Advanced Investigation Services - anyone?

[pershing]

I had a letter from these clowns about some BT bill. They sent it to the address the BT account was supposedly in, I guess that took a lot of specialist locating of people. The only thing is I don't live their and haven't for the last 3 years. Every other DCA knows exactly where to contact me.

[andrew1]

I had a letter from these clowns about some BT bill. They sent it to the address the BT account was supposedly in, I guess that took a lot of specialist locating of people. The only thing is I don't live their and haven't for the last 3 years. Every other DCA knows exactly where to contact me.

 

[James1982]

I've just had a letter from this Advanced Investigation Services/Clanchatton Birmingham Limited. They are threatening a Home Collection visit, which I am replying by letter to and telling them they can't because I have no wish to make an appointment with them. Furthermore I've checked out their licence and it states they are not licenced to Canvass off trade Premises, which means visiting me at home is on breach of their licence! Oooops, time to report this to the OFT! Victory for the debtors. I'm going to inform AIS about my find and I think they'll soon back away!

 

Regards

 

James

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

They are not canvassing for customers

by visiting you, that's their business looking

for debtors or others, and is not a breach

of any regulation whatsoever.

They advertise for customers probably

on inter business web sites.

[Rittster]

Ive just received a postcard from AIS to "The Occupier" at my address...

 

Postcard reads

"Miss Perkins has been trying

to contact this address.

 

Please call 01527 572409

 

Quote Ref

 

Reverse charges"

 

Eh!?!

 

How do I go about reporting them to the OFT?

[ScarletPimpernel]

Send an email to [email protected], marked for the attention of the Consumer Credit Licencing Fitness Team.

[sillygirl1]

Their website is

 

http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk for Office of Fair Trading

http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk for Trading Standards

 

Sending these postcards is frowned upon.... communicating in an unclear manner and in a way that breaches the data protection act.

[reallyinthecrap]

just had a similiar letter from them relating to a BT debt.

 

I 100% dispute £70 of the £231.06 they are chasing on behalf of BT.

 

I explained this as best I could to BT but they refused to budge and now have passed the issue to these people.

 

Their correspondence is frankly a disgrace.

 

to talk to them, you have to call a premium rate number, which even from a landline is 10p a min.

their email adress is "btadmin@"....

 

it even says, about BT "Whilst they (BT) reserve the right to issues proceedings, we have at this stage been instructed to pass out papers to our field agents who may arrange for a collection officer to visit you at the above address regarding settlement or realistic payments"

 

and as so many people have said at the bottom the letter says

 

"specialis in locating people at their home adress".....

 

so. as i dispute the amount they claim. any tips?

 

any help would be much appreciated...

 

Trev

[andrew1]

to talk to them, you have to call a premium rate number, which even from a landline is 10p a min.

their email adress is "btadmin@"....

 

contact the OFT about the quote above as the OFT Guidelines do not like premium rate numbers for people who, if are in debt already, need to pay these objectionable charges. There is no need to profiteer from someone's difficulties and the OFT take a dim view.

 

Secondly, write to the DCA and put your account into dispute officially. Then they cannot take enforcement action until it is resolved from what I understand or at least addressed your complaints. CC in BT, tell them what you believe to be the situation and ask them in writing to provide a full breakdown of the debt they allege is owed.

 

You could pay to BT the amount which is not in dispute and state that the remainder is disputed until the amount has been identified and accepted as due. That way, should these dross do anything stupid with legal paperwork at least you have cleared the undisputed amount.

 

Complain to the OFT anyway about the first issue - that is unacceptable. [email protected]

 

HTH

 

A1

 

As a matter of interest, I recently received a message from Thames Water about a balance which dates back to when my business had problems and they told me that the debt had been passed out to a DCA. The DCA wrote a snotty letter as they do and I phoned Thames Water and told them " I don't DO DCA's" I said I'd make an arrangement with Thames Water with no problem at all, but I will never deal with a DCA. ( I have a history some on here might know) They made the arrangement under a DD and that was that - not another squeak.

Edited January 4, 2012 by andrew1