Visit from Scotcall

[Lady Python]

Over the past month, I have had numerous phonecalls from a mobile phone number I don't recognise (got the number by dialling 1471). No message left on my answerphone so, I just ignore them. (had a suspicion it might be from a DCA). My phone number is ex-directory but it seems that these parasites can somehow get hold of ex-directory numbers.

 

Anyway, I was out all day yesterday and didn't get home until 4am so slept very late into this afternoon. Comes down to find an envelope. In it, it contained a business card from Scotcall - complete with the same mobile phone number that keeps ringing me.

 

I suspect this is for an old debt which is either just gone past it's sell-by date or just coming up for it. I think it is for an old Barclaycard debt. If it is, then it has done the rounds of nearly every DCA in the country!

 

I have not been taken to Court.

 

They have threatened on the card to come back again (harrassment?)

 

My attitude to them is to go away in short, sharp, jerky movements. I will not contact them, talk to them or in any way be intimidated by them but they do seem to be getting rather desperate.

 

Even if I did admit such a debt, I do not have the means to pay a penny. I was widowed earlier this year and my late husband left me virtually penniless (he didn't have life insurance). I have to live on £300 a month which consists of my late husband's two small pensions and the Widows Pension (can never remember what the new name for it is). I've cut expenditure to the bone and am thankful at the moment it is not too cold so have kept my central heating off. Thankfully, I get most of my rent and council tax paid for me but it is still a struggle. There are very few jobs here, not even temporary jobs and being in my mid 50s doesn't help either. I don't seem to get past the application form stage!

 

I wish I could find a job as it would at least get me out of the house for a while. I started machine knitting again in the hope that I would be able to sell some knitwear. Sod's law, the machine broke down and is now in for repair. Anyway, I digress.

 

How to deal with ScotCall. Should I just carry on ignoring them and hope they get fed up and go and annoy someone else? Incidentally, I had the Barclaycard in 2004. For some reason they put a stop on the card before it had reached it's limit of £500 despite the fact I used to pay the balance always on time so the initial debt was just over £400. We fell into financial hardship and I couldn't pay the outstanding balance. The last time I had a DCAs letter about this was a year ago - they were claiming just over £800. Said letter went in the shredder.

 

It's been a horrible year and despite everything that's happened, I try to remain upbeat but I am starting to lose hope now. Things can only get better doesn't seem to be happening despite my best efforts

[padja]

right first get the letter (from the Library on here) that removes right of access to your property they have no right to enter or approach it. Next I would send the phone harassment letter to them to stop the phone calls. After they have been sent to Scotcall, lets see what happens (if its statute barred) I suspect they will leave you alone and move on however they may carry sending letters. Thats what I would do to them (and I have done it myself) and its amazing how they stop contacting you when it appears you have had advice and sent official letters to them. Dont ring them regardless of what they send or ask, always state you acknowledge no debt whatsoever.

[kurvaface]

Just ignore them.

 

If they want to waste their time visiting you, it wont cost you a penny.

 

Remember, they have no power.

 

Alternatively, you could send a text, a copy of which you keep, staing that you find their actions and calls to be harassment and should there be one more instance, you will contact the police for this criminal act and will seek compensation fro the distress caused. See Protection From HArassment Act 1997. It's very simple.

[Lady Python]

Just ignore them.

 

If they want to waste their time visiting you, it wont cost you a penny.

 

Remember, they have no power.

 

Alternatively, you could send a text, a copy of which you keep, staing that you find their actions and calls to be harassment and should there be one more instance, you will contact the police for this criminal act and will seek compensation fro the distress caused. See Protection From HArassment Act 1997. It's very simple.

 

Thanks Kurvaface - my sentiments exactly

[cerberusalert]

You've probably had a visit from a pensioner in a grubby mac who's trying to earn a few bob on a commission basis. He has no more rights to be on your property than a Pikey collecting scrap metal.

[dx100uk]

ignore snotcrawl

 

the most bottom fed feeder if there was one

 

its quite funny actually talking to Mr C.

 

he said he would come to john o'groats to doorstep me on a debt from 1983 once!

 

never has!

 

dx

[Lady Python]

You've probably had a visit from a pensioner in a grubby mac who's trying to earn a few bob on a commission basis. He has no more rights to be on your property than a Pikey collecting scrap metal.

 

Dammit! Now there's a job I could do...except I think I'd rather scrub toilets.

 

Poor as a church mouse yep, turning into a parasite - no.

 

Love the Snotcrawl name for them too LOL.

 

I have a feeling this creep might be back. Now, he'd better hope that he doesn't actually meet me.

 

He might think I'm tiny and a soft touch...he'd be thinking wrong. I was a taxi driver (nights) for many years and used to dealing with bullies.

 

No doubt I'll have a few more phonecalls next week. Really must invest in a Truecall:-D

[Lady Python]

Received another phone call from Snotcrawl today (didn't answer the phone - let the answerphone do that for me) so I'm now keeping a record of these calls and any more unauthorised visitations from their bully-boys. I'm quite happy to let them waste their time and phonecalls for a while...then I'll have playtime

[Lady Python]

Ah. Had yet another visit from Snotcrawl this afternoon. Didn't even hear him at the door as I was in the kitchen at the time. My German Shepherd heard him though and stuck his head through the catflap. Mr Pestcollector beat a hasty retreat

 

These people are really getting quite tiresome. Now wait for the barrage of phone calls again. They've been quiet since I last posted.

 

No doubt they'll be back. Twice now they've broken the law so, let them carry on for a while and I'll report them to the OFT.

[victoria_siempre]

Nice one LP

 

I send them'

 

"Both my dog and I have experience of doorsteppers and I have read your letter in full to my dog, who is acting as my agent in this matter, and all queries should be addressed to him c/o The Kennel at my usual address."

 

love

 

vic

[kurvaface]

My Post # 3 is dead serious.l

 

Harassment is a criminal Act.

 

If you have notified them that their calls and visits are deemed to be harassment and they continue, just once, they have broken the law. You can report this to the police.

 

The Law is very Clear and it also allows you to seek compensation through the courts for the distress caused.

 

Read The protection From Harassment Act 1997. send the text or write / email them.

[theghost]

IMO (and backed up by people who know their stuff) it wont be harassment if they keep contacting you but you keep ignoring them. You have to contact them first and tell them you cannot pay (if that is the case).

 

You can continue to ignore them if you want - as long as you are happy to keep recieving the calls/visits.

 

The way it looks at the moment (and would be defending in court) is that they were trying to contact a debtor who was refusing to admit/pay their debt and was deliberatley being evasive.

 

The first question the OFT/TS will ask you is why didn't you respond to the DCA - don;t forget they are not there to stop genuine debtors from engaging with DCAs, so you will get very little protection/assistance from them.

 

 

To add, I appreciate that the view on here is that if you admit the debt it will mean even more hassle - so you may not want to do that - but I don't think you can have your cake and eat it with regards to ignoring them and expecting them to get into trouble for trying to contact you.

[kurvaface]

I'm Sorry. The law is clear and concise. The harasser only needs to notified that their actions are harassment once. If repeated an offence has been committed.

 

It has nothing to do with what you can or cant pay but it has everything to do with what a reasnably minded person would deem to be harassment. Recently MBNA lost a case chasing 20K because of their telephone pestering of a debtor and they had to pay compensation.

 

 

1 Prohibition of harassment.E+W

(1)A person must not pursue a course of conduct—

 

(a)which amounts to harassment of another, and

 

(b)which he knows or ought to know amounts to harassment of the other.

 

(2)For the purposes of this section, the person whose course of conduct is in question ought to know that it amounts to harassment of another if a reasonable person in possession of the same information would think the course of conduct amounted to harassment of the other.

 

(3)Subsection (1) does not apply to a course of conduct if the person who pursued it shows—

 

(a)that it was pursued for the purpose of preventing or detecting crime,

 

(b)that it was pursued under any enactment or rule of law or to comply with any condition or requirement imposed by any person under any enactment, or

 

©that in the particular circumstances the pursuit of the course of conduct was reasonable.

 

 

2 Offence of harassment.E+W

(1)A person who pursues a course of conduct in breach of section 1 is guilty of an offence.

 

(2)A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or both.

[victoria_siempre]

Hi ghost and kurv

 

I think LP is on top of this.

 

I tend to agree with ghost in that OFT guidance permits a doorstep to arrange a doorstep and my initial tactic with Resolve/snot/call was to answer the door and politely say Foxtrot Oscar or I will call the police; however contrariwise, I react quite strongly to doorstep threats hence if snotcall can be agents for a DCA acting as agents for an OC, then it’s logically consistent for my dog to be my agent.

 

For the benefit of new readers:

 

1. There is nothing to fear from doorstoppers; the only thing to fear is fear itself

2. One needs to make clear that the scare tactic does not work; snotcall are on commission and the poor b*gger stepping is on payment by results only

3. One needs to hold the ‘owner’ of the alleged debt accountable and responsible for all this; and I like the EU Credit Directive 2010, that is underplayed by many; I have found that all DCAs, tame 75p solicitors for hire and doorsteppers back off sharply when challenged to produce a NOA as required by said Directive. (If I suspected an alleged debt had really been sold, I would deploy different tactics)

4. Then one reports the responsible CCLicence holder to OFT and makes a complaint to FOS and the ‘solicitor’ to SRA. There s little point advocating criminal law sanctions when PC plod views it as a ‘domestic’.

 

Just my thoughts of course, but it works for me.

 

love

 

vic

[victoria_siempre]

Hi ghost and kurv

 

I think LP is on top of this.

 

I tend to agree with ghost in that OFT guidance permits a doorstep to arrange a doorstep and my initial tactic with Resolve/snot/call was to answer the door and politely say Foxtrot Oscar or I will call the police; however contrariwise, I react quite strongly to doorstep threats hence if snotcall can be agents for a DCA acting as agents for an OC, then it’s logically consistent for my dog to be my agent.

 

For the benefit of new readers:

 

1. There is nothing to fear from doorstoppers; the only thing to fear is fear itself

2. One needs to make clear that the scare tactic does not work; snotcall are on commission and the poor b*gger stepping is on payment by results only

3. One needs to hold the ‘owner’ of the alleged debt accountable and responsible for all this; and I like the EU Credit Directive 2010, that is underplayed by many; I have found that all DCAs, tame 75p solicitors for hire and doorsteppers back off sharply when challenged to produce a NOA as required by said Directive. (If I suspected an alleged debt had really been sold, I would deploy different tactics)

4. Then one reports the responsible CCLicence holder to OFT and makes a complaint to FOS and the ‘solicitor’ to SRA. There s little point advocating criminal law sanctions when PC plod views it as a ‘domestic’.

 

Just my thoughts of course, but it works for me.

 

love

 

vic

[kurvaface]

I think your dog would make a far better agent than the OC's:-)

 

The nice thing about the 1997 act, is not the criminal element, because in my biased opinion they are all criminals so have no fear of it, but rather the civil element which allows you to take the harasser to court for compensation. Now that language, they do understand.

[DonkeyB]

However contrariwise, I react quite strongly to doorstep threats hence if snotcall can be agents for a DCA acting as agents for an OC, then it’s logically consistent for my dog to be my agent.

 

Brilliant!

[victoria_siempre]

Hi kurv

 

I totally agree that implying a criminal transgression may strengthen a civil claim; my response to telephone harassment at work is:

 

"You have telephoned me at work in a manner that appears to breach Office of Fair Trading and other regulatory bodies’ guidelines. I have verbally requested that you cease this breach; I reiterate that now. Your telephone calls have the effect of psychological harassment and act in a way that is likely to be publically embarrassing to me. Your telephone calls may jeopardise my continued employment and result in significant financial loss.

Should you choose to continue to breach regulatory guidelines and UK and EU law by telephoning me at work I will report your activities to the Office of Fair Trading and the Financial Ombudsmen Service and other relevant agencies."

 

This prepares the ground for a substantial claim.

 

And, thank you Donkey:-); it's merely the logic of the EU Directive, "We're all in this together", you clam money from me then you assume responsibility for my lawful consumer rights; they do not like this.

 

x

 

v

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

x

[ScarletPimpernel]

Snotcrawl's website makes a lot about their abiding by the CSA's meaningless code of practice, but is silent on its obligations under the law and its consumer credit licence. Just the sort of low standards we'd expect from the debt industry.

 

They're recruiting, too; apparently being a self-employed doorstepper provides an exciting opportunity to run your own business from home.

[victoria_siempre]

Hi SP

 

Quite, however the message we need to reinforce is that folk should not be afeared of them; I actually felt quite sorry for the chap who called. Once our people stop being afraid of this 'threat', it ceases to be a threat and assumes the status of an amusement within their computer generated danse macabre.

 

x

 

v

[theghost]

I'm Sorry. The law is clear and concise. The harasser only needs to notified that their actions are harassment once.

 

So has the OP notified the DCA that they consider this harassment?

 

Don't forget - the debt collection guidance etc mainly says what you CANNOT do - DCAs are within their rights to visit and call debtors to get money back. They are also within their rights to keep visiting a premise if no one (appears) to be there to try and make some contact.

 

It may well be harassment if they continue to door knock when the debtor has a valid reason for not wanting them to (or has told them not to) - but that doesnt seem to be the case in this situation.

[Loopy_lou31]

Hi

 

I have been reading this thread and finding a little daunting, I wonder if anyone can help me on this,

 

Our friends @ Scott Call have been harassing my parents for a settled debt, I haven't live at my parents address for the last 20 years and they are constantly calling my mum, who is 75, and threatening to come round their house. I have phoned them direct and they have all my details apart from my DOB, so I stupidly gave them this as I didn't want them to contact my parents any more.

 

I cannot see how they can have a debt at my parents house and have the audacity to keep calling them and basically threatening them.

 

Please can anyone advise if there is anything I can do to get them off my parents back and tell them to go away as mu mum is getting worried they might use force. All I want is the calls to stop

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Lou

[theghost]

As mentioned throughout the forum - they don't really have powers to do much if they visit in person - but obviously they could pressure your mum into paying.

 

Has your mum taken any steps to actually verify and confirm that no debt exists?

 

You say verified debt - is there paperwork to show the debt is settled and is it clear that it is the same debt that is being chased for?

 

Effectivley, 2 things will happen - they will either give up, or keep trying until your mum shows she owes nothing or pays the outsanding amount.

[Loopy_lou31]

Thanks Ghost,

 

The call centre is very childish and wont talk to me about my issue, as they haven't got the correct details. The reference has a name of the debt I use to have back in 1997, which was definately closed, however, I don't have any details of this debt anymore.

[cerberusalert]

If they haven't got the same details as yours they are chasing the wrong person and are breeching OFT guidelines. Both you and your parents need to complain to your respective Trading Standards.

 

If it is in fact your debt from '97 and nothing has been paid for a period of six years (five in Scotland) & no written admission of the debt it will be Statute Barred in any case.