Barclaycard/Mercers insider info - probably valid for other DCAs

[PriorityOne]

 

Most of the calls you get are on a dialer system. A computer makes the phone call and then when you pick up diverts it to a agent who gets a beep in their ear. Your account details then pop up on their screen and they begin talking all their crap. They know nothing about your account until they get that beep. We would usually use the time taking you through security just to have a quick glance at your account details. The calls are relentless and they will call you every day if they have to. How it works is that the dialer (computer) creates a list in the morning of everyone in their collection's department. It then starts the list at 8am in the morning and then once finished usually at around 1pm they will simply run it again. Sometimes you would phone the same people up to 4 times a day. It's basically harassment.

 

 

I'm getting between 3-4 of these calls every day, but because of the long delay before the call get diverted... I always know who it is, so it gives me time to hang up. Most of the time I'm at work anyway... and come home to several robotic messages asking me to "please" call Barclaycard. These are usually deleted around the same time as waiting for the kettle to boil. At the week-end, my 'phone just gets unplugged, so they can't disturb my lie-in... as they always make the first call at around 8.15 am....

 

I was going to send a bog off letter, but haven't found the time as yet. However, I can guarantee they'll get pee'd off with me before I'm even bothered by them. Stupid bergers...

[PriorityOne]

Going by SAR from A&L which said something similar, it probably means they've discharged the debt from their books, claimed a number of tax advantages for doing so and then sold it on.

 

If so, then if you carry on looking, you may even find who it was sold to...

[PriorityOne]

Cabot tend to buy a LOT of Barclaycard debt. Very cosy the pair of them are, too. If they were people rather than companies, I'd suspect them of sharing the same duvet.

 

And the chances of Cabot managing to pull an actual agreement from the Barclaycard corporate hat is minimal.

 

But do bear in mind though, that if you DO take the advice, and tell BC to shove it, you'll then be lumbered with having to deal with Cabot, or someone very similar. Who MAY try to chance their arm with you in court.

 

That in itself CAN be fun, though.

 

Oh dear.... looks like I may be joining the Fan Club soon then.... :grin: ....

[PriorityOne]

You really do need to read around the forums to familiarise youself with these muppets, but the golden rule is NOT to get into any 'phone conversations. The easiest way is to simply refuse to go through "security"... or hang up. If you don't go through security, then they cannot discuss the account with you....

 

All they've told you is complete and total bowlarks... they have no powers to send in bailiffs . They would need a CCJ first... it's just a scare tactic. If you start a thread of your own and outline what's being going on, then we'll be able to help you much better.

 

[PriorityOne]

You really need to start a thread of your own with this, John... Before you do though, was that a request for a copy of your agreement using a template from this site... and did you send it by rec. delivery ?

 

If not, then it will need to go off again....

[PriorityOne]

Well, after a brief spell of silence from Mercers (2/3 weeks with no calls).... they started off again with a vengeance at the beginning of this week. This doesn't bother me in the slightest ... since I'm usually at work anyway and only come home to find some "robot" telling me to "Please call Mercers, on blah, blah... which gets promptly deleted.

 

I am off this week though.... so I'm at HOME. Last night, there was "Laura" asking for me by my first name.... which is never what my friends call me anyway, so that's the first giveaway. She got very irate when I wouldn't confirm my surname and since I'm one of the calmest people on the planet (most of the time).... this seemed to irritate her further, until she finally hung up in temper.

 

Had one robot this morning... after unplugging the 'phone overnight... and one guy this afternoon, who'd already hung up before my daughter could pass the 'phone across. My call log is now on 2 pages and growing by the day.... a complaint has already gone in to Barclaycard and cc'd to Mercers, which they've effectively ignored..... so, it's going to boil down to who is going to get on whose nerves first. Maybe I'm strange.... but it's kinda amusing.... lol !

 

No CCA though.... tut !

[PriorityOne]

Hi Ash..... you need to start your own threaad on this. Mercers are one of the worst for ignoring complaints about telephone harrassment. Your name is one of hundreds on a telephone dialler software programme..... so when you hear the space-age gap before anyone speaks, just hang up and they'll move on to the next person on the list.

 

If they do catch you however, just refuse to go through "security" and they'll have no choice but to hang up themselves. Don't have any more dealings with them on the 'phone....

 

Start your own thread and someone will find you to advise further.

 

[PriorityOne]

What about if you have a property with equity - can they not put a charge in your property?

 

Only if they know about it.... and some of these people rely on you telling them.

 

Mercers can't do anything anyway because they're only "agents" for Barclaycard. Barclaycard can, but not as easily as they'd have you believe. If they do threaten you with a pc though (& a CCJ), then you need to defend.... otherwise they could get both by default.

[PriorityOne]

After the debt has been sold off, then WHAT HAPPENS? It means that a DCA will have made a bulk purchase of thousands of accounts under one Deed of Assignment for absolute peanuts. They will then attempt to chase up the full outstanding balance on each account when it was with the original creditor and in doing so, generally hassle people to death in the hope that they'll get scared enough to pay up without question. Can the debt collection agency enforce a Charge on the Property (if one has a mortgage) They would need a CCJ first... so, no. and If there is a Charge on Property - can the Court Order a repossession and take the property to sell and repay the debt? Well, you've just described the kind of easy life that DCAs were having for years..... going for CCJs, usually with no enforceable paperwork and with an incorrect balance on assignment, due to unlawful charges being added both before and after it's sale. It really isn't as simple as that however and, providing you take the advice on here, you can avoid such a scenario in the majority of cases.

 

Please to hear how to deal with these issues. Thanks all.

It's best to start a thread of your own...so that we know which stage you're at with these muppets, who is chasing you, etc.... rather than lose yourself in a large generalised thread such as this one.