Disabled Veteran Harrassed for 4yrs by DCA for debt of unknown person

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

I have found MPs very helpful on many occasions.

[dadofholly]

You would have to tick that all important box that asks if they can share data amongst their group whe entering into any contract or agreement with any of them.

 

On many occasions they now use the trick of saying tick the box only if you do not want to share data.

[give them FA]

I know you said there were difficulties Stu, but could not the problems be solved simply with a change of phone number?

 

Also, how do you respond when these people call? If I get a call (VERY rare these days) I just tell them very politely, "Sorry, you have the wrong number" and no-one has ever called back... Do you respond aggressively? because it's a Police maxim that people who reply aggressively are guilty, and maybe the impression is being given that you are covering up, even if that isn't actually the case?

Edited January 23, 2012 by give them FA

[Bazooka Boo]

What?

A police maxim?? Never heard of such a thing?

 

MP's are a proven method of getting issues sorted sooner rather than later, that is what they are there for, to provide you with a service, get onto his local MP, show them all the evidence to date and have them raise the issue in the commons.

Each and every time they contact him, he should log it as another formal complaint with his MP the OFT & his local trading standards.

[theghost]

There is no harm in writing to an MP and if you think it will help then by all means go for it - I just wouldn't expect or rely them to be able to change your position - but it would be a bonus if they could do so. They don't really have the power to force anyone to do anything in general terms as far as I know).

 

In one of my previous jobs at a Council we recieved letters now and again from MPs on behalf of their constituents who didn'tl ike somehting we had done. It made no difference at all, we had made our decision (most often decided by law anyway) and an MPs letter couldn't make a difference.

 

I also know of a situation whereby an MP wrote in on behalf of their constituent who was being prosecuted by the Council and suggested that they were not prosecuted and it was a waste of the Councils time. Of course he was only going on what his constituent had told him and probably had no idea of the whole story.

 

As Op already has contact with TS over this matter I would be inclined to see what they can do.

[Bazooka Boo]

This isn't the council is it?

 

On the flip side of the coin and in a more positive note, I had a brush with the law one evening, stopped, searched and detained, once they had let me go, the first person I got in touch with was my local MP, who the very same day, got in touch with the chair of the Professional Standards Department, the chief constable for the force in question, and the chair of the police authority.

Lo and behold, in less time than it would have normally taken someone to go through the whole IPCC process, I was sat down discussing the events with the chief inspector within 7 days.

 

It is easy to contact your MP, you can do it online http://www.writetothem.com/ if they can't help, they will signpost you to someone, not simply CAB, they will forward you contact details of who you should contact in order to escalate your complaint and go to resolving it.

 

But IMO, I seriously think that by continuing to correspond with any of them over this is not doing any favours whatsoever, he owes nothing so cannot be taken to court, log everything, make the complaints, and simply ignore them.

[theghost]

I spose MPs are morel ikely to have sway with public bodies than they are with private companies. Private companiesl ike DCAs can tell the MP to get stuffed - whats he gonna do?

 

If your main complaint is unwanted contact from a DCA then surely ignoring them is counter productive?

 

All it means is that they will continue to write and call due to a lack of feedback - they will just assume the person is hiding.

[Bazooka Boo]

It's been going on for two years!

Ignoring them would be the least I would be doing now, failing that RTS the letters and stick them back in the post, you can't tell me you answer the door to strangers and then give them the time of day when you find out they are cold callers flogging you pegs?

I'd like to see private companies such as DCA's tell anyone to get stuffed! Least of all an MP, the CEO's feet wouldn't touch the ground....

[dadofholly]

I spose MPs are morel ikely to have sway with public bodies than they are with private companies. Private companiesl ike DCAs can tell the MP to get stuffed - whats he gonna do?

 

If your main complaint is unwanted contact from a DCA then surely ignoring them is counter productive?

 

All it means is that they will continue to write and call due to a lack of feedback - they will just assume the person is hiding.

 

And your helpful advice to the OP would be?

[give them FA]

Totally unclear to me what you would expect an M.P. to do, they will normally only deal with complaints against Govt departments or public bodies, they have no jurisdiction at all over private companies? I don't know who your respective M.P.s are, but they are a very variable quantity and you would be extremely fortunate if you had one who would ask questions in the House over what is, in the global sense, a very minor matter. I don't want to trivialise it because it is doubtless annoying; but I think it will be seen as being on a par with receiving the unsolicited junk the postman brings in most mornings.

 

My helpful advice to the OP is as above.

 

"Sorry you have the wrong number" and hang up. I can confirm from experience that it works perfectly! I think his mistake is to talk to them. That only encourages them. If they can't engage you in conversation then they know they are wasting their time calling you. As I say been there done it.

Edited January 23, 2012 by give them FA

[stu007]

Hi All

 

Veteran has sent letters on 12th Jan to Lowells, Motormile Finance UK Ltd and ChequeCentre UK and is still awaiting a response will get copies and post up as soon as i can to keep you all updated.

 

Veteran has asked me to say 'THANK YOU TO ALL AT CAG FOR YOUR VALUABLE ADVICE AND SUPPORT WHICH HAS BEEN UNBELIEVABLE AND UNEXPECTED, EVERYONE SHOULD BE PROUD OF THE HELP THEY GIVE'.

[dadofholly]

Totally unclear to me what you would expect an M.P. to do, they will normally only deal with complaints against Govt departments or public bodies, they have no jurisdiction at all over private companies? I don't know who your respective M.P.s are, but they are a very variable quantity and you would be extremely fortunate if you had one who would ask questions in the House over what is, in the global sense, a very minor matter. I don't want to trivialise it because it is doubtless annoying; but I think it will be seen as being on a par with receiving the unsolicited junk the postman brings in most mornings.

 

My helpful advice to the OP is as above.

 

"Sorry you have the wrong number" and hang up. I can confirm from experience that it works perfectly! I think his mistake is to talk to them. That only encourages them. If they can't engage you in conversation then they know they are wasting their time calling you. As I say been there done it.

 

Always complain to your MP.

 

Who is it sits on House of Commons Committees? makes the laws of the land, can gain the ear of regulators. They are not miracle workers but they do carry some weight - and the more times you complain to MP's the OFT and Consumer Direct etc. the more pressure gets put on to take action against these people - so complain to everyone.

 

Ignoring them is also good advice - so do both.

[Bazooka Boo]

Stu, once the Vet has had a reply from all of the above, file it away under ignore, there is absolutely no point in continuing to play letter tennis with them, regardless of others defeatist advice, make those complaints, you will be very surprised at the outcome believe me.

 

There is no further need to keep corresponding with any of these clowns, give a dog a bone and it will keep coming back, if they are as foolish as others (?) and seriously believe that by ignoring them this is some how indicative of his guilt, then more fool them and let them waste their time money and reputation in court.

 

It is never going to happen, they are simply only too chuffed that someone continues to write to them and feels they have some sort of moral obligation to reply to letters and phonecalls, he doesn't, there is NO legal obligation to even read what is posted through your door least of all respond to it.

[give them FA]

"His" guilt? I thought the debtor was female? So any court proceedings wouldn't affect our friend anyway. Perhaps I am a little more cynical than you, Bazooka. It seems to me that Stu is expending a lot of time trouble and postage stamps, and what, at the end of the day, will he get in return? O.K. if he likes the crusade, let him have some fun- but I don't see that anything will result. I sincerely hope you are right and I am wrong, and it's not often I say that!

[dadofholly]

gtfa

 

It's not just what we get ourselves it is what we can do to help others too. Thats why a weight of complaints is important. If we let these people act this way they will continue to do so.

 

Companies do get warned, fined and even closed down by weight of complaints.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Totally unclear to me what you would expect an M.P. to do, they will normally only deal with complaints against Govt departments or public bodies, they have no jurisdiction at all over private companies? I don't know who your respective M.P.s are, but they are a very variable quantity and you would be extremely fortunate if you had one who would ask questions in the House over what is, in the global sense, a very minor matter. I don't want to trivialise it because it is doubtless annoying; but I think it will be seen as being on a par with receiving the unsolicited junk the postman brings in most mornings.

 

My helpful advice to the OP is as above.

 

"Sorry you have the wrong number" and hang up. I can confirm from experience that it works perfectly! I think his mistake is to talk to them. That only encourages them. If they can't engage you in conversation then they know they are wasting their time calling you. As I say been there done it.

 

I have had considerable help from MPs they will certainly intervene in any

matter that is detrimental to theiir constituents private companies, organisations

and GOV departments.

[give them FA]

Yes, I know. But the problem here appears to be that it is not a single DCA is persisting in threats and demands, after being told they have the wrong person. So far as I understand the story, and correct me if I am wrong, they telephone the number they were given, they are told it isn't valid, and they go away. It's difficult to raise a complaint about that annoying though it may be. Yes its a problem that although the DCA has gone away a different one then takes up the cudgel. Short of a change of law I am not sure what you expect to happen. To that degree I suppose previous contributors are right, if you are lucky enough to have an energetic and sympathetic MP he might galvanise the OFT into action to vclose the loophole; I didn't have much luck with mine, but then, he was a Tory.

[stu007]

Hi all

 

well here is the letters that the veteran has sent, i do understand your thought of ignoring these DCAs but he has tried this and all they do even if told its the incorrect number the DCAs all promise to remove number but fail to do so thus its passed onto the next DCA.

 

So he feels writing to them to get confirmation in writing and gathering more evidence of these DCAs strong arm tactics to innocent victims its about time someone took a stand against them and how they are breaking so may gudielines and acts.

 

here are the PDF of the letters he has sent on 12th Jan 2012 recorded delivery which have all been recieved but to date no response.

 

* Lowells PDF - Is veterans response to Lowells letter

* Motormile Finance PDF - Same debtor different debt.

* Cheque Centre UK PDF - Copy of Motormile complaint sent to Cheque Centre as Motormile stated they were the Client.

[stu007]

It also gets better

 

Today the veteran recieved a call from WFS and he requested to know the companies full name and just not an abbreviation, the call handler refused and repeated WSF so veteran further request full companies name the response was

 

"This is personal information and we do not need to give out that information only WFS".

 

Veteran queried this info and call handler procedeed to state "this is personal information and under the Data Protection Act we do not need to give that information".

 

Veteran requested to know which part of DPA refers to this and pointed out that they were in breach of OFT Guidance on debt collection and yes they do have to give the companies name. The call handler refused

 

Veteran then contacted there complaints dept and the female call handler from a complaints dept procedeed to state the exact same and when further questrioned on DPA and OFT breaches hung up - GOOD COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT!!!

 

So as you can guess they are now going to get and official complaint as well all the more evidence of DCA incompetence and trying to use laws to get out of there incompetance.

 

To be honest after all the help and advice from CAG he is absolutely loving getting all this evidence against these DCAs because as he puts it if this is the way these companies operate to someone completely INNOCENT with no debt to these companies god help the poor individuals that do own them a debt with there agressive intimidating tactics as these people are as bad as illegal doorstep loan sharks but are getting away with it.

Edited January 24, 2012 by stu007

[dadofholly]

Have you got the number of wfs?

 

(wfs - used to be a common abreviation for welcome financial services - but Welcome would give the full name).

[stu007]

Hi dadofholly

 

Yes he has got the number and recording but even there complaints dept refused full name and quoted the same DPA hed did callback and get another person at the same dept totally different attitude full of remorse bit to late if you ask me Welcome Finance.

[dadofholly]

was it welcome finance then? Must have been a local branch - send them the telephone harrasment letter to their head office. Never deal with Welcomes branches they are just collection/harrasmnet monkeys.

 

If not put the number up and we can dig a bit. Sod it put the number up anyway - we can call them and put them right on various points of law.

[stu007]

Hi

 

Its the idiots Edinburgh Branch but got same response from there head office complaints dept and attitude then hung up on when he started pointing out there errors and breaches of DPA and OFT they really didnt like someone that knows there rights.

 

To confirm it was as he also checked there website then he rang the Edinburgh branch and there he was same call handler of initial call that refused to give companies name as its personal information under the Data Protection Act - What a load of BULL.

[dadofholly]

Report them to the OFT - they are begining to put a nice file together on Welcome.

[stu007]

Hi

 

Thanks for that but the veteran is actualy now proving that this problem is indusry wide in the Debt Collection Sector its not just one or two making errors or failing to follow Guidance and Law Acts but the whole Sector it really needs a good kick somewhere.

 

I fully understand they need to try and get these debts paid and there may be people the like giving them the run around, but there are also how many innocent vicitms chased due to complete incompetance of these companies and there will be people how through no fault of there own find themselves is this situation.

 

If the veterans experience is anything to go by and they treat innocent victims like a piece of dirt then you can be assured they are doing it to those who actually owe these debts and getting away with it for far too long.

 

Even when they know they are in the wrong they try and hide behind Acts of Parliment which any individual would probably not question or these people in such a vulnerable position they should all be held to account.

 

This Sector really needs to be to be Regulated so much better than present otherwise this will never change and these DCAs will just carry on without a care in the world as they are still doing.