Hello all, a really helpful site and I’m hoping you can offer advice on a strange situation I am in.

Out of the blue, I received a text message (no calls) from Robinson Way, asking me to call them As I don’t deal with them or have any defaults as (just) keeping up with payments, I ignored it.

Yesterday, i received a letter saying I owe Abbey (I assume Abbey National) over £7000, yet I have never had a loan, card, mortgage, current account with Abbey. What is very odd is that they used an abbreviated (1 syllable) version of my first name, rather than my full first name in it’s entirety. My surname was correct.

What are the next steps to get RW to leave me alone?

Thanks for your help

Just ignore it and try to block.

Probably just an error.

If you owed a debt of that amount, you would know about it and been chased previously,

Thank you for replying so quickly.

I’m concerned as the letter states “we will send agents to your property to recover the debt”.

I have worked extremely hard after a lot of issues (in my much younger years) to get a good career and home. I don’t want my career and home life ruined by these people.

Is there something I can do to get them to leave me alone instead of ignoring?

Thanks again

They can't do anything. If anyone comes to your home, just don't answer the door. They have no legal rights.

It sounds like a mass phishing letter to me

They send out thousands of fishing letters every week, hoping to get a bite.

Check your credit record history to see if anything is noted. This is to rule out a mistake having been made or identity fraud where someone has obtained finance in your name.

Don't worry too much as Debt Collection Agencies such as RW are powerless. If you wrote to them, they would probably ignore you.

Remember that unsecured debts become unenforceable due to limitation act, after 6 years of non payment and non acknowledgement. Does not stop a DCA chasing older debts.

Thanks, both.

I hate the thought of people turning up at the door, it makes me very uncomfortable.

Is there any way I can ask them to prove what the debt is or does that cause more hassle? What about a letter telling them to leave me alone?

DCA's employ commission based enquiry agents that visit some addresses to see if the debtor lives at the address and is willing to make payments.

Very much doubt they would bother unless they know you are definitely the debtor, because your records indicate you took out the debt and they can see from your history that you have moved to a different address.

Suggest that you check your credit record and then report back when you have done this.

No default on my credit reports (have checked with 3 different agencies). No debt ever recorded with Abbey as per their letter.

So confused!

Have been advised to email RW and ask them to prove that I owe them/Abbey any debt.

Is this right?

Up to you as long as your prepared for the barrage of nonsensical missives...if its not yours why would you want to ask them to prove it ?

Read the letter properly..it doesnt say will anything!!

A dca is not a bailiff

And has ZERO legal powers

Thanks, both, for your replies.

The letter states:

If you do nothing, we will advise you of further activities that may be taken against you. This could include

* collection letters sent to your address

* telephone calls may be made to numbers we have on file, including work numbers. If we telephone your work number, we will only discuss the account with the named holder

What I am worried about, is that I work in a sensitive environment, even if these cowboys are playing games and trying to gain money that I don't owe, I am worried that their actions could cause damage to my professional reputation.

Thanks again

If this letter states an account number...which it should if its your debt and they are sure you are the correct debtor.....send them a CCA request and staple it to that letter.

Request can be found in the CAG library under Debt Collection.

Thanks, Andy.

The letter has an account number on it, but it doesnt relate to any credit cards or an unsecured loan I currently have.

Could it be a debt from many years ago? Would I be admitting to a debt (nothing on my credit reports, CCJ's, etc.) that is no longer enforcable and causing hassle for myself?

No you wont admit anything...its a legal request that your entitled to make...use their reference then...as thats the one they are reliant upon sending unsolicited mail to you.

Take a copy of their letter first then staple the original to the CCA Request..they will respond stating that they are unable to find this agreement...which begs the question why did they chase you with it in the first place.

Short response-

"I have never held an account with an Abbey of any description. You have therefore accessed my data without reason and your records are inaccurate thus breaching GDPR on at least two counts. Any further correspondence from you will be reported to the ICO.

Ignore them. Theyre bluffing. Its a phishing letter theyre sending to anyone with the same name as you. The threat of people coming to your house is just that. A threat. It wont happen. Theyre just trying to scare you into paying. Say they send out 1000 letters and 10% get scared and reply. Even though only 1 person is related to that alleged debt, they now have 10 people willing to pay.

Dont be one of those 10. Ignore it.

Thanks all. Feeling slightly less stressed about it.

I can’t believe companies are allowed to do this, but after researching, it seems like such a common occurrence.

I’ll update if I hear any more from these chancers.

they arent allowd to do it but when challenged they just apologise and claim it is a one off error when the reality it is their normal working practice.

Nice one, ericsbrother.

I’ll see if I ever hear from them again and let the forum know.

Well, no written response (I know it’s very soon), but they’ve continued to call and text me asking to call them.

It’s an interesting waiting game.

Doubt you will get any response.

They will just continue to contact you until someone removes you from their chasing list and then it will go quiet, with no further contact by anyone.

Standard fishing trip where a debtor has disappeared and they contact anyone with a similar name.

Well, they’ve continued to call and text asking me to speak to them, but haven’t put anything in writing to me.

blocj their number adn report it to your service provider as harassment calls

Well you can block their texts and their phone calls too if using a mobile. With landlines you can call the operator and ask them to monitor incoming calls form them and not to put them through to you. And you can write to them demanding they stop calling you and deal with you always by letter.

Of course if you have already written to them asking them to stop you can now complain to the ICO. At the moment I cannot find the new legislation regarding cold calling but did see this data

from the Gov. website-

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-measures-to-beat-plague-of-nuisance-calls

Sorry EB you posted while I was still doing mine.