Mackenzie Hall. Do any of you know of them?

[Gaz Webber]

Reading some of the other topics here, I have been prompted to mention the following, in the hopes of setting my mind at ease.

 

In the first week of January this year, I received a letter from the above company, reading as follows:

 

 

TELEGRAM MESSAGE-LEGAL MATTER IMPORTANT

 

Call before noon 4th January 2006. We need to speak to you urgently. Ask to speak to and quote reference . Thank you. This is not a circular or junk mail.

 

I rang the number, and spoke to a fairly pleasant scots lass, who asked me if I used to live at another address. The address was the house I shared with my now ex wife for fifteen years, before a none-too-pleasant parting of the ways in October 1999. I moved from there with virtually nothing, and into a series of hostels etc until I got my life sorted out.

 

She said the letter was in order to trace me to repay a debt of over four thousand eight hundred pounds.

 

Now, to my certain knowledge I have never owed anyone that sort of money. Also, I have never heard of the company, and I have not lived at that address for over six years, and can prove this.

 

Her initial reaction was that it may well be a case of identity theft, and she would get the information from said company and send it to me.

 

I heard nothing, so I rang them again last week, and re explained the situation. The woman I spoke to said *No matter how long you've been gone, you have to pay this*, although she had not yet received the information from the company claiming I owe them this.

 

As far as I understand it, nobody has contacted me for over six years, so whatever the situation I am covered by the six year rule no matter what, although, as I say, I have no recollection of borrowing this sum.

 

Ideas?

Suggestions?

Anyone heard of anything similar?

[mcuth]

If there's been no contact with them for 6 years, no payments have been made on the debt for 6 years, and no acknowledgement of the debt by yourself during this time, then it's more than likely statute barred. Have a look at this page for more info and a sample letter to send.

 

Since a lot of people still don't know about the statute of limitations, these collection agencies will try anything in a desperate attempt to get any money out of you at all :twisted:

 

HTH

 

Cheers

 

Michael

[Gaz Webber]

Thanks for that.

 

It certainly puts my mind at rest. I almost look forward to getting a reply from this group now.

Of course, if it is identity theft, which I kind of suspect, then things may get more confusing.

[Seminole]

My advice would be to stop ringing them and let them write to you providing details and demanding payment. It is in the nature of their "profession" to lie and use extreme pressure techniques in telephone calls to persuade and intimidate people. Moreover, Mackenzie Hall work at the fag end of this particular market.

 

If they do eventually write, post back here or pm me and I'll run through how to deal with them.

[Gaz Webber]

My advice would be to stop ringing them and let them write to you providing details and demanding payment. It is in the nature of their "profession" to lie and use extreme pressure techniques in telephone calls to persuade and intimidate people. Moreover, Mackenzie Hall work at the fag end of this particular market.

 

If they do eventually write, post back here or pm me and I'll run through how to deal with them.

 

 

My thanks.

I was actually tempted to bill them for my time

I assume from your less than flattering comments that you are aware of them?

[Seminole]

I've never dealt with them personally but I have seen them mentioned lots of times elsewhere.

[Nightmare4banks]

Hi all!

 

Gaz,my friend...

 

About 10 years ago somebody attempted to obtain a bank account in my name - I have a feeling it was a fellow resident/friend of a resident that lived in the same block of flats.

 

Listen to this...

 

I was declined for bank account with a bank(First Direct) that I had already had an account with!AMAZING BUT TRUE!!

 

So when I opended the envelope addressed to myself with the refusal for the opening of the account I phoned the bank and demanded to find out more information and told them that if the bank does not destroy the application and its contents I would sue them under The Data Protection Act - as this bank(First Direct) declined to give me information about this application.In otherwords First Direct was telling me that I was not allowed to know what the person who was trying to impersonate me had told First Direct!

 

Anyway,First Direct started to panic as there was a real flaw in their security system,so the records of the bank account application were removed and destroyed.

 

So,what I am trying to say here is that if anyone has tried to steal/has stolen your identity I would consider that a fundamental flaw in the bank's security system and you could bring the bank to account under The Data Protection Act and in my view not statute barred provided that the data is still live - in otherwords held on data files which themselves are not statute barred - they go back up to 6 years.

 

Gaz,mate I hope you find this information useful.

 

If you have any more questions,please feel free to ask.

 

Let us know how you get on.

 

All the best!

[gothicf0rm]

ive heard about mackenzie hall before, they specialise in fishing letters to try and get statute expired debt. ignore their claim completely. write to them informing them that -

 

1) you do not owe this money and never have

2) even if you did it would have expired by now

3) if they contact you again you will complain to the relevant bodies

4) if you have to contact them again to try and resolve this having already stated 1 and 2 you will charge them for your time.

5) they do not have your permission to hold personal data on you. request it be deleted from their systems immediately.

 

it is also unlawful for a collection agency to try and claim the law is something when it isnt. if they do so complain to trading standards. if they continue to harass you about a statute barred debt complain to trading standards.

[Gaz Webber]

I love this site. It empowers the little guy. I have the urge to put my underpants on over my jeans, tie a tablecloth round my neck and run round the Banking Sector in Coventry yelly *Have at you, you Wunch!*

But I am on strong medication

[BankFodder]

I agre withthe poster who say ignore it.

 

Ignore it. Do not respond in anyway. Did you give any of your current deatils.

Even by calling, you have confirmed to them that they are able to access you.

 

If you believe that you have been the victim of identity theft then you should get a CRA disclosure - and even that you should try to have sent to some independent address.

[Gaz Webber]

I agre withthe poster who say ignore it.

 

Ignore it. Do not respond in anyway. Did you give any of your current deatils.

Even by calling, you have confirmed to them that they are able to access you.

 

If you believe that you have been the victim of identity theft then you should get a CRA disclosure - and even that you should try to have sent to some independent address.

 

Unfortunately they already have my current address, as they sent the *telegram* to me at this adress in the first place.

 

I have made no attempt to hide my current address, and my ex, who I believe still lives at the old address, should have been able to supply them with this address if they had asked. Unless she just fired the letters back *Not known at this address*

 

Until they let me know what is going on I really have no idea. I will, however, ignore them until they do contact me. And then I'll let you all know.

[BankFodder]

And let us know before you respond to them. It may be nest that you only repsond if you receive a clim.

However, do a credit check on yourself.

[Gaz Webber]

And let us know before you respond to them. It may be nest that you only repsond if you receive a clim.

However, do a credit check on yourself.

 

I have done. There seems to be nothing untoward within the last six years. And the site successfully tracks my last two addresses, so I have not been hidden from anyone looking...

[Gaz Webber]

And let us know before you respond to them. It may be nest that you only repsond if you receive a clim.

However, do a credit check on yourself.

 

I have done. There seems to be nothing untoward within the last six years. And the site successfully tracks my last two addresses, so I have not been hidden from anyone looking...

 

Should have said, one address for two years, one for four...I've not been addrss jumping or anything

[Bookworm]

I love this site. It empowers the little guy. I have the urge to put my underpants on over my jeans, tie a tablecloth round my neck and run round the Banking Sector in Coventry yelly *Have at you, you Wunch!*

But I am on strong medication

 

Might need to up the dosage, Lady Godiva!

[Gaz Webber]

I love this site. It empowers the little guy. I have the urge to put my underpants on over my jeans, tie a tablecloth round my neck and run round the Banking Sector in Coventry yelly *Have at you, you Wunch!*

But I am on strong medication

 

Might need to up the dosage, Lady Godiva!

 

Have you checked the weather round here?

It is -2!

If you honestly think i am going to ride some four legged hay-burner, whilst clad in a suit I've had for 45 years and definitely needs ironing, then you are crazier than I am.

Here, have some of my medication

[Gaz Webber]

Had a text from this eminent institution today, which read *Ring Dave at Mackenzie hall (sic) immediately, quoting reference *number* .

 

I was not too impressed with the demand, but I rang anyway, and quoted the reference. The young lady (I assume it was not Dave who answered the phone) asked me my name and address. When I told her she said *Oh, that reference is coming up as a Mr Foo of Bar address*

 

Now, forgive me for thinking this, but surely a debt recovery company is bound by the data protection act? Surely, therefore, they are required by law *not* to disclose other people's names and full addresses?

[Guest Lueeze]

WHAT ARE THOSE IDIOTS DOING?????

 

I would just ignore them!

 

Fools!

[Gaz Webber]

The more I think about this, the more peeved I am!

I am going to email and snail-mail their head orifice today, informing them of their breech of Data Protection, and then, if I do not get a worthwhile reply I am going to contact the relevent authorites, and put the boot in.

What a wunch!

[BotB]

Parasites. That's all they are - serve no purpose to anyone but themselves.

 

A debt is statute barred usually after 6 years - 12 years if it was secured on land. BUT if you acknowledge it, the clock starts running again for another 6 years. I wouldn't trust these people as far as I could throw them, assuming I could with the proverbial bargepole.

 

There's a new (for me) little trick that certain companies are getting up to now in league with their DCA poodles. They don't bother with Court, they know they'd get kicked out. So they register a default against you with their other poodle, the Credit Reference Agencies. So there's another reason to hang up the phone if you get calls like this. Tell them nothing.

[surreyscouse]

Alright Gaz,

 

Just checked this company out, not very big at all, just ignore them. If they ever issue court procedings then I would have a look into counter claiming for distress.

 

You could always find out where the directors live and give them a hard time at home as well !!!!!

[Gaz Webber]

It's not the *claim* they think they have against me that is worrying me. I know it is either identity theft or statute barred. What is burning me is their cavalier attitude to the Data protection Act.

What I should have done is made a note of Mr Foo's address and written to him explaining that the **** are handing out his name left right and centre, and leave him to deal with it...

[mortuk2k]

Hi,

 

I've had a similar experience with this company. Completely out of the blue they sent demands for something in the region of £900 for a debt incurred with Royal Bank of Scotland. I've never knowingly had any credit from RBS and certainly know I don't owe anyone £900. However the letter was written in such a way as to cause some significant panic, so I did some digging about.

 

I found information suggesting they were in the business of fishing for statute barred debts and or previously settled debts and firing off speculative demands. The tactic seems to be they include a very generous offer of settlement or small monthly standing order payments in the hope that people will simply acknowledge and accept the terms for a quiet life.

Having scoured my archives I satisifed myself there was no way I owed the money so I simply ignored them. I was advised by a third party to send a dpa request demanding written evidence of the debt (without acknowledging the debt itself), but decided to simply ignore so as not to 'acknowledge' my existence at the address they had.

 

After two more letters I never heard anything more, this was over a year ago now.

[deeian]

Have had similar letters from a company called Nelson Guest and Partners requesting payment of a 5 year old debhat I have no recollection of. Rang them and requested that they sent me a copy of the original credit agreement with my signature on. Funny but they couldn't provide it. Received one more threatening letter which I ignored. Last letter from them was over a year ago.

[BankFodder]

You should not repsond to these people. They are just trying to get confirmation of your address and that you are who they think you are.

 

The reason that their tactic works is simply because people are so curious that they can't bear not to respond ot to try and lord it over the company a bit - but in fact as soon as you pick up the phone and quote the reference, the letter or card has done its job.

 

Leave it alone. Don't repsond.