First Credit sending letters to family members!

[ChrisD36]

Hi all.

 

Myself and my wife are having some `issues` with First Credit.

 

Basically, 2 weeks ago they started sending out letters to my mother in law regarding a debt we have with Citi Finance.

 

The thing is, my wife hasn't lived at that address for going on 18 years!

 

Also, neither First Credit OR Citi have written to us at OUR home address regarding any debt so why have they started to send them straight to my mother in laws address?

 

We presume it is to embarress us into contacting them which isn't working as my mother in law just puts them to one side and then gives them to us when we visit lol

 

Is this a new or old tactic by DCAs?

 

The other thing is, arent Citi or First Credit supposed to send to us a notice of assignment so we know who we are supposedly paying the debt too?

 

As mentioned on another thread, we dont have a telephone (only the line for broadband) so they cannot touch us that way thank goodness.

[BankFodder]

Have you seen this thread?

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?304977-MBNA-Link-Get-Caned

[odydog]

This may sound like a daft question but does Mum-in-law happen to have bank accounts with same lenders etc? Only asking as a friend of mine had a debt and they bank started taking money from his mothers account for his debt!!

You should recieve a notice of assignment from whoever is collecting on this debt but im sure someone with more knowledge will be along shortly..

[ChrisD36]

Hi bankfodder - yes I read that this morning and posted on another thread

 

Odydog - that was the first thing we thought but after asking her she said she doesnt have any history at all with Citi (never even heard of them!).

 

We think they have done some credit check, found out where my wife used to live (previous address) and decided to try their luck. No doubt they will start sending to my mums shortly lol

[Tootles1971]

Just checking......are the letters addressed to your wife or her mum?

[ChrisD36]

They are addressed to my wife but with her mums postal address.

[bernardski]

Are the letters regarding this addressed to your mother in law or addressed to your wife at your mother in laws address?? If they are addressed to your mother in law with regard to your wifes debt then im certain they are in breach of the Data Protection Act.

Sorry other posts fired in while i was typing

[Tootles1971]

OK. Just wanted to check as clearly if they were writing to her mum about her debts it would be a serious breach of Data Protection!

[brokebutnotbeatn]

I suggest if they are addressed to her daughter she should return to sender with 'not at this address' written on them; they'll be pfishing so might stop after a few of these. If they are addressed to her then some serious complaining is in order.

[Tootles1971]

Good to see that so many of us had the same thought

 

I think brokenotbeaten's suggestion of returning the letters is a good one too.

[harrassed senior]

You might want to check your Credit files too, as they may contain a 'linked address' which, after 18 years should definitely be removed.

[ChrisD36]

Thanks for all the replies

 

We have done just that and marked on the envelopes `not known at this address` and reposted them

 

Its been a few days since the last one arrived so hopefully they may have clicked on to the fact that they will get nowhere posting to the wrong address.

[rebel11]

What they are doing is against OFT Guidelines which can be found in the library, you should also e-mail a complaint to the OFT and send a copy of the response to them removing your e-mail address. Contact the ICO lodge a complaint. This is an 'Unfair Practice'.

[2Grumpy]

I get phone calls from DCAs asking to speak to my son.I know that my son used my phone number some time ago, but the bank in question had his mobile & his land line. Mobile is no longer any good, but they haven't tried his own landline ...