Debts settled years ago-Now one is back!PLEASE HELP!

[johndtray]

Hi all,

I am hoping there is someone on here who can advise me accordingly on an unusual situation i have found myself in.

In 2004, i defaulted on 4 accounts, which to cut a long story short have all been settled for some time now, the last one being vodafone in january 2007.

Having returned from abroad, i noticed vodafone on my credit report and immediately called them. Vodafone identified the account in question, and informed me that the outstanding amount on the account was £46- I paid this immediately over the phone.

Several weeks later they confirmed this in writing- I replied to this letter asking them if they would be so kind as to remove the default from my credit report: This they did.

All was well since Jan 07.

 

ALL OF A SUDDEN after all this time (have also been keeping regular weekly tabs on my credit report),i receive a letter from red debt collection services, informing me that vodafone have 'sold' my debt of £71 to them, and that i needed to contact them to sort this out. STUNNED!

According to all my credit reports, the defaulted amount was settled in january 2007-Yet despite this, vodafone have no record of the payment every being made, despite me giving them the details off my bank statement.

Red Debt dont want to know-they just want the money.

 

I have this evening purchased my credit report from another agency (i now have all 3) which state that the vodafone isue was settled in jan 2007. total outstanding-£0.

How can vodafone lose a payment like this? i had thought i put all my troubles behind me i am rebuilding my credit superbly and have no debt anymore(im actually saving every month now and am in credit on all bills!).

 

Yet despite this, out of the blue a random letter from these people arrives.

My fiancee and i have turned the house upside down looking for the letter they sent me confirming the bill was paid: cant find it anywhere, as we have moved house since 2007.

I do however have all the transaction details,the date, the card used, AND my credit reports confirming the default was removed and payment was settled.

 

What do i do now?!

This company worries me- i can find no website for them, and they werent particularly understanding on the phone either.

 

Any help would be graciously received. Thanks guys.As always.

[stephie12345]

hi, this company specialises in old debt, and you'll find that they are part of Lowells, well known on here. Im actually in a similar position myself sort of, i've settled my debts but have recieved no confirmation of doing so so im hoping that cheque stubs will be traceable if they should need to be.

In your case i'd imagine that all you need to do is send them copies of the things you do have, in particular the credit report (someone had to have imputed the data to the CRA to say the debt had been paid) along with a strongly worded letter to go away.

Best of Luck!

[stephie12345]

also, just thought, Red have no legal right to touch your credit report, that much i do know, but someone will be able to advise in more detail soon i would think.

[dx100uk]

also, just thought, Red have no legal right to touch your credit report, that much i do know, but someone will be able to advise in more detail soon i would think.

 

well sadly, even if they are wrong [though they dont know it yet!] , they can default you.

 

if it were me i would be inclined send them a copy of the cra file that shows it settled in jan 2007 & demand the default is removed.

 

stay off the phone to the dca too! do it all in writing.

 

dx

[hillards]

Typical of the way some companies work... Vodafone clear the account down and dispose of the paperwork, account settled and all that. If they've sold a debt then they may well have no record of the account any more.

However, there was a period where there was an amount owing, and this could have been detailed in a massive pile of debts that the company have since written off.

Trouble is that it does not end there. Despite writing an account off, paid or not in this case, the details of an outstanding balance have been sold, in bulk (millions of pounds worth at a time!) to the bunch of vultures known as Debt Collection Agencies.

DCA's are not known for their honesty, tact, attitude, brain power or use of deodorant. They have a pile of paperwork from Vodafone, or whoever, and it takes a while to get all this on their system.

Once they have it computerised they start chasing the alleged debtors for payment. Thousands of them at once, they don't check every account they are dealing with. Contact can be by phone or letter, sometimes they'll even suggest that you'll have someone calling to see you. They will make threats, they are nothing less, about legal action, bailiffs and whatever they feel may convince you to pay up.

Except in this case they've been sold a dummy. You have already paid the debt off. Ask them to prove that you owe THEM anything, they have to have valid paperwork which would stand up in court. You already have this to back up your side of the story, even if you cannot find the Vodafone letter.

There's lots of advice and sample letters on here to help. Above all, don't be afraid of Red aka Lowell aka several other names they use. Once they admit they are wrong you need to keep their letter safe as they are babies, they sulk if they lose a case, and may pass it to another DCA just for the hell of it.

Be very careful what you say to them, only provide personal information if you really have to, never send original documents, always copies. They lose things...

No, I don't trust them, like them, want to play chess with them or share a room with them - for the reasons given above.