Link Financial have done a mass mailing of Default Notices re: assigned accounts.

[tierisch]

Happy new year to all here at the Link unappreciation society......

 

They have been very quiet lately which probably means they are waiting for the primary schools to start back so they can get a new bunch of five year olds to write their letter templates!!!

 

Heard nothing from OFT despite two emails complaining about Link's licence status......what a suprise there

 

Tierisch

[MAGDA]

Happy new year to all here at the Link unappreciation society......

 

They have been very quiet lately which probably means they are waiting for the primary schools to start back so they can get a new bunch of five year olds to write their letter templates!!!

 

Heard nothing from OFT despite two emails complaining about Link's licence status......what a suprise there

 

Tierisch

 

Happy New Year to everyone as well. I had a message on my answering machine over Xmas stating that my local TS (Caerphilly had washed their hands of the matter previously and said the harassment issue needed to be dealt with locally) stating that my complaint had been passed on direct to the OFT and the file has been closed, as my complaint is the only one they have received locally. I rang today and asked, why, when complaints have been received by Caerphilly and Lambeth, they do not liaise with these authorities and collate the number of reported complaints and act on them, which after all, is TS job. I was told there is nothing they can do other than report it to OFT. The TS officer did mention that Link's licence is up for renewal (which of course we know) and they will be looking at the complaints, so I just hope these have been passed on to OFT by Caerphilly and Lambeth also, as they seem to be constantly stating that they are not aware of any other complaints, which is a blatant lie. It would be great news wouldn't it if Link didn't get their licence renewed, I would absolutely love that. The five year olds will all be out of a job if that does happen! Magda

[di.harry]

Happy New Year to all. I'm still waiting for a SOA from Link (MBNA a/c), so it's been quiet for me as well.

[angry cat]

Happy New Year, Guys!

 

I expect Link are fully back at work now...

we will all no doubt be contacted again, soon.

 

AC

[citizenB]

Happy New Year to everyone as well. I had a message on my answering machine over Xmas stating that my local TS (Caerphilly had washed their hands of the matter previously and said the harassment issue needed to be dealt with locally) stating that my complaint had been passed on direct to the OFT and the file has been closed, as my complaint is the only one they have received locally. I rang today and asked, why, when complaints have been received by Caerphilly and Lambeth, they do not liaise with these authorities and collate the number of reported complaints and act on them, which after all, is TS job. I was told there is nothing they can do other than report it to OFT. The TS officer did mention that Link's licence is up for renewal (which of course we know) and they will be looking at the complaints, so I just hope these have been passed on to OFT by Caerphilly and Lambeth also, as they seem to be constantly stating that they are not aware of any other complaints, which is a blatant lie. It would be great news wouldn't it if Link didn't get their licence renewed, I would absolutely love that. The five year olds will all be out of a job if that does happen! Magda

 

This is absolutely ridiculous, surely when a complaint is made locally, it is then passed on to the TS branch dealing with that company .. isnt it ??.

[MAGDA]

This is absolutely ridiculous, surely when a complaint is made locally, it is then passed on to the TS branch dealing with that company .. isnt it ??.

 

Hi CB, apparently not. I was told that the local TS had only received one complaint - mine, and therefore would not be taking further action. I asked why they don't liaise with Lambeth and Caerphilly, when they have so obviously received complaints also, but was told that isn't the way things work, and it is simply a case of passing it on to the OFT as the local TS don't have the resources anyway to act, given the only complaint they are aware of is mine! So obviously it made more sense for me to complain to Caerphilly, as I did, but they didn't want to know either and said that the harassment issue had to be dealt with locally! It's a no win situation isn't it. Don't know what the latest is from Lambeth, any updates AC? Regards, Magda

Edited January 6, 2009 by MAGDA
typo

[Pandora_nini]

I think they are starting up contact again - had three phone calls today.....

[the main man]

I think they are starting up contact again - had three phone calls today.....

 

Had one yesterday as well, left a message to contact them urgently:roll:

 

no letters so far..... not even a christmas card:p

[phatram]

We've heard nothing since a letter saying they had asked for the agreement to be sent to them.

Shame MBNA dont have one eh?

Edited January 12, 2009 by phatram

[iambroke]

Hi all just subscribed to this site and i must say what a great find.

 

I paid my MBNA outstanding c/c balance off well over 6 years ago in cash over the counter of a bank after which i received from my memory nothing acknowledging that i had done so. Over three and a half years later i had a phone call from my step father asking me who Lisa was ???????? I replied that i had no idea to which he said i will kill you if your cheating on your partner!!!!?????????

 

It turns out the aforementioned lady was from LINK and had telephoned my Step-Fathers next door neighbour to ask her where i was. As i had no idea who they were i phoned them asking for an explanation at which point i was told my outstanding balance with MBNA had been sold to them as i had defaulted on the account. I told them i had paid the outstanding balance years before and they asked me for a receipt (which i havent got). I then received two letters one from LINK and one from MBNA telling me that LINK had bought said alleged debt. I phoned MBNA and asked them to tell me my account balance (which they quoted as £0.00)and then to explain why if i had a negative balance they had sold a non existant outstanding debt, and why had they at no time attempted to contact me in any way shape or form whatsoever in almost 4 years. They took about 15-20 minutes of transferring me and procrastinating until i spoke to someone higher up the chain of command at which point i was told "It is our account and we can do what we like with it" . I bade her farewell at this point and proceeded to inform Link that the debt had been paid to MBNA almost 4 years previous. I was extremely suspicious of their tactics and just ignored the letter, i heard nothing from LINK for another 3 years as LINK had no address for me only a mobile number (they tracked when i called them from it) i have since spoke to Link who insist that they are keen to recover the debt even though i have taken CA advice and have told LINK that it is settled and that i have no receipt from the bank and that the bank cannot provide me with proof that i did pay over the counter.

 

LINK have since found my address and have been sending letters the same as the one above to me. They also sent a letter saying that during our telephone conversation i had requested information from them?????????????????????????? and that i should write to them for said info , i have no idea what they are on about. They also said they would suspend any further action on the account for 6 weeks (that was six weeks ago)and have telephoned my Step-Fathers house (twice now) even though he is ex-directory and after i asked them not to as i have little contact with him (family stuff) and havent lived there for over 6 years.

 

They also told me via phone that the debt is still very much active according to their credit report on me.

 

Im terrified any ideas please.

[iambroke]

I have read today with a mixture of horror and where appropriate glee about various dealings you have all had with LINK and i do not intend to sit on my hannds when it comes to complaining about them!!!!

 

I have found my DN sent via tnt dated 20th sept and it is exactly the same as others posted on here apart from the bit saying when it was assigned (mine is feb 2005). As stated previousley i paid the MBNA C/C account in full back in 2002. I have not obtained a copy of my credit report but actively want to pursue for harrasment etc as i have asked them not to contact my step-father and am incensced they originally harrased my step fathers elderly neighbour.

 

To whom do i write to first to complain or in what order should i write to OFT and all the other various ministers and relevant agencies??

 

I also want to request all the info and paperwork held about me from MBNA and LINK. I obviousley have an address for link to do this but i have no corresponding address for MBNA i aslo have not attempted anything like this before.

 

I would like to know how to go about doing this and how to do it in such a way that i do not re-start any time periods or processes as i have been told by Citizens Advice that if MBNA originally did not issue court proceedings then under staute laws Link cannot pursue the debt.

[MAGDA]

I have read today with a mixture of horror and where appropriate glee about various dealings you have all had with LINK and i do not intend to sit on my hannds when it comes to complaining about them!!!!

 

I have found my DN sent via tnt dated 20th sept and it is exactly the same as others posted on here apart from the bit saying when it was assigned (mine is feb 2005). As stated previousley i paid the MBNA C/C account in full back in 2002. I have not obtained a copy of my credit report but actively want to pursue for harrasment etc as i have asked them not to contact my step-father and am incensced they originally harrased my step fathers elderly neighbour.

 

To whom do i write to first to complain or in what order should i write to OFT and all the other various ministers and relevant agencies??

 

I also want to request all the info and paperwork held about me from MBNA and LINK. I obviousley have an address for link to do this but i have no corresponding address for MBNA i aslo have not attempted anything like this before.

 

I would like to know how to go about doing this and how to do it in such a way that i do not re-start any time periods or processes as i have been told by Citizens Advice that if MBNA originally did not issue court proceedings then under staute laws Link cannot pursue the debt.

 

 

Hi, your best option would be to Subject Access Request (Subject Access Request) MBNA, and hopefully the documentation you receive back should prove that the debt was settled at the time you say. You will need to enclose a payment for £10 to cover the fee for this. I would think MBNA will have a website and it should have contact details on there. I would then write to Link and confirm that the debt was settled on such and such a date, and that you have no intention of corresponding with them further and that you intend to complain to the appropriate Authorities about their conduct. You can complain to the OFT via their website, where you should be able to find a contact email address also. They (Link) make a habit of contacting neighbours, people living a mile down the road, or whoever they can get hold of basically, and Trading Standards seem to think this is ok! Hope this helps, Magda

[Kraken1]

I would have thought contacting the worng people would be an ICO thing. Worth dropping them a mail.

[heathrow]

Hi All

 

Sorry for this lengthy posting but I have not had the time to get back to this site since posting before Christmas and I wish everyone a Happy New Yesr - except Link of course.

 

I am in the unfortunate position of having 5 very large MBNA accounts ... I am not proud of the fact but my once healthy plunged into despair a few years ago and MBNA kept upping my limits and never once bothered to ask me if I wanted them to. Now, that to me is irresponsible lending and I understand that some cases have been flung out of court on that score. I may be wrong but that is what I heard.

 

I have been monitoring all of the threads tonight ... pasted them to Word to absorb the 50 pages or more at my leisure because I am convinced this is a story for the national press and it should also be taken to the highest level of Parliament and that means Darling and Brown ... Mandleson if we must. We need to act as a group and keep at it. People power seems to be starting to have some affect ... look at the Tesco issues where stores have been prevented from opening in East Anglia.

 

I am a freelance writer so I as soon as I have finished a major project I am on I will do my best to put together a convincing case to send to the nationals.

 

I went to see my MP ... a Conservative ...two years or more ago about the general way that we are treated as vermin by DCA and banks when we meet hard times and find ourselves in a spiral of debt. He promised this was going to be put to an All Party Committee that was meant to be discussing the situation. I heard no more and my last two letters were not answered. Needless to say he won't get my vote even though this current Government are talking, but not walking the talk. It seems bankers rule and despite getting us into all of this economic trouble they are still seen as God's. Frankly, they should be made to account ... so too should Brown. But that is another story.

 

It greatly concerns me that Link are able to contuously break the law and the agencies that are mean to protect as are doing sweet **** all. They have also got to be brought to account.

 

Is there no friendly lawyer out there who will fight our corner?

 

On this subject ... I was taken to court by another dubious DCA called CL Finance on behalf of Goldfish. I contested the case in my local court on the grounds that I had never heard of CL Finance and had never had a Goldfish account. It seems the files had been sold on more than once and the thread of ownership could not really be proved even though they had statements relating to my charges. These related to an account with a totally different bank and the solicitors were unable to link the two together.

 

CL Finance sent an agent solicitor who was out of his depth and the Court ruled that they must produce transfer of ownership of the debt. CL Finance via their solicitors sent a wierd piece of paper that contained little more than a couple of signatures that appeared to be contrived and the Judge accepted my plea that this did not constitute proof of ownership. Similarly, because I could not really dent that the charges on the account as being mine, the Judge ruled that CL Finance need NOT produce a CCA. As the Judge had only recently been appointed from being a solicitor I felt he was incorrect. I consulted another judge that I know and he told me to write to the court to say that a mistake had been made because the CCA MUST be produced under the Consumer Credit Act. Of course CL Finance or their solicitors have not been able to produce this and have written to say it has been lost. I have applied to the Court to have the action struck off and they in turn have written to CL accordingly. While I appreciate this has nothing to do with Link I mention it only to emphasise how persistence sometimes pays and we must keep at this bunch of vultures. The Courts are not always right in their assumptions or their rulings and these can be challenged if we know where we stand. This is why we all know how important this site is.

 

I have sent five separate CCA requests by recorded delivery to Link with the appropriate postal orders but Link does not come up on the Post Office system for the address at Albert Embankment, Lambeth. The post code that Link gives on their letterheading is for a Action against Landmines association the post office clerk told me. Now there's a surprise. I am now sitting back to await the outcome of that.

So far I have not got a great deal to complain to the OFT about over Link because by changing my telephone number on the grounds of harassing calls (free of charge) the calls have been blocked and apart from the normal batch of threatening letters I have heard nothing from them so far. This is why I want to try and write a powerful article because I can highlight what is happening to others.

[hillards]

Hi Heathrow and welcome to CAG...

 

As you read around the site some more you will discover that you are not alone in being hounded by debt collection agencies (DCA). As far as they are concerned, if you deny a debt you are lying - their operatives are trained to treat everyone like that.

 

To them, any contact is proof that you owe them money and have something to hide. There are letters you can send to ask them to prove they have the right person, as many are known to take pot luck and just write to people who's name is similar to the one they have on file, in the hope that person will be scared enough of the threats that they will pay up to stop the hassle!

 

You will read horror stories of people being frightened to answer the phone, people who fear losing their homes, yet the DCA's continue their campaign of terror. It's far from fiction, this is happening every day. The stories on CAG are here to prove that.

 

There are letters available to CAG members that can be modified to suit a particular case with a particular DCA, although most of them work in the same way. You will also note the high rate of failure that the DCA's seem to have when dealing with people who have been advised on CAG.

 

The Sunday Times did an article this last weekend, the thread on that is http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/debt-collection-industry/176939-1st-credit-get-mention.html - however, despite many people leaving comments, only a few ever made it to the published page.

 

'tip of the iceberg' is nowhere near enough to describe one evening's posts! Can of worms, barrel of moneys and many others can be added. You will find info on the various names that the DCA's use too - they don't stick to the one trading name, they invent alternate letterheads to make it sound like they have a big legal team, bailiffs, court action teams - they play silly games.

 

To take your example of CL Finance. This is the Lewis Group in Cleckheaton, near Bradford. They put out letters as LDS (Lewis Debt Services) and variations on the Lews name, including CL Finance. They also have 'Howard Cohen Solicitors' letterhead, which they use to issue 'court papers'.

 

Backtrack Lewis a little and you'll find that they are part of Cattles, in nearby Batley. Cattles also operate 'Welcome Finance' - giving big loans to people with less than average credit ratings. Handy that they have their own debt collection team within the group.

 

The Bradford Telegraph and Argus suggests that 300 people are employed at the Cleckheaton debt recovery office.(300 Lewis Group staff at Cleckheaton are safe (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus))

 

Hope you have fun digging and writing, and ask if you need help! ;-)

[MAGDA]

I think our biggest hope at the moment is that Link will not have their licence renewed. So we all need to keep up the pressure with OFT etc. Magda

[heathrow]

Hi Hillards

Many thanks for your comments and the stuff providing background material is always useful. If you have any other similar background info on these companies please let me have them because I want to try and start a press awareness campaign against the DCAs. Any links to published material also welcome. The strength these parasites possess is that they know Mr Average debtor hasn't got a clue how to deal with them and they take advantage by using intimidating tactics. I suggest we should write a very strong letter to every MP and keep harassing the politicians until they start moving in the real world and start protecting their voters.

Best wishes

HR

[heathrow]

Hi Again Hillards

I've taken a very quick look at your site ... excellent, truly excellent advice and THIS should be sent out as a press release. You write really well ... better than me and I am a professional. Take note everyone ..and look at Hillard's site if you haven't done so already.

I commend you.

Cheers

HR

[hillards]

I suggest we should write a very strong letter to every MP and keep harassing the politicians until they start moving in the real world and start protecting their voters.

Sorry, I had to go sit down and get my breath back after reading that.

 

OK, there are some MP's who will take an interest, but there are some who are actually involved with these companies, so will back off at the very mention. It's been shown that theose official departments who are supposed to be empowered to take action, like the OFT and FOS, are somehow afriad of going too far in dealing with naughty debt collectors.

 

From some of the DCA horror stories heard on CAG it's clear that they deserve nothing less than their licenses revoked and shutting down. Despite the OFT guidelines and the self-defined CSA rules, most DCA's are not afraid to use scare tactics and bully people into paying.

 

As you correctly point out, most people do not know what to do when they are approached by a DCA, and simply accept what they are told to be gospel. Those who become suspicious may search the 'net and find CAG, and that seems to be a growing trend - thankfully.

 

The DCA's take a chance on being able to recover a percentage of the accounts they buy, and when you look at their profile you will see that some of them have big offices and high turnover. From what? Intimidation and threats mainly.

 

They are starting to face a higher number of people who are taking them on by asking for proof they owe THEM anything, which is only right. That's my biggest argument against DCA's, they hound people for a debt that they have bought, asking full price for second hand goods? And what about the money the original creditor has already claimed back from tax relief on a written-off account? If a debtor does pay the DCA 100% then there's an overlap - how does that get accounted for, apart from the DCA office party?

 

Yes, we help people to bring the DCA's down a few pegs, but it still does not feel 'right' that these companies exist soley on the back of big companies writing accounts off. In my mind, an account written off should no longer exist and the financial institutions have caused this band of cowboy companies to materialise by selling old accounts - and that's before considering the implications of the Data Protection Act, which seems to have been bypassed in allowing this type of things to happen.

 

It's very big business, millions of accounts worth billions of pounds, but very little going back to the original lenders and a heck of a lot lining the pockets of these DCA's - it's just wrong.

[hillards]

I've taken a very quick look at your site ...

Shhh - don't tell everyone...

You write really well ... better than me and I am a professional.

Thanks for the compliment, I need a job....!

 

I have written a few articles for magazines in the past, but not consumer related. Most of what is over there is just as it's flowed at the time, it's not been constructed as such. I have found out a lot about DCA's through CAG and my own digging, and did have a short insight into their workings at one point, but I'll not say much more about that as it was a poor career move that I quickly corrected! No, I didn't write their threat-o-grams...

[hillards]

...other similar background info on these companies...

Have a look through

CSA Website which is quite a long list of members of this 'association'

Bear in mind that the CSA is the body the DCA's set up to regulate themselves, they've defined the rules they want to work to - of not, as the case may be.

 

The in-breeding style of operation, where they all seem closely related to each other, is worrying. There are patterns of action that are repeated, where one DCA is shown a yellow card by the alleged debtor, but then another DCA will take up the case. They try to consfuse people by doing this and the result can be that the same account is defaulted upon more than once, which looks bad on a credit report.

 

I could go on... (of course)

[heathrow]

Great stuff ... I merely suggested the MP rule as a 'law of averages' that their might, just might, be one or two who believe in doing something credible. But I get your gist.

 

Your comments 'secondhand debt etc' does give food for thought and leaves me wondering whether they might still be some obscure law on the statute books that makes this kind of thing illegal. But who has the time to investigate?

 

Nevertheless, I believe that we must start believing in 'people power' which really is what this site is all about. If more and more of us make a strong stand eventually there might be a little light at the end of the tunnel and a change could be influenced.

 

In your own case I don't know if you had the same problem as me ... that is my wife is intimidated by these people very easily and she believes everything they write. I have to hide the post otherwise she flips. I have tried to get her to read the contents of your site to give her more confidence but she refuses because dealing with the DCAs simply frightens her to death. This is human nature, but unfortunately it works against you and you feel your are fighting your corner alone.

 

Thanks again.

[hillards]

...dealing with the DCAs simply frightens her to death...

And that's what the DCA's rely on - sad really.

[Jeff2000]

Hello heathrow,

 

Welcome to CAG!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your comments 'secondhand debt etc' does give food for thought and leaves me wondering whether they might still be some obscure law on the statute books that makes this kind of thing illegal. But who has the time to investigate?

 

 

I have often wondered about this myself. Seen as how nobody else ever mentioned the matter, I have assumed that it was OK!

 

 

However I also thought that a claim in the County Court could only be brought for actual losses incurred!

 

I would be interested in other peoples thoughts on this matter. Perhaps a thread on the subject would be in order!!?

 

 

Best wishes, Jeff.

[Goldlady]

Fascinating reading and welcome to CAG Heathrow. I am sure your talents and contacts will be a great help to the inevitable uprising against these lowlifes.

 

Strangely OH has had a letter from Link today - well not actually a letter but a statement of account:confused:. This was an unenforceable GE storecard which was a failed court claim on their behalf (invalid CCA) which was then sold to Link. I am bemused by the arrival of this - are they going to send us monthly statements and then try court again? What does a statement prove?

 

You have to tell Mrs Heathrow that I was the same as her, terrified of answering the phone or the door for almost two years. And now I am Goldlady, LLB (Hons), the powerful person who takes no cr*p from anyone.