Wescot

[scottc1978]

Needing some information regarding Wescot.

 

Received a letter from Wescot a couple of weeks back addressed to someone with the same surname as myself but a different first name. Although both first names begin with an S. This related to a Digibill debt which is definitely not mine.

 

Sent a letter back which i found here http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk...ml#post1358797

 

Received a reply addressed to Mr S ***** and not any full first name. The letter stated that my letter was being dealt with the 'Process and Compliance Team' Anyone know what will happen next?

 

On the same day i received another letter relating to a Sky Subscription bill addressed to Mr S ***** which i sent back saying 'not at this address'

 

What are they up to? Are they trying to skin me for the debt as both first names begin with the same letter?

 

Where do i stand and can anyone give any advice as to what i should do next?

[Pinky69]

They are phishing. They do not know who the debt belomgs to so they look up addresses with the same surname and try pot luck. Keep telling them it isn't you and to bog off.

[ScabHunter]

The only point I would disagree with Pinky on is the advice to KEEP telling them it isn't you.

 

These idiots send out templated threats from automated machines, and if you keep replying to these you are just wasting your time and money. Send ONE letter stating your FINAL position, and then ignore any further drivel they might send you.

 

You can always complain about their antics to the relevant authorities by email.

 

Of course if they were daft enough to issue a court claim, you would have to defend it. This shouldn't be too difficult as you don't even have the same name as the alleged debtor, your signature will not be on any of the documents which were signed, and if you demand information about your account from the original creditor, nothing will come back because you never even had an account with this alleged creditor.

 

Sending out demands for money to people who might just be the debtor they are looking for is an all too common practice amongst an extremely grubby, disreputable and unethical so-called "industry". Not only do some of these letters hit the target, but they even manage to get some money out of some of the wrong people, who pay up out of ignorance and fear. Nothing will change unless the regulators start doing the jobs they are paid to do.

 

Here is the letter I would send them -

 

I ACKNOWLEDGE NO DEBT TO YOUR COMPANY NOR ANY COMPANY YOU PURPORT TO REPRESENT

 

Dear Mental Defectives,

 

You have contacted me/us regarding the account with the above reference number, which you claim is owed by myself/ourselves.

 

I/we would point out that I/we have no knowledge of any such debt being owed to (insert company name).

 

I am/we are familiar with the Office of Fair Trading Debt Collection Guidance which states that it unfair to send demands for payment to an individual when it is uncertain that they are the debtor in question.

 

As I have no knowledge of this alleged debt, I demand that you prove your entitlement to enforce it. No further correspondence will be entered into unless you can prove that this alleged debt exists, and that I am indeed the debtor.

 

As your letter of xx/xx/xxxx already puts you in breach of the Office Of Fair Trading Debt Collection Guidance a complaint has duly been filed. Any further breaches will be added to this complaint.

 

Should you fail to comply with my demand for proof, the matter will be brought to the attention of my own local Trading Standards department, as well as the one in your local area.

 

As you have demanded money with no proof of entitlement, you can regard this letter as the initiation of a formal complaint. I therefore request a copy of your official complaints procedure which you are legally obliged to supply. Should you fail to satisfy this complaint, it will be escalated to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

 

Should you be unable to provide proof that this alleged debt is genuine, then you are in breach of the Data Protection Act 1998 and must cease processing my data immediately. Failure to comply with this will result in a complaint to the Information Commissioner and may result in court action.

 

Also, note that while the account relating to the reference number above remains in strong dispute, you are not allowed to pass it on to any third party. Should you do so, further complaints will be made to the relevant authorities outlined above.

 

I look forward to your reply that this matter is now closed and that you have totally removed my data from your system.

 

Yours Faithfully,

 

xxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

SH

[scottc1978]

Thanks for all the advice folks.

 

Wescot have now confirmed that the debt wasn't mine and will stop chasing me.

 

They did however say that my address was given as a possible forwarding address for the debtor. This was provided by Experian.

 

They also said i still might receive letters for the debtor unless the link was corrected. How can i get Experian to remove the link between my address and the debtor?

[mr.ton]

'Process and Compliance Team'

 

CAG has a non-compliance team..so you'll be fine

[Qami]

To best of my knowledge to remove a link which is not associated with yourself, you can take the following action:

 

1) Order your credit report from Experian (You can do this online via Experian's website or you can download a form from Experian's website and post it to the specified address enclosing a £2 fee after which Experian will send you your report by post)

2) On your credit report under "linked addresses" it should state the name of the organisation who is responsible for creating the link.

3) Send a letter to the named organisation asking them the reason to why they created the link and request them to remove it (Only the named company can ask Experian to remove the link)

 

If the experts on here have any better idea's I suggest you follow their advice.

 

Thanks for all the advice folks.

 

Wescot have now confirmed that the debt wasn't mine and will stop chasing me.

 

They did however say that my address was given as a possible forwarding address for the debtor. This was provided by Experian.

 

They also said i still might receive letters for the debtor unless the link was corrected. How can i get Experian to remove the link between my address and the debtor?

[cerberusalert]

They also said i still might receive letters for the debtor unless the link was corrected. How can i get Experian to remove the link between my address and the debtor?

 

Contact them at Experian | Contact Us | Informed Decisions, Smart Solutions

 

As data controllers it is their responsibilty to ensure the data is accurate.

 

Also complain to the Information Commissioner https://www.ico.gov.uk/Global/contact_us.aspx

[scottc1978]

Experian have said that they cannot remove the link and referred me to the Credit Services Association.

 

Is there anything else that i can do?

 

Thanks in advance.

[cerberusalert]

Have you made a complaint to the Information Commissioner?

[scottc1978]

Have you made a complaint to the Information Commissioner?

 

I was thinking of making one to the CSA. Is the Information Commissioner the better option?

[cerberusalert]

I would have thought so considering Wescott are processing your data and adding someone elses into it.