The Moral Initiative

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A campaign to 'collect' on moral debts?

DCAs knowingly mislead people, ignore the OFT Guidelines and CSA Code of Practice. They harass, intimidate and threaten.

These are all fundamental issues. They are moral issues.

I'd suggest we start our own 'bills' for each DCA - and even the Original Creditors.

Each time they mislead, for example, would be one MD - Moral Debt.

So, say you have 4 letters from one Debt Collection Agency that aim to hurt and intimidate you - that would be 4 MDs. And 4 MDs owed by the Original Creditor... They 'referred' you, they are equally to blame.

Another example - Every repeated telephone call you receive from a DCA, when you have insisted on contact only by letter - 1 MD.

Think of it! Those people who get 30 calls a day, would be 'owed' 30 MDs.

Post their 'debts' every time they do it. Keep a tally.

Just something I've been thinking about. Morally, these DCAs owe us big time. Any thoughts anyone? :idea:

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I wanted to call this 'The Beryl Initiative' - but didn't for what I hope are obvious reasons.

The other 'Initiative' would be a campaign to get CAG posters in every library, so that people in Beryl's situation could find the help and support on here.

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PS: 'Men in Black' I personally identify around the site - 1 Moral Debt per post.

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The Moral Debts are stacking up.

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BBC NEWS | Business | Watchdog raps 'harsh' tax credits

 

BBC NEWS | Business | Pensioner poverty 'set to stay'

 

BBC NEWS | Business | More pensioners declared bankrupt

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Tiglet and HippyChick - yes, keep it up! You'll worry the DCAs, for sure! xx

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FOS complaints ‘not about evasion’ Credit Today News - 10/10/2007

Best to read it now (ie. while it's there!)

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I've copied the Credit Today News Article here, and would like to thank Credit Today for making news like this accessible to the general public.

FOS complaints ‘not about evasion’ - 10/10/2007

Complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) about debt collection agencies are not from consumers trying to avoid debts, according to the lead ombudsman for banking and credit.

 

Jane Hingston (pictured) told delegates at the Civil Court Users Association conference that the complaints were about people being chased for debts they’d already paid or being chased by five or six different organisations for the same debt.

 

"The focus is more on the arrangement between lenders and collections agencies and the information that passes between them, than consumers trying to evade debts," she said.

 

Delegates raised the issue of the £400 case fee a company must pay if a complaint is investigated against it.

 

Hingston said the fee is reflective of the costs involved in investigating. "We think it is damn good value. You’ve got two months to resolve the complaint and even if they do come to us you get two free cases a year. It’s the same cost to us no matter what the outcome of the case."

 

The industry had previously raised fears that aggrieved consumers with false complaints will go to the ombudsman, racking up lots of costs. However, CSA director Godfrey Lancashire said there haven’t been complaints from members that they are being unfairly treated so far.

 

Steve Meakin from the Institute of Money Advisers said this worry is unnecessary. "There doesn’t seem as yet to be a lot of frivolous and vexatious claims. If there were I’m sure the FOS would take a different view on fees in future. I would hate to see a good idea undermined by vexatious claiming," he said.

 

However, Stephen Sklaroff, Finance & Leasing Association director general, said his members are starting to get claims compensation that are just below the charge for a case if it goes through the FOS.

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I like the post in this discussion Credit Today online from Edward Pacey as it seems that some senior figures within companies are beginning to concede, albeit very tentatively, that there IS a problem particularly with the collection side of things. It's refreshing to see someone senior admit that DCA's need to be seriously sorted out.

 

I'm convinced that eventually things will have to improve and the DCA's will be reined in and brought under control. But how much longer is it going to take??

Yes I like it too DB. I get the feeling that many good people in business are genuinely shocked by the behaviour of 'bad DCAs' that we see so much evidence of here. I think it's encouraging. The 'rogue DCA's' are morally bankrupt. If people continue to challenge and expose their methods, their 'clients' will stop using them. That's why I love CAG.

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Just seen this:

Alarm As Credit Crunch Hits Homeowners