UK debt being Chased in Australia

[greeno]

I'm sure you wouldn't mind posting a copy of this letter would you?

 

No personal details of course...just that it sounds a little off track for a CC company to unilaterally "suspend" your account on the basis of an unrelated entry on your credit file even although you aren't in arrears / dispute / default with them.

 

Healthy skepticism is just that

 

The salient points in the PDF :

We refer to the American Express''" Card mentioned above operated under your name, including any supplementary Cards.

Based upon information recently received from the credit reporting agency Veda Advantage Limited, , we are writing to advise you of two important changes that have been made to your American Express account(s):

1. Effective immediately, all American Express Cards held by you and your Supplementary Card holders will no longer available for use for a minimum period of 6 months. All charging priviieges on the Card(s) have been revoked;

2. The credit limit on your Account(s) may be reduced.

I was as surprised as you, since I've got a great credit history etc.

 

More than happy to provide more info if required.

Edited December 7, 2009 by greeno
Removed PDF attachment that had a few too many details in it

[ozzyboy]

Hi Greeno or should I say ***y (Remember to be be careful and remove all hidden links when posting documents!)

 

I notice the letter is dated October 1 2009 - I thought you said that you had received this within the last 3 weeks?

 

Presumably at some time in the past couple of months you've asked them what information they received? What did they say and more to the point why did VEDA take it upon themselves to bag you out to AMEX?

 

How is this related to P & B exactly - have they listed a default on your VEDA file?

[cornflakegirl]

Welcome to the PFF Greeno....it's a fun ride

 

How long ago was the last activity on your alleged "debt" Pie & Beer are trying to extract from you? I'm hoping it's been over 6 years, therefore statute-barred and unenforceable. Was it also with Sharkleycard?

[greeno]

Hi Greeno or should I say ***y (Remember to be be careful and remove all hidden links when posting documents!)

 

I notice the letter is dated October 1 2009 - I thought you said that you had received this within the last 3 weeks?

 

Presumably at some time in the past couple of months you've asked them what information they received? What did they say and more to the point why did VEDA take it upon themselves to bag you out to AMEX?

 

How is this related to P & B exactly - have they listed a default on your VEDA file?

 

 

Ooops, thanks

 

Yes, I did say weeks, that was the red wine talking, I meant months. It started in September, I asked Pie and Beer for more info and got (about 2 weeks ago) a few pages of a statement from Barclayshark from 2003.

 

I've not looked anything up on my credit file yet as I assumed Pie and Beer had listed the alleged UK stuff, I didn't know that they couldn't so didn't think to look it up.

 

Now that I'm back from holiday, I'm going to start the work.

[greeno]

Welcome to the PFF Greeno....it's a fun ride

 

How long ago was the last activity on your alleged "debt" Pie & Beer are trying to extract from you? I'm hoping it's been over 6 years, therefore statute-barred and unenforceable. Was it also with Sharkleycard?

 

Hey cornflakegirl.

 

I'm not 100% sure of the timing, it's certainly over 5 - 5 1/2 years, so I'm hopeful it's 6!

 

Yes, it was with Sharkleycard

 

Cheers

 

Greeno

[ozzyboy]

OK - starting to become clearer.

 

Assuming P & B have been up to their old tricks and have posted the old, possibly stat barred, Sharleycard debt on your file I'm still curious as to why;

 

1. VEDA contacted AMEX and
   
2. AMEX pulled the plug if there were no pre-existing problems with your account
   

Surely you must have asked them (Yes I know, don't call me Shirley)

[greeno]

OK - starting to become clearer.

 

Assuming P & B have been up to their old tricks and have posted the old, possibly stat barred, Sharleycard debt on your file I'm still curious as to why;

 

1. VEDA contacted AMEX and
   
2. AMEX pulled the plug if there were no pre-existing problems with your account
   

Surely you must have asked them (Yes I know, don't call me Shirley)

 

I haven't contacted AMEX yet, nor have I pulled down my credit file. I assumed (rightly so by the look of it) that the VEDA issue was from P&B and chasing it up would be fruitless until I'd resolved the underlying issue.

 

I don't use the AMEX card anyway, it's just a balance transfer special offer card, so it's not like I was losing out on anything.

 

Now that I see that the tactics used by P&B aren't legit, I'll certainly be following all of this stuff up.

[WA_Newman]

Greeno,

 

Two main things here:

 

1) Go to mycreditfile.com (VEDA) and sign up for your file plus the annual subscription service that notifies you of changes. Check what has been listed. Write to VEDA if there are any mistakes or listing of non-Australian debts and ask for removal. Once the listings have been removed contact American Express and explain that the VEDA listings were an error and have been removed.

 

2) The statements that you received will show payments. Have any payments been made in the last six years?

 

Now is the time to go on the offensive. Write to Pie & Beer requesting a complete statement of account of the alleged debt including the details of any fees and charges, copies of all statements from when you first opened the credit card account so that you can check the accuracy of the alleged amount being claimed, copies of the original credit agreement (which will show that it is covered by CCA 1974), and the letter of assignment of the alleged debt as required under UK and Australian Law. CC the letter to ASIC, FOS and The Privacy Commissioner stating that it is requirement under law for a creditor to provide you with this documentation for the alleged debts. Remind them that no further action can be taken on a disputed debt until proof of the debt can be established. Begin your letter with a clear statement that you do not acknowledge any debt. Do not sign the letter, just print your name.

 

Send the letter recorded delivery with proof of receipt. If you have not received copies of the documents within 30 days contact ASIC, The Privacy Commissioner and FOS and file a complaint against Pie & Beer. They already have plenty, but one more always comes in handy.

[ozzyboy]

Hi SeeVee,

I see you're back and viewing this thread at 9:30pm Sydney time.

Anything to add to the debate?

Sniff sniff...

[babybear39]

Troll

[dodgydebt]

yes babybear correct.

[murraygirl]

Hi guys

 

I emigrated to Oz about seven years ago, kept paying and using 2 UK credit cards until about a year ago when I just couldn't afford to do it anymore and I stopped. I emailed them and told them I could no longer pay but that I would repay if I could afford to do so at any time in the future. One I just stopped all repayments, the other I set up a standing order for ten pounds a month. (Way under the min payment required). Since 2002 I have had no property, no home, nothing of any kind in the UK. They would have known from conversations over the years many times that I live in Australia but were quite happy to keep mailing addresses on my files.

 

My daughter in the UK has just rung me to say that a DCA rang today. I don't actually know how they got that address and phone number as I've never used that as a mailing address but there we go, they rang. They got my 87 year old mother in law who is now very stressed, and then spoke to my daughter who lives at the same address.

 

I don't want my mother in law harassed, she wouldn't be able to cope with it. What should I do? My daughter took the number (which is an 0870 number, not sure if I can even call that from Oz) and the reference number but is now worried that they will keep on ringing there, or may even call there, even though I have never lived there! It is used as the mailing address for a non-connected UK bank account but that is rock solid and no debt concerns there, nor will there ever be.

 

Should I ring these people? If so, what should I say to them? I have read all the threads about selling on debt etc etc... I must admit I was a bit shocked to realise that it may now be actively chased in Australia, but thanks to you guys on here I am now well informed about that and will keep reading it.

 

But what can I do to stop them calling my family in the UK? My daughter did (unfortunately) tell them that she deals with any mail that goes to that address so she's probably compounded the problem... it's now up to me to try to deal with this as it's not their problem, it's mine, and I didn't expect them to have to deal with it!

 

By the way, the accounts in question were taken out years ago, and one of them wasn't actually opened with the credit card company now involved, but they've been taken over so many times that I've ended up with a credit card from a company that I never applied to in the first place. I guess that makes no difference.

 

In case it matters, I have dual British and Australian citizenship.

 

I look forward to your advice.

 

Murraygirl

[ozzyboy]

Hi Murraygirl

 

At the moment, your DCA issues are confined to the UK so I would suggest that you have a look at some of the existing posts concerning DCAs and the ways to get them to stop harassing your family - who are under absolutely no obligation to tell them anything.

 

There are numerous "Cease and desist" type templates for this that they might wish to use.

 

They didn't discuss any of your account details with either your M-I-L or your daughter did they?

 

As far as your debt being sold to an Australian DCA, I wouldn't worry too much. As you'll have read on this thread, the only one who appears to have tried it so far has landed themselves in Big trouble trying to enforce them.

[ozzyboy]

Hey greeno,

 

Have you heard back from AMEX yet about what VEDA was doing contacting them about your credit file?

 

Have you asked VEDA the same question?

[greeno]

Well, well, well.

 

I got a letter from P&B today saying my account has been 'written off' and I should expect no further communication from them.

 

Anyone else got so lucky?

 

Ozzy, I'm working on the AMEX stuff at the moment, I'll keep you posted.

[ozzyboy]

Go on - make our day and post that letter up here!

Well done - it will be interesting to hear what AMEX say about all this. Don't forget to tell all

[greeno]

As soon as I get home, I'll ensure it's all accurate and post it up. Should be in the next couple of hours.

[ozzyboy]

Cool - and remember to hide those details this time

[greeno]

OK, so it's not as great as I hoped. P&B were chasing 4 accounts and this is only for one of them, but it's a start.

 

Here's the letter (edited obviously, but only the personal bits)

http://bit.ly/7eWVpp

 

Anyone else had one of these?

[vint1954]

OK, so it's not as great as I hoped. P&B were chasing 4 accounts and this is only for one of them, but it's a start.

 

Here's the letter (edited obviously, but only the personal bits)

http://bit.ly/7eWVpp

 

Anyone else had one of these?

Have they removed the credit agency references.

[greeno]

Nope, not yet.

[thebrickie]

i havent but it would be nice

[vint1954]

Nope, not yet.

That's the next thing to press for then.

[expatdebtor]

Hello all PFF's... had a very interesting call from CEO of Pie and Beer today... begging and pleading my husband phone him to help reslove this whole matter... doesn't want to put us under stress blah blah blah... back and foot come to mind.... mind you I then nearly killed the local pizza delivery guy who accidentally pulled into our drive and I thought was a sherif come to serve a summons!!

[expatdebtor]

Hi Charles!