This is a bit of a headscratcher. If it's in the wrong place, please shuffle it along to the right one. It's part advice hunting, part warning. I signed up with Nielsen Surveys to complete some shopping surveys and received a scanner and base and equipment. That arrived and I've been completing the study happily. i received a text that since I was no longer a member, I had to return the equipment. When I got in touch, I was told it was a mistake and to ignore it. And the texts and emails kept coming.. .again told to ignore them.. .and then I got final demand letters that the 'debt' would be passed on a DCA. The last phone call made very interesting listening -first they tried to argue it was another mistake and to ignore it. When I pointed out I had already done that it had moved on to the next stage, they stated they sent the letters out regardless. Having confirmed they were recording the call, I then asked her more questions... They sent the letters out to everyone regardless of whether they owed money or equipment and hoped the person would just pay up no questions asked? Yes,they did. It was passed onto a debt collection agency, regardless of whether there was a debt or not? Yes,it was. If I didn't pay up, even though I didn't owe anything, it would go to court. Yes, it would,but they would tell me not to go to court, so it didn't matter. And if I didn't attend after they had told me not to, they would go along and get a judgment by default. Yes,they would. And again I confirmed-the call is being recorded-Oh yes. And Nielsen send out these letters to everyone regardless of debt owed or not, and then pass it onto a DCA, and will take it to court, but advise the person not to go, so they can turn up and get a judgment by default. All confirmed yes-and apparently recorded too. I can imagine the fun if that tape was produced in court So now I assume next step is to write to Nielsen refuting the 'debt' and also complaining about their method of collection... any suggestions very welcome...

Hi-long time lurker but first time poster. I have my electric from EDF-each time the bill came in I paid it in cash and using the card they have provided. In the late fall I received a bill for some £500-the entire year's payment. When I queried this, stating that I had the receipts for all the payments, I was told that since their computer showed there was no card with my account, none of the payments had been credited to it. Nobody can explain where the money has gone to. After several complaints, without my knowledge or consent a prepayment meter was installed. The initial key that was left would not top up(it seems it had been damaged by being left in a cold,wet letterbox)and I had to have an emergency call out-his key would not work either and it transpires the serial number on the meter and for my key was different to the one they had registered. There was also a problem with the emergency credit-if it dipped into emergency, the key to top it up would not work-the engineer's suggestion was every time it got near to emergency I would have to call him out to come and redo it! It was also guzzling a phenomenal amount of electric- in one day where I'd had nothing on except a fridge and the lights briefly,it had eaten about £10 in credit. Eventually it was topped up with some £25 worth of credit and since it was Christmas everything was shut down. When I returned after two weeks it was £9 in emergency. Having topped up again, the next night it had used £9 worth of credit in one night. Apparently over Christmas a standing charge of £10 a week had been applied-presumably to pay off this debt I had already paid, although it could just as well have been for the owner of the meter they had me recorded as using. EDF have no idea which meter I'm actually being billed for-apparently in the New Year the serial number were 'amended to give the correct details', although Customer Services insist that this didn't mean they were incorrect before... I'm therefore stuck with a meter that is taking £10 a week charge that may or may not be mine and which if it is mine has already been paid-and is charging completely random amounts for electric. EDF say they have no idea why on earth it's doing this and so are unable to do anything. What do I do now? Help muchly appreciated!