ACI debt collection obo EE chasing an account that wasn't mine!

CautiousMrG

I received an email from ACI at the end of July 2026 chasing a debt £546.62. Apparently from a failed direct debit from 2023. Which has subsequently mounted up, I assume

I contacted ACI and the address it related to was not mine and I have never had a mobile account with EE. However, they did have my btinternet.com email address and my name.

I was told they would investigate and over the weeks I received a couple of emails to say they were still investigating, the last of which was on the 8th September. Two days ago I received a missed call and when I rang back it was ACI. I spoke to someone briefly who said it must have been a mistake. Then again they called yesterday and a more detailed conversation followed.

Their representative gave me an address the account related to, which I have never heard of, a mobile phone number that was used, which was not mine and the last 4 digits of a bank account, again not mine. She also told me the investigation had been completed and EE were holding me responsible for payment, based on the email address I have used from BT and my name being on the account, I am guessing? Though this email has been used for over 20 years and I know it's not secure. Hence I recently opted to change to Proton for my emails, though keep the old BT email address as, so many contacts I have had over the years still use it.

It's not the first time I have been the victim of identity theft, it seems to happen more frequently. Only a few months ago my bank account with Nationwide and the BT email were hacked, leading to considerable stress & anxiety. Being an ex company director I am aware much of my information can be found on companies house. Though in April of this year, I have had to take early retirement due to disability and sold the company.

The ACI rep said I will have now receive a Fraud letter by email, which will request further information and she wanted a screen shot of my bank account from 2023 showing that no debit was taken from my account on the date that matches theirs!

I will await the email and respond accordingly, however, I am surprised that EE are trying to hold me responsible. I can't think they have the grounds for it and I am certainly not going to send any company screen shots of old bank statements, unless legally I have no option.

Part of me does wonder, that given BT own EE and I cancelled my BT broadband account and switched to SKY just before I received the email from ACI. (I left BT because of the cost and the mountain of spam I was receiving) that this seems just a little too coincidental.

I am pondering on making an official complaint to both ACI and EE, before I receive further correspondence from ACI or is someone able to make a suggestion of the best way to proceed. Also, will this impact my 97% Experian credit rating?

fatbelly

So all the information that you have on this has been given to you by a debt collection agency, and this started with an out-of-the blue email, which you responded to?

I think you are being scammed.

Now they have written, send them a prove-it letter from the sticky threads on debt-free wannabe. I would not be giving them any more of your personal data

CautiousMrG

I checked the email address and the phone number against their website and it's all legit. I haven't provided them with any additional information either. Thanks for the advice, I'll take a look at the prove it letter.

sourcrates

ACI will be acting on behalf of EE, so have no ability to do anything in this matter.

I`m with fatbelly, send the prove-it letter, and don`t give them any more personal information.