Allied International Credit Bullies

[haybuck]

Hello All.

I've been reading some of the horror stories of peoples' experience of this outfit. It all sounds so familiar as I've also had the dreaded yellow postcard and "Notice of Intended Visit" , etc. The phone calls are amazing too. The latest one yesterday consisted of the Scottish female shouting at me, "You've had many opportunities to pay this. No more excuses." I've had no opportunities to pay because I've had no money! I'm very soon to receive some funds but their original settlement of £3900 is no longer available. They want just over £5000, plus I've made an interim payment of £250. They are threatening bankruptcy, attachment of earnings, seizure of my bike, which I keep telling them is my only transport to work, and so on. Nasty, nasty people! I have several other creditors, most of whom have been happy to negotiate, unlike these. My original debt was £2500. I'm going to ask for the CCA. What do others think? I'm prepared to pay, but their demand is greedy and excessive.

[lickthewallfatboy]

CCA them......then we can take it from there.....

 

these guys can only bully you as long as you don't know what your rights under the law are.....

[haybuck]

Thanks for that, LTWFB. My eyes are opening! I should also mention that I have maintained dialogue and contact with them from the start yet they still say that I've not responded to them.

[lickthewallfatboy]

doesn't surprise me in the slightest

 

I question the educational achievements of DCA staff,I really do.......

[ScabHunter]

Typical pathetic behaviour from an incredibly nasty shower of idiots.

 

As you have noticed, speaking on the telephone with these savages is a total waste of time. All they will do is make ridiculous threats that they have no power to carry out.

 

Seize your BIKE???? Do you know what would happen if you owed them one billion pounds? You would go bankrupt, the official receiver would seize any assets of sizeable value, and you would still be entitled to keep your bike as it is essential transportation to your place of work.

 

These cretins really do have less brains than a dog turd. So, by seizing your bike, they prevent you from going to work. You lose your salary and your income. Does that help you pay back your alleged debt, for Pete's sake? It is all just useless, meaningless wind.

 

Without knowing the circumstances behind this alleged debt, it is impossible to give specific advice. Is it for a loan, credit card, overdraft? I am assuming because you mention sending a CCA request that it is a loan or credit card. If it is, get that CCA request off as soon as you can. Even in the very worst case it will buy you some breathing space, and prove to these cretins that you have some knowledge of consumer law.

 

If they are demanding over £5000 for an alleged debt which was £2500 then they are living in a fairy tale land anyway. It is just greed gone insane. As well as asking for the CCA, send the telephone harassment/doorstep visit letter, and incorporate a paragraph asking for a copy of their complaints procedure.

 

SH

[haybuck]

Thanks for that SH. It was a loan for £2500 taken out with Clydesdale Finance, who were subsequently absorbed by Barclays Partner Finance. Another of my creditors is Goldfish which has been taken over by Barclaycard. They too were quick to involve First Credit. They've been demanding but not unpleasant like AIC. So it seems that Barclays second division lenders are quite hard on people in trouble.

[Desperate Daniella]

Nasty, wicked people. They are absolute bullies who frightened the life out of me - before I found CAG, of course.

 

They wanted an extra £1000 on top of the amount they said I owed Amex.

 

I got rid of them by contacting CCCS who immediately gave me a reference number and when I gave this to AIC they shut up immediately. They don't like being monitored by third parties. Then CCA'd Amex who sent questionable agreement which I am still trying to work out.

 

Last week I got a letter from RMA Resolve, saying they wanted to work with me on behalf of Amex. The £1000 had disappeared from what they are now saying they are claiming.

 

AIC are in it to make extortionate amounts of money for themselves. They scream, threaten and deliberately frighten people with bankruptcy, the lot, and as SH has said it's all a load of wind.

 

I offered £840 which was all I could scrape together by not paying the mortgage, child allowance, everything, and they refused it - saying it was the lot or they would start court proceedings.

 

A month later, after I'd sent in the CCA request they phoned saying they would like that £840. "Too late," I said. "I've paid someone else." and I am so glad they got absolutely zilch from me.

 

Be strong with them.

 

DD

[louise1111]

AIC is what drove me to CAG (thank God!) They were, for me, the nastiest lot. They were dealing with my RBS account. They tried all the bullying tactics etc. I wrote a strong complaint letter to RBS about AIC and they took the account back. I now pay a minimum amount each month.

[haybuck]

Well thank you all for your messages. I've been in emotional turmoil all day, thinking about these evil people and worrying about what they can do. But then I focus on the fact that I'm not refusing to pay, it just needs to be a reasonable, affordable amount. I just wonder what effect they must have on people who are weaker and more vulnerable than me! They've obviously got no conscience.

[haybuck]

Right, the CCA request goes off tomorrow by Recorded Delivery. I couldn't believe it when the Scottish Female phoned me today even though we had arranged to speak on Wednesday next week! Talk about keeping up the pressure.

[berrylover]

Ok this is what you do. As well as the CCA request also put this letter into the envelope. Remember not to sign these letters (as unscrupulous firms have been known to copy and paste them onto documents). You then refuse to go through the security checks with them, if they call again, stating that you have sent a letter requested all contact to be made in writing from this point. Remember they are phone bullies and will try to break you down, but you can and will be strong.

 

I DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY DEBT TO THIS COMPANY

Dear Sir,

 

Account no:

 

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

I now require all further correspondence from your company to be made in writing only.

 

I am of the view that your harassment of me by telephone puts you in breach of Section 40 of the Administration of Justice Act 1970, and the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

 

If you continue to harass me by telephone, you will also be in breach of the Communications Act (2003) s.127 and I will report you to OFCOM, Trading Standards and The Office of Fair Trading, meaning that you will be liable to a substantial fine.

 

Furthermore, should it be your intention to arrange a “doorstep call”, please be advised that under OFT rules, you can only visit me at my home if you make an appointment and I have no wish to make an appointment with you.

 

There is only an implied license under English Common Law for people to be able to visit me on my property without express permission; the postman and people asking for directions etc (Armstrong v. Sheppard and Short Ltd [1959] 2 Q.B. per Lord Evershed M.R.). Therefore take note that I revoke license under Common Law for you, or your representatives to visit me at my property and if you do so, then you will be liable to damages for a tort of trespass and action will be taken, including but not limited to, police attendance.

 

Please treat this also as a formal complaint, and send me a copy of your company complaints procedure.

 

Be advised that any further telephone calls from your company will be recorded.

 

I await your written confirmation that this matter is now closed.

 

Otherwise I will have no option but to make a complaint to the trading standards department and consider informing the OFT of your actions.

 

I look forward to your reply.

 

Yours faithfully

[haybuck]

Thanks, Berry. I've added a sentence to the CCA request to say that I'll only communicate in writing from now on. I'll hold the rest of your letter in reserve for when I get their response. If they send me another "Notice of Intended Visit" they'll get it. I'm sure they won't be able to furnish a copy of the original agreement, at least within the time limit.

[haybuck]

God, I'm seething! Just had a call from the Scottish Female at home, at 7:30 in the evening, claiming that she hadn't received my letter and demanding to know if I'm going to pay. I've just checked the recorded delivery details and it was delivered yesterday. She's either lying or it's stuck in their internal system. Apparently I'm going straight to Litigation now!

[Desperate Daniella]

Someone at AIC lying to you? How could you possibly think that? Shame on you!

 

DD

[ODC]

Just had a call from the Scottish Female She's either lying or it's stuck in their internal system. On the laws of probability I would say the first one Apparently I'm going straight to Litigation now!

and shes going straight to Cloud cuckoo land

[mr.ton]

God, I'm seething! Just had a call from the Scottish Female at home, at 7:30 in the evening, claiming that she hadn't received my letter and demanding to know if I'm going to pay. I've just checked the recorded delivery details and it was delivered yesterday. She's either lying or it's stuck in their internal system. Apparently I'm going straight to Litigation now!

 

1st - anymore phone calls you receive, refuse to answer the security questions.

2nd - threaten the silly cow with the police for harrassment (not 999 at the moment)

3rd - tell her that she has no legal authority whatsoever & to get lost

[noomill060]

From now on you refuse to speak to them.

 

Refuse to confirm your indentity when they ring. Tell them to put everything in writing, thank them for their call and hang up. Do theis everytime.

 

NEVER EVER speak to them. Ever.

 

They will fill your head with nonsense.

 

Also send the original creditor - Barclays a SAR for all data they have on you. It will cost you £10, but is gold dust for info which will enable you to have all unlawful charges, miss sold PPI and all interest levied on these charges removed from the alleged debt.

 

You will have to start a small claim for this, but once they have a summons, you will be suprised how quickly they wind their necks in.

 

Remember- stop talking to them.

[sillygirl1]

Sorry to hear of your problems.

 

I agree with ScabHunters post above (and will click their scales) - the threats to make you bankrupt are not in their favour at all, they will likely get a pittance, and you will be free of their hassle.

 

In fact I think the more bankruptcies that happen, the more the official receivers will realise what a nasty shower the DCAs are and be able to have their licences removed...

 

If you do get another phone call from the Scottish Lady get a recording of 'Bluebells of Scotland' or other similar songs and leave it next to the phone. You can get tape recorders for next to nothing now, (or an MP3 player which plays out loud, or an old phone..) Play it to them whenever they call and walk away from the phone...

[noomill060]

Berrer still, play her this!

 

YouTube - Will Fyfe "I Belong To Glasgow"

[missdpd]

AIC are low life, I too had the bankruptcy threats and was laughed at by them down the phone, whipped off a letter to them stating all communication in writing only and any more harassment and i would report them, had 2 phone calls since but not returned them, been quiet now for about a week and i have just today sent them an Account in Dispute letter to go read in their coffee break, whos laughing now

[haybuck]

Here's the latest. A letter has just arrived from them threatening legal action. It's dated 28th Jan which is when SHE phoned last. It's entitled "OUT OF COURT SETTLEMENT" and states that AIC are prepared to make an offer of settlement. Funny that! SHE has been insisting that they'll settle for nothing less than the full whack. No figure is mentioned so I'll drop them a line to see what they have to say for themselves. The CCA request is now on working day number 5.

[ScabHunter]

Typical DCA tactic.

 

They buy up these debts in bulk for pennies on the pound, and go in hard with as many threats and much pressure as possible, in an attempt to extract as much revenue as they can from their pressured victims.

 

When someone stands up to them, they look for a quick and easy out which gives them their money back, plus a bit extra, and frees up their time so they can go and harass the next poor unfortunate they pick on.

 

They are clearly looking for that quick exit now they have been challenged. It seems very unlikely that they will be able to produce an enforceable agreement, but you can never be totally sure. It is obvious they haven't got one at the moment.

 

Let the other 7+2 days roll on. By all means try to get a figure on their offer, but don't expect it to be one you will want to take them up on.

 

Needless to say, if you ever did want to accept a full and final settlement offer, be VERY careful not to allow them a loophole where they can come at you again, or sell on the balance to the next shower of rogues.

 

SH

[haybuck]

Thanks Hunter. You know, the really funny thing is that I don't think SHE had seen my CCA letter. This is obviously a standard response at this stage of proceedings. It all starts with the postcard (wish you weren't here!), then the phone calls, and now this. Anyway, the ball's in their court now. Let's see what they come back with.

[Pinky69]

Don't trust any settlement offer from AIC. They take the money then sell waht is left to another DCA - fact. If they don't produce an agreement, let them go hang themselves.

[ScabHunter]

Don't trust any settlement offer from AIC. They take the money then sell waht is left to another DCA - fact. If they don't produce an agreement, let them go hang themselves.

 

I suspect that is rather sensible advice.

 

SH