Wow!

I received one yesterday as well, I filed it in the dustbin. Been living at the same address for 12 years and have never had or applied for any credit, I was at my last address for 20 years and never applied for or had any there. Just as 1st credit tried this on me about 6 or 7 years ago and thanks to this forum they were unpolitely told where to go, these clowns will get the same if they write again.

1st things 1st...........Have you broken the agreement to pay £5 a month?

For what it's worth, IMO this is not a good plan! How can you not acknowledge the debt but offer to pay it? I think you'll be opening a can of worms here.

I had dealings with these Muppets a few months ago for a debt that wasn't even mine. Thanks to the invaluable advice from this site I saw them off, a word of warning though, they trashed my credit file but a complaint to Experian and my local trading standards got everything removed within a week.

good!

Without doubt the loony that revived the thread is/was an employee of Cabot. Just about sums up the lack of intelligence of their employees when they register on here and actually imagine in their tiny minds that they might get some sympathy. Best joke Michael McInyure ever told when he agreed to perform for them. Good that he pulled out they wouldn't have understood any of his material anyway, they don't possess a sense of humour.

Not really sure whether legally you should have to pay them, but morally you most certainly should!

Well, The illegal search by Connaught has been removed from my Credit file. I'd like to thank everybody on this site that has offered advice, it has been invaluable and without your advice i would probably have been fighting these low life's for ever more. I shall still be viewing the forum and if anybody that finds themselves in the same position i have been reads this thread and it helps them then I've gone a short way to repaying you all. Once again, thankyou so much.

Both signatures are printed but then signed in ink. I've just had a phone conversation with Consumer direct, after telling them the whole story and quoting the letters they are escalating the case as "a criminal breach" and are passing the details to the OFT, they have also asked me to contact the ICO and FOS on Monday morning.

After looking at the 2 letters i received yesterday i notice the one sent on the 24th from 1st Credit and the one sent on the 30th by Connaught are signed by the same person. So on the 24th they admitted they had no evidence, on the 25th they searched my credit file and on the 30th they stated they had a right to search the file, the same person signed it (I'll post his name if you have no objection). Surely if they admit to having no evidence that a debt exists, then they are acting illegally by then searching my file.

Rewritten the letter. Dear sir, I am in receipt of your letter dated 30 September 2010 and I have some concerns. You state at the head of the letter “Nab Outstanding Debt £00.00” you then state in the letter that I am “indebted to you”, I AM NOT NOW NOR EVER HAVE BEEN INDEBTED TO YOU OR ANY OTHER DEBT COLLECTION AGENCY OR ORGANISATION YOU PURPORT TO BE LINKED TO. Your company carried out an illegal search on my credit file on the 25th September 2010, a day after a letter I have in my possession dated 24th September 2010 from your associate company 1st Credit stating that they have no evidence of the debt and that they will not be pursuing the matter, so please explain why 1 day later you carried out the illegal search? They have no evidence because the debt was and never will be mine. Furthermore as you have admitted in your letter the search was incorrectly classified as a “utility” search, I don’t agree with that statement and will seek legal advice and complaints to the OFT and the Information Commissioner will be registered immediately. I gave you 5 days to have the wrongful search removed in my letter dated 25th September 2010 not 28 days as you sate you need, however I have contacted Experian and they confirmed to me that the illegal search could be removed within 24 hours if you were to request it so may I be so bold as to suggest that you take this action without delay. I shall not cease chasing this case until I receive compensation for the harassment and costs I have incurred for my time, stationary, postage and costs for legal advice. All further communication will be through my legal advisors, they will contact you imminently.

Letter that i intend to send to Connaught in the morning. Dear sir, I am in receipt of your letter dated 30 September 2010 and I have some concerns. You sate at the head of the letter “Nab Outstanding Debt £00.00” you then state in the letter that I am “indebted to you”, I AM NOT NOW NOR EVER HAVE BEEN INDEBTED TO YOU OR ANY OTHER DEBT COLLECTION AGENCY YOU PURPORT TO BE PART OF! Your company carried out an illegal search on my credit file on the 25th September 2010, a day after a letter I have in my possession dated 24th September 2010 from your umbrella company 1st Credit stating that they have no evidence of the debt and that they will not be pursuing the matter. They have no evidence because the debt was and never will be mine. Furthermore as you have admitted in your letter the search was incorrectly classified as a “utility” search, I prefer the true version that your company knew exactly what they were doing and in fact you were acting fraudulently. I will be seeking legal advice and intend to sue you through the courts. I gave you 5 days to have the wrongful search removed in my letter dated 25th September 2010 not 28 days as you sate you need, that is yet another lie, Experian confirmed to me that the illegal search could be removed within 24 hours if you were to request it. Your organisation stands for everything that is wrong with this country today and I shall not cease chasing this case until I receive compensation for the harassment and costs I have incurred for my time, postage costs and any costs for legal advice. Be warned, I mean what I state in this letter, I will see you in court.

Good news and bad news. 2 letters today. 1st one from 1st Credit dated 24th September stating that they have been informed by Yorkshire bank that they are currently unable to provide any evidence of the outstanding debt and they will not be pursuing the outstanding balance until such time as sufficient evidence becomes available. That will never happen because the so called debt was never mine in the 1st place..................I note there was no apology. 2nd letter dated 30th September (6 days later) from Connaught, sent from exactly the same address as 1st Credit. Re 1st Credit-Nab outstanding Debt £00.00 As you indebted to us, we are at liberty to obtain information in regards to your financial circumstances for the purpose of litigation. Our enquires are permitted under the Principles of Reciprocity(PoR). The governing principle of PoR is that data is shared only for the prevention of over commitment, bad debt, fraud and money laundering, and to support debt recovery and debtor tracing with the aim of promoting responsible lending. An outbound action should not leave any "foot print" on your credit file and should not affect your credit rating. I note you have informed us that on this instance, the search has left a footprint and you have further informed us that the search has been carried out as a "utility" search. Having discussed the matter with our legal department, I have been informed that it is likely the search was incorrectly classified as a utility search when it should have in fact carried out as a "debt collection search". We have today contacted Experian asking them to remove the search. Please allow up to 28 days for the records to be updated. Something troubles me with these 2 letters, Connaught carried out an illegal search on my credit file after 1st Credit had written saying they had no evidence of a debt Connaught state at the top of the letter OUTSTANDING DEBT £00.00, and then state that i am indebted to them. Thoughts anybody!

Received an email today from Experian stating they would contact Connaught and ask them to remove their search, The complaint i sent to Connaught was signed for on Monday but as yet I've heard nothing from them or any more from 1st Credit.

I'm certain they do, they'll probably read it on here before the postman turns up on Monday morning. The question is do they read it or do they get their Mothers to read it for them? It is impossible for their Fathers to read it to them because none of them know who their Fathers are!

Bit late for that as it's already gone but I'm certain i haven't heard the last from the cretins so perhaps those 2 words can follow in the next instalment.

Letter posted to Connaught today. Dear Sir/Madam, Yesterday 24/09/2010 a footprint was left on my Experian credit file by yourselves using the reason for search as “utility” your company never has and never will have permission to access my data. I have, and never will have any dealings with your company or indeed your umbrella company 1st Credit Ltd. I do not acknowledge any debt to you or any other of your company’s therefore I DEMAND that you contact experian and have the search removed immediately. I am forwarding a copy of this letter to the Information Commissioner and to Trading Standards. How dare you, as a debt collection agency use the word “utility” as a reason for searching a person’s credit file when you have no dealings with said person? You have 5 days from the date of this letter to comply with my demand, if the search is not removed within 5 days I will initiate proceedings via the courts. Yours sincerely,

I had a fishing letter from 1st credit about 6 weeks ago, after ignoring them they finally wrote saying it was for a debt of £126.07 for Yorkshire bank dating back to 2003 i wrote to them telling them i had never had an account with Yorkshire bank(which is true) and they agreed to put the account on hold, very big of them. Yesterday, their pals at connaught collections searched my file with the reason "utility", i have written to Experian demanding they remove the search.

I'll write to them, the last thing i want is those people having my email address.

email sent to Experian demanding they remove it, given them 7 days to comply or i will complain to the information commissioner.

No, i have no debts. My credit report has nothing on it apart from satisfactory, the only searches are from 2 insurance company's that i got a quote from for car insurance until today. All my utility bills are paid by standing order, always have been and I've never missed a payment.

Thanks, any suggestion of the wording of said letters?

Experian, it was done today and the reason for search just says utility.

Had no reply from 1st credit but today my credit file has been searched by connaught collections with "utility" as the reason. Are 1st credit and connaught connected?