AIC Phone Hustle

[Macaca]

Had a 'nice' surprising phone call at WORK! from AIC today.

(Unfortunately my name is on the company website so I guess they got it from there.)

I thought CapQuest had bought all my NatWest stuff but obviously not or they sold it as I challenge them to much.

 

The first conversation went like that:

This guy said he is calling about my old Natwest CCard. I ask for the name and company he said his name and company. I replied that I don't know what he was talking about and that all financial matters have to be in writing as I do not discuss them via phone.

He than said that a letter is on the way but it needs to be sorted now on the phone. I than again repeated that I do not discuss financial matters on the phone only in writing. He than said again that he has to speak to me on the phone and I should give him my private number so he can call later. I than repeated it again and said in the end good bye and hang up.

 

He than called back 30 minutes later. Same story he needs to speak to me on the phone or I will be made bankrupt. I did not gave in and just said very politely and slowly. I am sorry sir I do discuss these matters on the phone good bye.

 

He than called again straight after saying he will not stop calling till I talk to him. I again said my sentence and also pointed out that if he keeps calling I will pass this on to the authorities and also will start legal procedures of harassment. He than got all cute and said: "So who are you speaking to than?" Which I replied with his name and company and I hang up.

 

He than called again 1 hour later, which I did not answer just left him in line waiting. Same again another hour later.

 

Now I do not have a direct work number so whoever answers the phone will pass it to me if I am there.

 

It seems to me that he is desperately trying to get my contact information.

Can they send letters in my name to my workplace? I have no phone in my name and I am not on the electoral register as I am not EU or Commonwealth so he cannot get my contact via legal way.

 

For the history of the CCard it is not time barred and obviously as soon as they write to me they will get a CCA request. Now if they send a letter to my work and I reply what should I do in terms of address?? Otherwise I will have to give away my address which might be not a good idea as they obviously do not have it.

 

They seem to be very rude and pushy ones at AIC.

Well I am off for a week so they wont reach me at work.

I maybe pass on the message that I am not there if they should call again when I am working.

Or I will give the phone to our Polish cleaner who understands next to no English especially their Scottish accent.

Edited December 22, 2008 by Macaca

[42man]

Send them the harrassment letter by recorded - http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/bank-templates-library/37006-harassment-telephone-response-letter.html

 

And log all the times and dates they call....if you can PLEASE try and record the calls....

[palomino]

Slight correction : get your boss to send them the harassment letter. After all it's the company phone they are using and your company time they are wasting.

[Macaca]

Company Letter seems to be good as I do not want to send a letter to them before they send one.

 

I do not want to give my address away yet. I do not think they have any contact details apart from my work.

At work they cannot give away private numbers or addresses!

 

What happens if they send a letter to my work?

 

Can they personal call at work too?

[Macaca]

Very interesting I just had a phone call from a colleague saying I had a phone call at work again. Apparently my uncle called about an urgent family matter wanting my private number and address!!!! Firstly none of my uncles speaks English, all of them have my contact details but not my work details!!! Well he left a fake phone number!!! I guess it was AIC!!! What sleazy cu#!s

[Macaca]

Well today a letter arrived at WORK! Private & Confidential in my Name. Address is one in Reading. I have not opened it yet as I can see through the envelope its AIC. So question should I just send the letter back with 'Addressee unknown'. If not, obviosly I would have to go through CCA req. etc. But they do not have my private address so if I answer them they would get my address, which is what they are trying since Xmas. BTW My name has now been removed from the company website.

[hillards]

- - -

Edited January 16, 2009 by hillards
withdrawn from this thread.

[Macaca]

No offence hillards and I am sorry if I somehow went against some protocol but I asked only a question.

 

Anyhow I have seen in threads here being recommented to ignore letters and not to contact certain DCA's or even once to move address. A lot of people here on the forum getting contacted after years because they moved address and their OC and later the DCA have not their new addresses, how else could there be all those old debts.

Also a lot of the recommendations even if following the protocol is and will be seen as evasion.

Firstly obviously ACI does not have their stuff together and they have no private address from me. They have my name and work address from phishing in the internet where they properly just googled my name.

 

Now all I wanted to know is some clarification on if they can contact me at work and send letters to my work.

Also my questions where what I should do with that letter. Ignore it or I could put the letter unopened into another envelope and write to contact me via my private address without giving them my address though. Or should I reply with the CCA and send them the letter but also without my address.

 

I just don't see why I should give what they want, my private contact details. I could send them also the original CCA or a blank signature to make it easy for them. It is not my problem that they have no contact details and just went phishing and found my name on my company website. I also never confirmed my name on their phone attempts at work.

 

So I hope there will be some answers not just pointing fingers at the bad boy.

 

Thanks anyway and so far I had some good help from here.

[hillards]

- - -

Edited January 16, 2009 by hillards
withdrawn from this thread

[Macaca]

Quite interesting AIC employers must be paid to write good reviews.

I don't know if anybody came across this yet but have a look.

 

Reviews of Allied International Credit, Glasgow (Argyle Street)

[DCAHunter]

Hi Macaca

 

I was in exactly the same situation a year ago.

They also must have gone phishing through the www and found my name on the company website.

 

All I can say is send the letter back and do NOT under NO circumstances give them your private details!!!!

 

If they have no private address its their problem and they will have difficulties in enforcing anything from you. All they are trying is to scare you into paying them.

 

Also good thing is that they cannot just send a "field agent" to you as you are at work! So obviously you are working so you cannot talk to them and also they cannot embarrass you in front of your colleagues or boss about the debt! And they cannot send bailiffs to you even if they have the right papers and a court order without your private address.

Also your company cannot give away your details.

 

So no chance for them at all till they have your private details.

 

Ignore everything from them contacted at work and try to record all the telephone attempts from them.

 

Also always ask for their name (get it spelled for you) the company name (get it spelled as well) their telephone number and his position within that company. Never confirm your own name or acknowledge any debt and just say everything has to be in writing and to your private address. Also say that the phone calls have to stop (I will find the right legislation about harassment and contacting at work you should refer to). If he says and he will, he wont stop just remind him that you are recording this call and that you will go to the police and OFT with the tapes if not.

[DCAHunter]

BTW hillards

 

This has nothing to do with evasion they have not their papers right and having no private details is the same as having no CCA.

 

How else could people have statute barred debts if not willingly or unwillingly evading it!

[ODC]

Quite interesting AIC employers must be paid to write good reviews.

I don't know if anybody came across this yet but have a look.

 

Reviews of Allied International Credit, Glasgow (Argyle Street)

 

Been there:cool:

[Pinky69]

It is for AIC to get their facts right first before they start pursuing someone for a debt and in this case they don't have an address and probably don't have a credit agreement either. It is a breach of OFT guidelines to pursue someone for a debt at work and I would be reporting it to OFT with a copy to AIC. I see debt evasion as not paying an original creditor for a legitimate debt. I have no problems not paying a DCA which has no properly executed agreement and whose soul intent is to capitalise on a debt which has already been written off by the original creditor. That is exploitation, hence the consumer credit laws to protect the public.

[DCAHunter]

It is for AIC to get their facts right first before they start pursuing someone for a debt and in this case they don't have an address and probably don't have a credit agreement either. It is a breach of OFT guidelines to pursue someone for a debt at work and I would be reporting it to OFT with a copy to AIC. I see debt evasion as not paying an original creditor for a legitimate debt. I have no problems not paying a DCA which has no properly executed agreement and whose soul intent is to capitalise on a debt which has already been written off by the original creditor. That is exploitation, hence the consumer credit laws to protect the public.

 

I would have suggested reporting them too but then they get Macaca's address so until they have its best just to ignore and record the phone calls for future use.

[Macaca]

Thanks to Hunter and Pinky

 

I had already a bad feeling thinking about giving away my address.

 

I send the letter back tomorrow.

[Macaca]

Letter went back.

 

I also bought a recording devise for my little voice recorder.

Had than on Friday the chance of using it.

 

Again called at work. Usually would not talk to them but thought would be fun as I am recording it now.

 

Me: Hello.

AIC: Is this Mrs XXX

Me: Who is this?

AIC: My Name is ZZZ calling from AIC.

Me: What is AIC?

AIC: Allied International Credit

Me: And you are.

AIC: I am Mr. ZZZ.

Me: Could you spell that please.

AIC: Z-Z-Z

Me: And whats your position with that company?

(A little pause as he had to think what he is I guess)

AIC: I am a Debt Collection Agent and I am calling about your debt.

Me: Sorry I don't know what you talking about and I would like to advise you not to call me at work. All communications have to be in writing and to my private address.

AIC: Can you please confirm your name, address and birthday.

Me: No I cannot give such information on the phone.

AIC: If you don't give your address I will not stop calling you.

Me: Than I will report you for harassment. I ask you before to stop calling at work. And this is clear now harassment.

AIC: Give me your address and telephone number and I will stop calling at work.

Me: I have not asked you to contact me at work and you should have my details if you think I have a debt with your company. I ask again do not call me at work again or I will report you for harassment.

AIC: Harassment you don't even know who I am.

Me: You told me your name before and I am recording this phone call.

AIC hang up!!

 

Was quite fun I have to say.

[ODC]

Well done. Not only have you the threat monkeys name but he told you that it was a debt collection call before he established your identity. Report their sorry asses now.

[Fuzzgin]

It really is fun once you know your rights and start to play them at their own games. I understand your reason for not wanting to give personal information to them. (In my case with AIC I'd already given my home address to a previous DCA and set up an arrangement so I didn't feel that it was up to me to provide information they should have already had.)

 

Good luck!

[Macaca]

AIC are back calling at work.

Now the call was put through not to my personal extension - just to the department.

 

I pick up the phone.

 

Me: Company ZZ Department Z How can I help.

AIC: Miss Z

Me: Sorry Who am I speaking to?

AIC: Mr X from AIC.

Me: Could you spell your name for me please.

(Now that guy sounded exactly the same like last time. I mean I am not an expert but listening to both calls again and again it can only be the same guy. Funny enough after a while he spells his name - a different one to last time!!!

AIC: X-X-X

Me: What is AIC?

AIC: Allied Inter.....

Me: And your position within that company?

AIC: I am a Debt Collecting Agent. Could you answer me some security questions please.

Me: What is that?

AIC: Your Name, first line of address, DOB

Me: I cannot answer such question nor can I verify any personal details on the phone. I would also remind you that all communication have to be in writing I also asked you before to stop calling me at work. I did not give you any permission neither did I requested from you to call or contact me at work.

AIC. This has been going on for far too long and you need to resolve this matter. You have received the letter I send.

Me: Sorry I have not received anything I do not know your company and until you called me at work on the 23rd of December I never heard of your company. Nor did I have any agreement or dealings with AIC.

AIC: It is about your CC from XYZ Bank over 2670.

Me: As you have not understood before:

I would again remind you to stop calling me at work. I did not give you any permission neither did I requested from you to call or contact me at work.

OFT Guidelines state clearly under

2.2 Examples of unfair practices:

g. ignoring or disregarding debtors' legitimate wishes in respect of when and where to contact them

AIC: (very angry in an aggressive matter) Give me your address or I tell your colleagues

Me: I would also remind you that all telephone calls are recorded (Message in the beginning as its a company number).

AIC: Hang up - again!!!

 

 

Now not only that I have the phone call recorded. At no point of the conversation did I confirm my name. Now this guy not only revealed details of the alleged debt to who could have been anyone at my work place he also threatened me to tell my colleagues!

 

I am so loving this. What a leverage if this should go to court at some point!!! If they should get my private address somehow I will go the CCA route and at the same time they, the OFT and FO complaint with a transcript of these calls.