Inside a DCA!

[empowered]

It seems some people have thrown the baby out with the bathwater - a great pity as I think there was a lot more to learn.

[vinegarvera]

It seems some people have thrown the baby out with the bathwater - a great pity as I think there was a lot more to learn.

 

 

Hmm I had hoped the op would return to put us straight, bitterly disappointed!

[tiglet]

Maybe (s)he has nothing further to say.

 

We may never know the machiavellian plan.

[JonCris]

Also all the DCA's don't sing from the same hymn sheet by any means......what may work with one may not work with another.........as many here have found

[pmhcfc]

 

You had better be careful or many, including myself, will be taking your posts with a very large pinch of salt

 

I've been doing that for a while 8-)

Now, I wonder if people have been cutting, pasting and saving posts to a word document- if not then they might want to...some posts might just be getting 'edited' (aka deleted) pretty soon - just a hunch.

[shieldblaster]

It does seem a case of 'you are not playing the game my way so I'm taking the ball away'

[banker_rhymes_with]

Hello All!

 

Having just read this Thread from Start to End, it did strike me that what we may have seen here is an example of a convincing Vampire who has figured out how to walk in Daylight. However, the fangs popped out once, and several of us think we spotted them!

 

DCAs are in competition with each other, so it's not unreasonable to expect one to try and win friends by giving away non-essential information, and selected tips designed to trash their Rivals.

 

If the OP was just a DCA suit playing games, that is nothing to be surprised about. Just hope none of the Private Messages (PMs) gave too much away.

 

I am concerned that the primary aim was to get as many PMs as possible. They have their use, but if CAG was based wholly on PMs, we'd never learn anything. PMs should only ever be used with caution, and sent to people you trust or to discuss general issues.

 

Most of the best information from this Thread has come from Caggers own tips. Re-read it again, and you may see what I mean.

 

So, keep the Thread going, I for one am still interested in "Strategies that DCAs hate"!

 

We all know DCAs lurk here. So what. CAG is all about a large and growing group working on problems that we could only once deal with as individuals.

 

If the OP is genuine, he/she/it will come back. I don't really care either way. What I do care about is CAG, and that depends on open discussion and the passing on of useful tips and information.

 

But from the start of this Thread, I could not bring myself to add a Reputation Click, as something just did not ring true.

 

Perhaps the Mods and Administrators can investigate, look at the OP's details, the IP used to Log-in, their Registered email address, and see if they can establish if the OP was genuine, or can be linked to a bank or a DCA.

 

DCA clever ain't clever enough!

 

Cheers,

BRW

[JonCris]

My views entirely BRW

 

What really pees me off is that members are in need of honest advice & help then along comes a troll themselves passing of as a some sort of benefactor when you know things ain't right & the only people who suffer are the ones who need help

 

For those who know a wind up when we see it it's very difficult to step in & say "eh! hang on a minute that ain't right" without others thinking your only intention is to cause grief

 

When pulled regarding their statement about sharing data with unknown occupants the reply was effectively "I wos only testing to see your reaction" yeah right............says it all really

 

Anyway I would much rather listen to advice from someone who's bin there, dun that

[dannyboy660]

I don't think OTB was a troll in the true sense - that's a bit strong.

 

It is still a very useful thread, although there are several rather dubious points that seem to have gone by unchallenged. I like the way Rory introduced a question/observation around 381, but it doesn't seem to have been properly dealt with by OTB. That would be enough to get anyone thinking.

 

...and as for the 'door-knocking' training stuff - it's common knowledge that collections are now 99% call centre based. They are actually discouraged from sending people to your door without invitation to avoid confrontation and accusations of harassment. That's when I started to think it's not difficult to pull the wool over peoples eyes when they act as if they've got a whole sheep on their heads....;-)

 

It's still a very useful thread.

[andrew1]

There will always be people coming on here who stand out and just by the very nature of this forum, differing views can go either way, especially when their observations and posts get challenged. Surelybonds being a classic example. It didn't suit everyone's taste the way the detail was being placed for public scrutiny, but there was a lot of really revealing information that has helped so many. Whether or not OTB is genuine, I don't mind one way or another, but there have been insights provided by him/her for many who come on here who had absolutely no idea how a dca worked and to that end it has helped. For those who have spent a couple of years on here digging away and reading about them, there was not a lot of anything new, but consolidated into one thread must have helped many so from that point of view I say we'd been better having it rather than not - I can't imagine anyone working in the credit industry with a dca will be affected emotionally by any of the challenges thus far by those that have questioned their reasoning, but if they were well intentioned and genuine one can understand why when challenged they might think ' what the hell - why should I bother?'.

 

It might be worth saying that the more experienced of us of the DCA market just keep an eye on the thread if indeed OTB comes back and just give a balanced view rather than making such an outright challenge, then the posters and readers who do not understand this murky world of DCA's will learn the basics and get a feel for how to deal with them, we can then guide them on their threads if needs be.

 

Just my honest opinion..

[JonCris]

everyone will have their own views it just that mine are rather than do what most trolls do.........making statements which, even to the uninitiated, are wrong this one was attempting to be a little more subtle but the goal was the same

 

Nor do I think they were alone on the thread as they made reference to someone contacting them, I assume via PM, who knew who they were

[andrew1]

everyone will have their own views it just that mine are rather than do what most trolls do.........making statements which, even to the uninitiated, are wrong this one was attempting to be a little more subtle but the goal was the same

 

Nor do I think they were alone on the thread as they made reference to someone contacting them, I assume via PM, who knew who they were

 

Yes, but I feel that someone with your experience JonCris and the many of us who already dug extremely deep into DCA life would be well able to maneuver a way around the obvious 'errors' and correct them with the ability we have with carefully selected words. Confrontation always sends people packing sadly and we really don't know exactly what intentions anyone has on here. We should know better if we suspect and just let them play their game and let the uninitiated extract the good parts and we more experienced ones tactfully challenge anything suspect to keep a balanced view. I never like seeing anyone with anything useful leaving the forum. After all, a forum is about exchanging views.

[JonCris]

Andrew I agree & I tried. I even praised OTB for his posts on occasion in order that he would think everyone was falling for it (& there are others on this thread who already knew this) but when it started to get into the realms of fantasy & that business about everyone should wait with baited breath for the next instalment when we would learn about something the DCA's don't want us to know crap I just could not contain myself any longer

 

You say the more savvy amongst us could keep members on the straight & narrow...how...............many were already acting on that advice

[JonCris]

Let me put it this way..................we have never ever in all the time I have been a member had any knowledgeable senior member of a DCA come on board to try & help the 'enemy' us.....we have had many come on here sometimes posing as victims & trying to steer others into taking the wrong route or who came here just wanting to slag members off.but never to help

 

We have had some of their foot soldiers try & help but they usually do it because they have a grievance with their past of present employer.........it's rarely out of a sense of injustice

[andrew1]

Andrew I agree & I tried. I even praised OTB for his posts on occasion in order that he would think everyone was falling for it (& there are others on this thread who already knew this) but when it started to get into the realms of fantasy & that business about everyone should wait with baited breath for the next instalment when we would learn about something the DCA's don't want us to know crap I just could not contain myself any longer

 

You say the more savvy amongst us could keep members on the straight & narrow...how...............many were already acting on that advice

 

I just could not contain myself any longer I can empathise with that - been there as most have have at one time or another on here :D

 

What advice was he/she actually providing though? - this was all 'statement' I pm'd a few to put them straight although it's true, this should be on open forum for the masses..

[sosumi]

Could someone please give the post numbers on this thread that caused the row? ta

[sosumi]

I'm sorry but I'm not sure what happened here. I printed the whole thread off but I must be missing something. I agree that 'machiavellian' tactics are a bad way to approach people who've been frightened out of their skins by DCAs, but isn't it possible that OTB was possibly a tutor of some kind?

[sosumi]

I'm trying to go backwards here:p

Good evening to you all.

 

I actually think all you comments regarding my recent posts have been rather 'tame', because I have been a bit naughty these last few days.

 

It was actually this post that really got me thinking

 

 

and I must apologise to Slc79 for using the original question to move the thread in a direction I needed to go in order to highlight a very important point regarding DCAs. A point I will return to over the weekend.

 

But a brief intro: If you have followed this thread from the start you will notice my comments about 'doorstep calls' (post 566) was out of character to all previous post, and that was deliberate, and a bit Machiavellian (I have never knocked on anyones door 8-) ). But I would ask you read the post again and see if you can see where I'm going, and the point I'm making. look at the tone, and content (what does it remind you of?).

 

I'll let you think about that Saturday and then I'll explain before submitting my latest insight 'Legal loopholes'. After which it will all make sense.

[tiglet]

This may sound strange (and maybe into the realms of "woman's intuition") but my gut instinct for quite some time has been that this thread has not been all that it seems. via PM over the last few weeks, I know there are a few of us "older" members (AKA cynics, possibly) with the same gut instinct.

 

I would be very happy to be corrected.

[sosumi]

This is Post 566.

I would NEVER demand anything off anyone. We live in a free world and we all make our own choices. When I did my home visit work I saw it as give and take, and would give all the information I had (name, previous address of debtor, debt amount outstanding and the OC), and then asked to confirm they were not the person I was looking for - 95% of the people not only gave me the confirmation required but would often furnish additional information including forwarding address or estate agents details.

 

Some of you may argue 'what about my rights under the data protection act, which doesn't allow you to share my information with a stranger', but, I'm sorry - if the debtor has done a runner then so be it, they left their 'privacy' at the front door when they left, and so I'm happy to share what I know FIRST before requesting information.

 

If someone knocked on my door and said 'I'm looking for Mr X who are you, I wouldn't be polite either to be honest.

[sosumi]

This may sound strange (and maybe into the realms of "woman's intuition") but my gut instinct for quite some time has been that this thread has not been all that it seems. via PM over the last few weeks, I know there are a few of us "older" members (AKA cynics, possibly) with the same gut instinct.

 

I would be very happy to be corrected.

I don't know.

Do we lose intuition during the menopause? If so, that might be why I'm not sure!

[sosumi]

As far as I can see from Post 566, the first 2 paragraphs are alarming, but the third - the last sentence may be saying what he actually thinks?

Excuse colours:

I would NEVER demand anything off anyone. We live in a free world and we all make our own choices. When I did my home visit work I saw it as give and take, and would give all the information I had (name, previous address of debtor, debt amount outstanding and the OC), and then asked to confirm they were not the person I was looking for - 95% of the people not only gave me the confirmation required but would often furnish additional information including forwarding address or estate agents details.

Agh!! So you'd stand at a doorstep reading this information out?

Some of you may argue 'what about my rights under the data protection act, which doesn't allow you to share my information with a stranger', but, I'm sorry - if the debtor has done a runner then so be it, they left their 'privacy' at the front door when they left, and so I'm happy to share what I know FIRST before requesting information.

Agh!! As above!! But OTB admitted he/she was formerly a DCA, this is 'DCA thinking', isn't it?

Because then OTB says:

If someone knocked on my door and said 'I'm looking for Mr X who are you, I wouldn't be polite either to be honest.

I wouldn't be polite either OTB. But this was your last sentence.

Those first 2 paragraphs send a shiver down my spine, but the last sentence doesn't.

[sosumi]

The thread's called 'Inside a DCA!' He's telling us what happens. I think!

[Werner M]

.........i Just Hope That Everything Turns Out Fine In The End......w.m.

[dannyboy660]

The fact that the OP seems to think they can add interest and charges when they feel like it, and a visit from a DCA is the norm rather than a rarity, harps back to an earlier time.

 

Read the very first post again.

 

Is it possible that a Credit Today Forum regular has decided to return the compliment??

 

I think OTB had good intentions, but it's just a bit patchy in places.