Debt following death.

[ScarletPimpernel]

Phillips-Cohen are the reptiles who, IIRC, gave a presentation to the usual suspects about how death should not stop collection.

[ScarletPimpernel]

Could I have comments on this letter I have composed to send to P-C.

 

 

Dear P*******

 

I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated *****, the contents of which are noted.

 

The information you requested has already been provided to your client.

 

Your reputation for trying to collect from the dead precedes you. Since the estate has no assets your unsavoury collection attempts are both distressing and wholly pointless.

 

Take notice that I will not enter into further correspondence with you in this matter. I do not expect to hear from you again, other than to apologise. Any further contact will be reported to the appropriate enforcement authority.

[ScarletPimpernel]

I was pursued by Cabot (pretending to be RBS) over an alleged debt that was over 20 years old. Not only was it something I knew nothing of, the real RBS had no record of me ever being a customer; unsurprising really, since I have never had any dealings with them.

 

Looking at other RBS threads, it seems that their admin is often highly questionable. Combine this with the greed of DCAs, and it's easy to see why there are so many clusters.

[ScarletPimpernel]

Let's just all sit down, have a cup of coffee and a scone and be friends

 

This, of course, is Zanu-New Labour government policy in Northern Ireland. Just as fanciful as Spooks, of course.

 

 

Personally I fancy infiltrating a DCA (under a legend, of course), changing their database to send threatograms to bankers, Labour MPs and other worthless life forms, then slotting the boss and some selected monkeys with a swift double-tap from my cunningly concealed moderated P226 before blending effortlessly into the human traffic of Reigate (or Salford, or Preston, etc.), reappearing, completely unruffled, behind my attractively-lit, Mac-equipped desk at Thames House before teatime.

 

I'm quite certain that real spooks don't have anywhere near as much fun. However, now that their purview includes serious organised crime they might get interested in the debt industry, what with all the data they process (badly), lack of employee screening and cash flows to overseas investors; I can think of few other golden opportunities for money-laundering.

[ScarletPimpernel]

I think the problem here is that whilst this firm behaves in a distasteful way that most people would find disgraceful, it's difficult to know which authorities they could be reported to with any prospect of effective action being taken.

 

Their letter is probably computer-generated on a periodic basis. This doesn't make it acceptable, and indeed shows this firm's poor admin system and lack of moral integrity.

 

Dear Sirs

 

I refer to your letter dated (date).

 

My position was clearly set out in my letter of (date of first letter), and remains unchanged. For the avoidance of doubt, my letter of (original letter date) represents my final response.

 

No further correspondence will be entered into.

 

Yours etc.

 

 

What you could do is ask someone else to deal with it for you, as an authorised representative within the meaning of the OFT Guidance. Any letters then go to the rep (who could be the CAB, or a friend). I have had considerable success acting in this capacity for others - it seems that these companies are much more wary when a third party is involved who is unmoved by their threats.

 

Phillips & Cohen is an American firm, which may explain their blunt-weapon approach. Churchill once said that 'The Americans will always do the right thing - after they've tried everything else.'

 

One of this unsavoury firm's methods is to maintain contact, in an attempt to wear down the relatives of the deceased. They are well aware that they are dodgy ground, given away by their answers if asked who they think is responsible for the debt - they will talk about how 'a relative will usually take responsibility', or waffle about 'families want to meet the moral obligation'.