Threatening Text Message

[lancslucy]

Yesterday, I received this text message:

 

REMOVAL: lancslucy, I am due to CALL to your address NOW! To STOP ACTION call 01617381201 to make a token payment TODAY! Tyson McKenzie . CASE ID 6****

 

I can't reply as there is no 'valid recipient' - it doesn't come from a number that's displayed, just REMOVAL.

 

Suffice to say, no-one turned up. I'm not the sort of person who is easily intimidated, and I spend enough time reading CAG posts to know this joker has no power to enter my home or seize goods. However I do find the tone of this message needlessly threatening. I know it doesn't explicitly state they are attending to seize goods, but that it certainly what is implied.

 

Surely the name of the company should be displayed? I don't know who it's from or who this Tyson McKenzie is. I am in debt, but that doesn't justify some anonymous company texting me like this. Has anyone else had anything similar? Isn't this a breach of the guidelines that DCAs are supposed to work to?

[citizenB]

Hmm, we know who this is.. MT Collections - in connection with Capital One Finance.

 

No one will turn up - they have no remit to sieze goods - enter your home - sell the family silver.. no remit at all.

[BankFodder]

That number belongs to a company call Mcall who act at least for cash genie, wonga, maybe capital etc.

 

I'm sure that the rules require that their name is published but you need to double check

[rebel11]

Here are the OFT Guidelines on Debt collection:-

 

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/consumer_credit/OFT664Rev.pdf

[silverfox1961]

I rang them the other evening just to see what or who they were and they are definitely MT Collect. Please contact Trading Standards and the OFT about this.MT Collect pretend to be a separate business but they are just a trading name of Capital finance One

[lancslucy]

Thanks all for your replies. I'm encouraged that you think it's worth reporting to TS & the OFT - I'll let you know if I manage to get anywhere.

 

I really resent the intimidatory tone of the text. I worry that someone who might not be able to see through it for the crock of wotsit that it is could be very upset by this.

[Snoddy23]

Hi everyone....

 

I recieved the same text message today at lunch time; 'REMOVAL... I am due to CALL to your address NOW TO STOP action call 01617381201 to make a token payment TODAY. Tony O'Sullivan. Case ID 8****'

 

Now last year I got into alot of debt and I did take out several loans and I did default on a few of them, since then I sorted all my finances out and contacted each company and set up payment plans with them all, since August 2011 ive not had any letters / phone calls etc from anyone as I am paying everything back and I will never get into debt again !!!

 

Anyway I called the number back on the text as obviously I was concerned. I had to ring twice (the first time i was just cut off) and I eventually spoke to a women called 'Sarah'. Sarah was rude and very pushy, I kept asking her what company she was working for and she kepy saying the name quickly and I couldnt catch the name. I then tried to explain to her that I have no idea at all what the debt is about, she then informed me it was with Capital Finance One and that the balance was £1300 from a loan of £250, aparently the extra £1050 was due to interest / charges etc... Without allowing me to speak she then started asking me how much I could pay. I did take a loan out with Capital Finance One and hand on heart I have not heard anything from anyone about this loan since July, due the volume of debt I had I have obviously overlooked this one by mistake, however if I had recieved any letter etc I would have done what Ive done with the rest of the companies and contacted them to work out a payment plan...

 

Anyway I tried to explain this to 'Sarah' but she kept saying 'we have written to you three times' although she would not tell me when, she kept saying 'you have until tomorrow' etc etc. I requested a break down from her (legal right) and also a letter / email with the company name so I could see how much i owed and also who they were and how i pay etc. 'Sarah' initially refused to do this saying 'we have written to you three times' but she then said she would email me the details so i had a break down of the debt and of course who the company was she was working for... Anyway, I have not been sent this email and after researching on the net it would appear that this is standard 'talk' from this company as nobody else has recvd letters either!.

 

I know from my own debt experience that no debt collector has the right to enter your house without a court order and to obtain this they have to attend court to apply for it and believe me you would have recvd at least 3 /4 letters from the Court informing you of this. They can however attend to discuss the debt but they have no power to enter your house or land unless you invite them in.

 

Furthermore, a few months ago in the early hours of the morning a company kept making £25 payments from my card, they took 6 of these payments (£150 in total) one after another until my bank blocked my card as it appeared to be fraudlent... Anyway it turned out to be Capital Finance One, somehow they had got hold of my new card details and without warning / any letters etc they just started trying to empty my account by making lots of small payments one after another.

 

I will not be speaking to this pathetic company (who I still dont know the name of), instead first thing tomorrow I will be ringing Capital Finance One and requesting a full break down of the debt etc and I will offer them a payment plan.

 

I would not worry too much about this text message or this company but if you do owe anybody money just write to them/email/call them and offer them a reasonable monthly / weekly payment plan, they will normally accept most offers as long as its a decent offer, for exmaple a debt of £500 offer £30- £40 per month, just make sure they stop the interest so your paying off the debt. If you dont it just gives ccompanies like this one who have snotty chimps working for them the excuse to contact you.

[BASFORDLAD2]

These are complete jokers. They claim to outsource their baliffs.

 

I asked the clown on the phone if they could send in baliffs without a court order and he said yes!

What jokers

 

Edit: now spoken to four clowns who without knowing who I am said *wait until we come to your property tonight* in all the years I ve dealt with dealt collecting **** this lot are the lowest of the low

Edited January 26, 2012 by BASFORDLAD2

[dadofholly]

snoddy - you need to report this to the OFT and Trading Standards as a matter of urgencey - also complain about all of this to your MP.

 

And DON'T ring them - write to them.

[dadofholly]

Notts_phil

 

ditto for what i say in post number 9 above.

 

It's important to complain.

[BASFORDLAD2]

Yes I shall record a number of calls. I don't have any account with them but had to hear it first hand. It sounds like a very backstreet office. Almost like a shop( lots of background noise)

[silverfox1961]

Yes I shall record a number of calls. I don't have any account with them but had to hear it first hand. It sounds like a very backstreet office. Almost like a shop( lots of background noise)

 

Make transcripts of the recordings and copy them to Trading standards

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

This scenario has gone far enough I think, these

phone calls text messages etc., are now extortion,

attempting to get money with menaces and must

at every opportunity be reported to police immediately.

[lancslucy]

Totally agree Brigadier, however would the Police care? Having read other threads on here, the rozzers seem to take the line that "you owe the money, tough!" I am, however, going to contact the OFT & TS.

 

My concern (which I'm sure is shared by others receiving these disgraceful texts) is that I am in debt, and if I kick up a fuss I might discover just how low these jokers will go. If I'm trying to get them to accept fairly low payments (being all that I can afford) they're going to make it even more awkward for me if I drop them in the proverbial over this text. Ah well, I suppose if I do give in to the fear I'm playing right into their hands, as it's that kind of attitude that makes them money.

[silverfox1961]

I agree with Brig but if it were me complaining, I would get a transcript of a recording to go with me to the station, show that to plod and then if they say "It's a civil matter" take it upstairs (Assuming the chief has an upstairs office)

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Agreed SF,#

Debt is a civil matter but abusive and threatening

behaviour in an attempt to collect a debt is a crime,

and must be reported to and acted on by police.

[Snoddy23]

thanks guys....

 

Just so you know, nobody did turn up surprise surprise!

 

I have written an email to Capital Finance One and also copied in OFT, its a complain email detailing my original post on this thread.

 

I await the reply!!

[dadofholly]

Maybe an idea for those that have recieved one of these messages to make the CCCS aware of it - they are pushing for non-solicited texts to be banned from loan and compensation companies - i think adding DCA's and other debt collection texts to the list would be helpful too.

 

Story via link.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16759025

[coledog]

Very good advice DOH. This company must be reported to everyone you can think of including Consumer Direct and OFT - and the mobile phone companies.