WARNING! DLC AKA Hillesden Securties

pinkzelda

Hi, I have received an email from DLC asking me to ring them about my debt URGENTLY and citing a ref number. I have no outstanding debts that I am aware of, never had any letters from them, no CCJs etc and wondered if anyone else has had unsolicited emails from this company? Are they on a fishing expedition?
Thanks

give_them_FA

Just ignore the stupid barstewards. It is probably someone with the same name as you.

Why does anyone take the least bit of notice of these pathological liars?

You ignore them, they go away. The reason they want you to contact is so that they can browbeat and bully you. Not unknown for these pigs to actually talk people into paying "debts" they didn't owe.

Ignore them. They send you a few letters and then give up. If I had a tenner for every time that's happened I would be debt-free.

FTW

Abiware wrote: »

Warning! Pink Postcards

I recently arrived home to find a little pink postcard on my doorstep asking me to call and speak to a 'co-ordinator' to arracnge for a 'representative' to call at my home. The Company address at the bottom was HILLESDEN SECURITIES. I didn't recogise the company name so looked it up on the internet and found that they are also known as Direct Legal Collections who i had been dealing with (a debt i had with Egg Banking had been passed to them). I also found that alot of other people have recieved these postcards.

DLC are standard DCA clowns.

Abiware wrote: »

Basicaly they try and trick you into calling them and arranging for a bailiff to come and visit your home.

Bailiffs and door-to-door debt collectors are two entirely different things.

Abiware wrote: »

As i understand it they are like vampires - once you have let them into your home they can come back whenever they like!

You understand wrong - DLC don't even have the authority to declare Happy Birthday, much less enter someone's home.

Abiware wrote: »

Direct Legal Collections are a bunch of bullys!

Yep, attention seeking ones, and it really gets to them when people see through them for the self-important impotents they really are.

Abiware wrote: »

They will try and push you into paying in full or making monthly payments you can't afford!

Have them jump through hoops to prove they even have the legal right to be collecting in the first place.

Abiware wrote: »

I have looked up their tactics on the National Debt Line website and they are not allowed under OFT guidelines! If you do deal with them don't let them push you around and if they do report them to the OFT

Every time a DCA commits any kindof a breach, you should be informing the OFT, but also the Financial Ombudsman Service (because it costs the company £500 a time for the privilege of the FOS investigating).

fatbelly

pinkzelda wrote: »

Hi, I have received an email from DLC asking me to ring them about my debt URGENTLY and citing a ref number. I have no outstanding debts that I am aware of, never had any letters from them, no CCJs etc and wondered if anyone else has had unsolicited emails from this company? Are they on a fishing expedition?
Thanks

Yes, they're on a fishing expedition. They are probably not even sure where the email is going to, and whether anyone has picked it up (hope you have your email settings as 'do not send receipts'

Until they make a direct accusation (i.e. you owe £X against account 1234 with Gubbins Bank) do not make contact in any way.

kimarie

Well, my letter addressed to 'The Occupier' arrived this morning. It gives a reference no and Customer name who they wish to contact regarding an important personal matter!??
We are and have never been in debt and don't recognise the name listed.
What should I do??
It says if I am not the named person to contact them so they can update their records to prevent further correspondence.
Kim

give_them_FA

Standard fishing nonsense, throw it and all subsequent letters in the bin. These idiots love it when people contact them. If you do you will only be accused of lying if you say you don't recognise the name- you are not dealing with honest people, remember that.

taffy056

If you start off with the fact that you are dealing with pathological liars who will try anything to get money off you, just like Nigerian scammers, you know how to deal with a DCA. Sending unaddressed letters to people is against the debt collecting guidelines and should be reported to the OFT and trading standards. I have iqor chasing me for a VAT bill even though I am not VAT registered and they did just that to me.

fatbelly

taffy056 wrote: »

If you start off with the fact that you are dealing with pathological liars who will try anything to get money off you, just like Nigerian scammers, you know how to deal with a DCA. Sending unaddressed letters to people is against the debt collecting guidelines and should be reported to the OFT and trading standards.

Correct.

The OFT Debt Collection Guidance specifically mentions sending demands to 'the occupier'

3.8 Dealings with debtors and others are not to be deceitful and/or unfair.

3.9 Examples of unfair or improper practices are as follows:

a. Sending demands for payment, by any means, to an individual, when it is uncertain whether he is the actual debtor

For example:

• threatening debt recovery action against 'the occupier' of particular premises or
• sending a payment demand to all people sharing the same name/date of birth as a debtor in the hope that contact with the actual debtor will be made.

b. disclosing debt details to an individual when it is uncertain that he is the actual debtor

shaunmitch

i have today received this email, before now never had even a letter from these. i do have outstanding debts but found it strange to receive an email with little detail than a letter

(Text removed by MSE Forum Team)

This email may contain confidential and proprietary material for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review or distribution by others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient please contact the sender and delete all copies. Hillesden Securities Ltd t/a direct legal & collections does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message, as the Internet is not secure and this message is subject to possible data corruption either accidentally or on purpose. This message has been virus scanned. Recipients are recommended to apply their own virus checks to this message on delivery as Hillesden Securities Ltd t/a direct legal & collections will not accept responsibility for loss or damage arising from the use of this email or its attachments.

Hillesden Securities Limited, trading as direct legal & collections - Registered office Willow Road, Brackley, NN13 7EX. Registered in England, company number 1418063

what would anyone recommend i do about it

fatbelly

shaunmitch wrote: »

what would anyone recommend i do about it

First, remove your name and reference number from your post.

Then ignore it.

If it is one of your debts then they'll write a proper letter telling you which one it is and quoting an original reference that means you can identify it.