Non existant eBay Debt

[Tyson72]

Hello after a brief panic and a quick google I came across this site.

I have received a letter from Intrum Justitia claiming to be acting on behalf of ebay Europe SARL over a balance of £49.17.

The thing is I have never set up a sellers account on eBay which has been confirmed on the eBay chat help and my account balance is 0.

They (ebay) suggested I emailed them with the details, however I now seem to be going around in circles.

They confirm that my account has never been set up as a sellers account, but then go on to say it may be a secondary account but I have to email them from this secondary account to find out the details.

As I have no secondary account this is impossible, I have expressed concern that my name and address are being used fradulently, they say they will investigate but it will take up to 30 days.

I contacted Intrum Justitia via phone and explained all this but they are still demanding I pay them.

Looking on the forums it seems others are having problems but they seem to be over late payments.

Just wondering what my next step is as I go on holiday in a week and would like to get the ball rolling before that. I don't fancy coming home to a pile of threatening letters

[Alipeeps]

Can't really help but I'm interested to hear of your experience as my mum recently received a demand for payment/threat of further action type letter from a DCA (not sure which one) addressed to my recently-deceased sister (all post from my sister's address is being forwarded to mum's address) with regard to a supposed debt of c.£44 in regard of eBay. Now, I know my sister did sell some stuff on eBay but I was surprised to hear of this alleged debt of £44 because all she used to sell was small stuff at small prices (books/clothing she no longer wanted and some small crafted/knitted items) which would be unlikely to accrue that much in outstanding seller fees.

 

In our case my mum has contacted the DCA and they have said the debt will be dropped/annulled on receipt of a copy of the death certificate but your experience does make me wonder about where this supposed debt has come from and how legitimate it is...

[palomino]

This is typical of the behaviour exhibited by DCAs. Don't worry - we're all well-used to it by now.

 

You need to send off a letter to IJ saying that eBay is investigating a probable fraud and you will contact them when you hear back from eBay, and leave it at that.

 

 

Whatever you do don't ever talk to them on the phone. As you have found out DCAs can be pretty aggressive so tell you will only correspond in writing.

[Alipeeps]

As an update to my post above, I've spoken with my mum and the letter to my sister came from Intrum Justitia too - which makes me even more suspicious of this supposed debt. Thankfully, it seems to one thing that does get a DCA to back off (and the guy on the phone to apologise profusely, according to my mum) is being told that the person they are chasing has recently died.

 

I have to say though, this seems really dodgy to me. DCAs aggressively chasing people for debts is one thing, but this seems more like a deliberate fraud - chasing people for debts they don't have. Who are Intrum Justitia and do they actually have any authority from eBay?

[Johnny Brassic]

Many years ago my wife had some problems with IJ and had nothing but hassle, even long after she had gone bankrupt:mad:

Sorry to say it took the threat of court action for harrassment in writing from us to finally get them to leave us alone, this was after they had been contacted by the official recievers on her behalf as they were like a dog with a bone. They just wouldn't let it go!

I wish you nothing but luck with this company, in my opinion, and in my experience with them, they are evil and cruel.

Best fight fire with fire then ;-):grin:

[Tyson72]

Is a letter along these lines OK or is it too aggresive

 

 

 

To Whom It May Concern:

 

I am writing in response to your letter (copy included) of 25th July 2008 in which you claim I owe the sum of £49.17 with regards to an eBay account in my name. Please be advised that I do not have an eBay sellers account, nor will I be paying any money to Intrum Justicia or eBay Europe SARL.

 

Please take this as a formal warning that I do not take too kindly to un-solicited letters from companies requesting money. Your letter offers no evidence (nor does it offer to provide any) of any alleged debt/outstanding account. To put my mind at rest, as I’m sure this is all a mis-understanding, I require you furnish me with a signed agreement between eBay and myself that outlines the account you mention.

 

If you cannot/will not supply this information, I will have to make a Data Protection Act 1998 Subject Access Request in order to find out how you obtained my details, and where this alleged “debt” came from. The Subject Access Request is a legal procedure which you, by law, have to follow. I fully intend to carry out this procedure if I find the documentation you supply (at my informal request) fails to address my concerns.

 

At this time - as there is no documentation to support this claim - I am unable to assist with this matter. Please ensure that any future correspondence includes all the relevant documentation – Failure to provide this will result in me having to take legal action as I consider your efforts at money extortion to be tantamount to harassment.

 

Due to your lack of signed documentation between myself and the original creditor, you may formally consider this “debt” in dispute – and as such, you are not permitted to attempt collection of this money without first referring back to the original creditor. If I do not hear from you within 7 days, I shall consider this matter closed and no further correspondence will be entered into.

[Alipeeps]

Not an expert but that reads great to me.

[alfwithhair]

Intrum Justitia will chase anything. They sent a collector round to my house many years ago to collect a £1.63 debt out standing on a old Halifax credit card. Incured interest apparently, from when I paid it of in full.

 

But the onus is on IJ to prove there is a debt not on you to disprove it. So if you have it in writing from eBay that you never had a sellers account. Let them prove otherwise. The letter you have posted above should be sufficient.

 

Don't let them intimidate you into paying anything you don't owe.