Don't enter it, simple as that. I see it 2-3 times a month, I leave the box empty, click on the next box (says something like "update your number") and carry on to my inbox. No need to panic

Hi They were going through a process they called "network consolidation" about 18 months ago. This is a fancy way of saying "we're cutting off cell sites". They said the same to me and it took 2 months for them to admit the "faulty" site had been decommissioned and a total of 14 months to fully get out of the contract and have my handsets unlocked. Check this isn't the case: email [email protected] and don't be fobbed off! Good luck

If you want to call them which isn't always recommended unless you can record the call, I think their landline number was 01527 504030 when I used to supply them.

All seems to be sorted now. Thanks for your help, hopefully now it's readable some more good advice will follow. Thanks again == EDIT == Still not showing my posts with line breaks, maybe it's my browser! Will try again later at home.

Sorry, line breaks don't seem to be working, even though I have had 4 attempts at editing that. Can anyone help with that? Thanks

Hi folks Thanks for the replies. @Nystagmite: I have no idea why they're trying to contact me at home, I have never given them my home address and nor would anyone in the company. Our directors have their address listed as the office, so they probably looked me up somewhere and targetted me as they couldn't reach them at home. We're cancelling the contract and it is me who's dealt with all the cancellation, so I am guessing it's a scare / threat attempt. It's working on my family though which I am not happy with. @backofbeyond: as above for why they're after me, and no, there are no payment issues at all, in fact we pay by DD and they took an additional unauthorised payment, which we've had back now. Not sure if anyone else has had letters, will find out today I guess. @papasmurf1cx: thanks for that link, I've checked and they don't appear to be registered, so if I understand correctly this processing of my private data is an offence. As far as I know they deal with consumers so surely they should be registered? I refused the letter, as I didn't want to give them any kind of confirmation that where they were sending it to was my home address. Other points: - If I now complain to them, they will know it is my home, even though I refused the letter, so they have won on this point. - Can I force them (& anyone they've passed them to) to delete my details and to divulge where they got them, there's a Data Protection clause about their use of my data causing me harm or similar, can't locate it immediately. - I'm not a compensation seeking person normally but as this is the only language these people understand, I want to hit them in their pocket. Any thoughts on how I might do this and on what grounds? If anyone who's responded wants the name of the company please PM me and I'll gladly send the details, I just don't want it on open forum as yet. Thanks again for your input, very much appreciated.

Hi Dave I can only presume they have found me on 192.com or similar, no way would they have got my details from work. I will be sending them a letter from work instructing them to stop contacting me at home, to remove my details and to tell me how and where they obtained them, and if they have disclosed them. I'll also be asking for their data protection registration number (they also supply consumers). I wondered about making a complaint to the police anyway, my family are really worried that someone will come round to the house. They have a regulatory body, so they'll be informed too. I really, badly, want to screw them over for what they've done. The only thing they understand is money. What are my chances of getting something out of them, even if it's £100 just to show them I won't be messed with like this. Thanks for your input!

Hi all At work we're having some difficulty with a supplier. Today, I received a recorded delivery letter at home. I looked at it before I signed for it, saw who it was from and refused it. Questions for the experts please: 1. can they legally do this? I am an employee, not a manager or director 2. my family is very worried that someone will turn up - do I have any options as regards to banning them from contacting me, deleting my personal data. I am worried that will start to use my details and pass them on to other parties such as DCAs. 3. can I sue them for harassment? This has, to be frank, wrecked this weekend. I won't go into too much detail of the company & dispute here as I'm fairly confident that they search the web for such posts, but if any moderator wants to know more, please PM me. Any advice or thoughts welcome as always. Many thanks

Some information you might find useful I Watch Security used to trade as MPC. This link has, on page 11, an application for a an operator's licence. http://is.gd/enLm9 (I used a link shortening site as the link was huge but this goes to the VOSA site) Mr Minshull t/as MPC. At this time he was sole proprietor. Note that the address is a maildrop box in an office that lets you use them to disguise your real details. You might also be aware that 4 or 5 people from this company are due in Court soon on charges of blackmail, widely reported, random page: http://is.gd/enLDO BBC Report from August 2008: http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/westmidlands/series11/week11_clamping.shtml News reports from 2001, same people, same kind of action: http://archive.worcesternews.co.uk/2001/5/11/327555.html and http://archive.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk/2001/5/23/325155.html Send the enforcers in quickly before they get sent down! Keep us posted

I am behind on my payments to Egg and I have written to them, informing them of reasons and the solution I am seeking. They have made quite literally more than 100 calls to me in the space of about 8 weeks. They sent me a letter recently saying they still wanted to 'help' and I should call them, or they would pass my account to a 'specialist agency'. On the same day, I received a letter from Capital Credit Agency, who are shown on the letter as being a trading style of Egg. This is clearly the 'specialist agency' they threatened. Their letter is dated the day before the Egg letter mentioned. Would this be a matter for one of the Ombudsman departments? I intend to clear the account within the next couple of weeks, would this be the kind of thing to use as a lever to a lower settlement figure? Any thoughts or experiences welcome. Thanks

Hi all I had the usual letter from Capquest a few weeks ago with the wonderful news that they now owned a very old Abbey account which they had bought earlier this year. There was also a letter allegedly from Abbey advising the same, but strangely it has the same typeface, data matrix square and return address on the envelope. I understand that this is not the prescribed way in which to send a notice of assigment, but I let this part lie. I sent them the stat barred letter and they came back, fairly quickly to be honest, and advised that they were closing the file. Today, I received a statement from Abbey, with a line stating that they had sold the account to a debt purchaser on the same date. Of course Capquest sent an unlawful notice of assignment, and they took months to do so after the apparent sale; Abbey took longer to send a statement. Do I take this up with anyone, can any authority fine either party for this? The other thing I thought was- Capquest Investments "bought" my account and instructed Capquest Debt Recovery to bully me into paying it back, even though it was stat barred and probably mostly charges; should I write to both Capquest companies asking for confirmation that my details have been removed from their systems, insisting that I need separate letters on the individual companies letterhead, detailing their company registration number, VAT number, Data Registration number, signed by the Data Protection Officer? Should I report the dodgy notice of assigment to anyone? And should I write to Abbey, asking why it took so long to send this statement and info, if they knew Capquest were sending letters on their behalf, and suggesting that this practice is not within the guidelines set out? Any thoughts, ideas, etc welcome. Thanks- Adam

Do it, do it, do it!! I had similar myself a few weeks ago. Letter from Crapquest, letter from "Abbey" but in an identical envelope with an identical return address on the back. Sent Crapquest the stat barred letter, and they have now closed the file, allegedly.

I'm thinking of starting the "Pre Dog-Turd in a Jiffy Bag" division. All I need is a dog....

Hi I didn't take it any further. TS advised that the firm had been sued successfully before but didn't pay up, and whilst I was likely to receive judgement in my favour it would be highly unlikely I'd ever get paid. At the time I didn't really have the spare cash to chuck away and I guess it's too late now! However, I hope the research I did and info I originally posted were of use to others.

IJ and GPB work (or used to work) from the same building in Stratford Upon Avon. They haven't sent the account back to Nasty Wets, they've simply taken it to another desk, or more likely changed the paper in the printer. Google Map link: the building on the corner of the A3400 is IJ. GPB used to operate from 1 Clopton Road. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=52.196577,-1.71036&num=1&t=h&sll=52.201881,-1.709643&sspn=0.011783,0.007974&hl=en&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=A3400,+Stratford-Upon-Avon,+Warwickshire+CV37+0,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.196399,-1.710337&spn=0.002062,0.005681&z=18

They used to have an address of 1 Clopton (?) Road, Stratford, which is the corner of the IJ building as you enter Stratford town centre, the building is quite distinctive as it's built up on what look like brick stilts. I only hope that no runaway JCB ever hits them and causes the building to collapse because that would be a terrible disaster wouldn't it? Wouldn't it?

Intrum Justicia / Geoffrey Parker Bourne for sheer arrogance

The only good DCA is an unemployed DCA.

Just a brief update: The calls stopped when I forwarded the email and advised them they were in breach of various things; also send a hard copy today by recorded delivery, noting that the time limit I gave for a response started, as far as I was concerned, on the next working day after sending the email. Maybe the email address was effective, worth the fiver which went to a good cause..... ;-)

Hi all Had a text from Egg to log on to read an important message. I am over my limit by about £85- caused by the monthly interest being added. There is a default notice: My understanding is that the default notice, to be valid, has to contain the precise requirement to correct the problem, ie pay the £85 plus the standard monthly payment. Also the charge of £16.00 is in excess of the £12.00 suggested by the OFT. I am going to contact Egg, does the following sound a reasonable course of enquiry: 1. £16 to be credited as unlawful/excess charge 2. Remove default as it does not comply with the prescribed terms, and if I had not logged on, I would not have seen it. 3. No default or overlimit to be logged with CRA due to above not being lawful. I will also complain that they were partially guilty in this case as they allowed me to spend up to my limit before interest was added, and they have a duty of care to keep me informed. They recently raised my interest rate from 16.9% to 21.9% too. I will negotiate to repay the overspend over the next 2/3 months. Any advice or thoughts very welcome indeed. Thanks

Some good points thanks. I will be sending the letter via recorded as soon as I have access to a printer, ie tomorrow. I'm aware they might possibly decide to harass me by email, so I chose the email address carefully Something else to consider is using an electronic tracking service. I won't mention the name in case it is considered an advert, but it adds a pixel into the body of your email which sends a log to a server- you can then tell when the email was opened, for how long, how many times, if it was forwarded, the IP address, and possibly the geographical location. Apparently it is admissible in Courts as evidence. If anyone wants the details, PM me (no, I'm not on commission!).

Hi Just wondered.... I have sent emails to a DCA chasing for a SB account. The email was sent over a week ago but they have tried to call 2-3 times this week. If it goes further, can I use the "sent" box of the email account as proof that I did contact them? With a letter sent registered, you would reasonably expect it to be read/processed within a day, but what about emails, given that they are delivered immediately? Of course they didn't click the return receipt box! I intend to send the email as a letter by recorded next week, only my printer is shot and I'm too tight to buy another when I have perfectly good free to use printers at work! Any and all thoughts welcome. Thanks Adam

Bunch of pikeys! Can't add any advice but I can offer a landline number if it still works, 01527 504030 - will be cheaper than ringing that 10p a minute number. Incidentally, any company using 0871 numbers now needs to have some sort of permit or licence issued by Phonepayplus, and I believe that they should show the cost of the call on their letterhead. They are a fairly large firm, I used to have business dealings with them and as someone has already said, they know the trick to get the Police onside, one of them told me once how easy it is. All the do is call the local station, say they are attending a property to seize goods but they believe the occupier may "breach the peace". The Police are bound to attend, in order to prevent a breach of the peace occurring as is their statutory duty. He alleged that anyone can use this to ensure Police attendance whatever the matter. Never tried it but good luck to anyone who does!

No, you can't do this. Many years ago, before this site was around, I tried this with HFC Bank, I sent them a cheque for about 90% of a loan and told them I was deducting the amount in relation to complaints and that I considered it F&F, and that if they did not agree, they should return the cheque. I moved house and many months later an AOE order arrived at work- they'd been sending letters to an incorrect address, obtained a CCJ which of course I knew nothing of and went for my salary. The AOE and CCJ were set aside on the grounds that they had failed to serve the papers correctly. The judge told me quite bluntly that this was the only reason and that I had no right to impose settlement terms on a creditor. As it was, they didn't go for another CCJ, I think I managed to make them see that their service was shockingly bad, and that the CCJ saga was proof. Sorry- you gotta pay the £20. What's your reason for sending less anyway?

I did this many many years ago, DCA chasing a disputed phone bill, for about £25 mind you, mixed up my initials, wrong spelling of surname. Opened the letter, read it, wrote 'not known at this address' across it, resealed it and wrote return to sender. Never heard another word. As others say, chancy though, not recommended, think I got lucky with the amount!