Today I received an email with the following below, and I am wondering what I should do next to prevent this from going any further. Many thanks for any advice - I am just about settled with my finances in terms of having a balanced budget and this has given me a big wobble!

Good Morning,

I hope this message finds you well.

My name is Alex Wilson, and I am writing to you in my capacity as Senior Financial Advisor at the Debt Advice Foundation regarding a matter of considerable legal and financial importance that now requires your immediate attention and careful consideration.

We have been formally instructed to act in connection with an outstanding financial matter on behalf of the following creditors:

• Lantern Ltd

• Lowell Financial Ltd

Our records indicate that the above accounts relate to outstanding balances that remain unpaid and have now been formally classified as being in default due to a sustained failure to maintain the agreed contractual repayment obligations.

Despite a number of previous attempts made by the creditors and associated representatives to resolve this matter amicably and without the necessity of formal legal escalation, it is understood that no acceptable repayment arrangement or settlement proposal has been successfully established to date. Regrettably, the continued absence of payment and lack of meaningful engagement has left the creditors with little alternative but to proceed toward formal recovery action through the County Court.

Please be advised that the creditors are currently preparing documentation with a view to commencing legal proceedings against you.

then goes on to list potential consequences and state I can contact them to set up payments etc

Orangetree2026 · 13 May at 10:20AM

To add, also worried as the email came from a 'gmail' address not a 'debt foundation' address

Also the Lantern one was 118118 who accepted my complaint that they didn't do appropriate checks and they removed all interest so its only £2500.

burgervanman · 13 May at 10:21AM

Could be a scam?

https://debtadvicefoundation.org/debt-advice-fraud-alert/

Id contact them through the website or directly not details in the email to see if legit.

We will only ever contact you if request a call from us via our website or from a government referral pathway such as Money and Pensions Service

Both debt companies lantern and Lowell aren't related either or part of the same group so why would both creditors do this at the same time ?

If real....

If you have bank statements showing the SO's then they don't have a leg to stand on if genuine.

Even if it went to CCJ letter of action, the Bank statements surely would be enough evidence?

Sounds more like an admin mess up or scam?

I'm about 6months behind you on a similar dmp route and overthink everything so already planning for issues like this.

Personally I think someone is just trying it on. You'd have letters off Lowell etc stating action well before this surely?

Someone's probably seen the credit report or a dodgy call centre staff member selling on the info to scammers?

CliveOfIndia · 13 May at 10:33AM

Sounds very scammy to me. A quick Google suggests that Debt Advice Foundation is a debt advice charity, not a debt-chasing outfit. Added to which, no genuine company would use a gmail address - that's an immediate red flag.

Any genuine debt-chasing information will come via a good old-fashioned letter through your door.

Orangetree2026 · 13 May at 10:41AM

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81996753#Comment_81996753

Thank you. I have checked my on line Lantern account and it shows my payment plan and payments. No warnings / messages on it at all, so potential scam. I hate that someone has my personal info though - I haven't told anyone about my financial situation other than my husband.