help with debt collection agencies and credit card killer

[julesverne]

First i would like to say hello to everyone and all on the forum this is my first post.

Also if i have posted in the wrong forum I apologise

 

Here goes a bit of background info.

 

i'm a self employed plumber and approx 3/4 years ago I got into serious debt problems due to a customer not paying a bill who was a ltd company and went bankrupt.

 

I thought I could get myself out of this by using credit cards as a short term solution.

however the bank crisis came and the said credit card companies, ramped up there interest rates and i couldn't keep up the payments.

I looked around for help and not very well i might add ( i could only describe myself as running around like a headless chicken)

 

but I saw credit card killer and had recently seen them on panarama and thought i had seen a light at the end of my tunnel.

I was faced with an unsummountable debt Just short of £22000 split against 3 credit cards Egg ,MBNA & Smile I just couldnt see a way of getting out of it.

 

So i parted with around £3000 filled in the paper work and hey presto i was allegedly debt free

then came the letters from the companies disregarding CCK .

i made logs of calls ,txts sent demand letters to CCK as instructed by them.

 

But 3 years on 2 are still chasing me and have passed the debt on MBNA & Smile ( they have sold to Experto Credite and Lewis Group) and are still chasing and harrassing me for the money

i reckon between the 2 I have received in excess of 300 calls, letters, txt requesting payment. i would change my mobile no and home no. etc but i need them for my business

 

Now today a representative from lewis group has made a door step visit i wasnt in at the time but they left a note to call him

and has since made 3 calls to my mobile today alone in the space of 3 hours.

 

In an Ideal world i would sincerely have paid this but was put in this current position by the fact of the credit companies

hikking their interest rates up extortionatley, prime example MBNA put theres upto just short of 35%

 

In short i need help on how to deal with these debt collections agencies

i do believe Credit Card Killer do not exist anymore and if they do they certainly can't be contacted.

 

I know i am to blame in part for getting into debt in the first place but i believe also the credit companies are to blame aswell for the exortionate interest they charged.

I need help surely these debt collectors cannot be allowed to persistently harrass me all the time.

 

Also on another point with MBNA i had PPI

i am unsure if i can still claim against them when i first had this card i was an employed person on Paye.

when i went self employed after a couple years i made this known in a call to MBNA and they said i would still be be covered.

however since then i have found out this is not the case.

where would i stand on this?

 

any help on this would be very much appreciated as this is now causing my wife and i sleepless nights.

 

Thanks Julian

[padja]

Right you are right DCA's cant harass you but as you have found out they do.

 

I would first send off the Phone Harassment letter (its in the letter template library)also send the letter stopping them from visiting you (revokes access) again its in library.

 

DCA's have no right to visit you they have as much rights as the local cat who may walk across the path.

 

What you need to do if possible is now record these calls, if you cant then keep a note of who calls, what time, how long, and brief description of what was said to you.

 

It looks as if these debts have been sold on for a fraction of the debt.

 

As for PPI was there any on other cards? I dont know about PPI and claiming but others will.

Also dont speak to these DCA's on the phone and dont answer anymore of there supposed security questions just say in writing only please and put the phone down.

 

Send the letters recorded delivery as you will be amazed how they never reach the company when not sent that way,

and how many times they never reach company even when signed for.

 

This will give you some peace and breathing space to consider next steps

remember DCA has no powers and no matter what they threaten they know they arent going near a court

as they would need evidence and you will be surprised how little evidence they have its you

[dx100uk]

yes sadly the rankines killed alot of the loopholes with their so called 'water-tight' tactics and left 1000's out in the cold.

sadly we still see sites & other forum trying the same tricks today.

 

can you check you cra file please?

lets get the true status of your situation - do these debts show?

 

as for PPI

 

that easy

see the links below in my sig

and ask away

 

dont forget penalty charges too [late/over/letter/phone]

 

as for lewis

like ANY DCA - theyhave no legal powers

neither do ANY doorsteppers

you can safely simply tell them to go away

they aRE NOT bailiff!! and NEVER EVER will be

 

if the OC's could have done something about gettting their money back

they wold have don long before now

 

i bet they wrote the debts off against tax and sold themon a phishing list.

 

now lewis has brought one of them.

nowt they can do to you , so sit tight.

 

get the cra file first please.

 

dx

[julesverne]

thanks for your quick replies i assume a CRA is the my credit file from a credit agency eg Experian. sorry for being thick how do i go about getting one. can i do it online and which is the best 1 to get one from.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

thanks for your quick replies i assume a CRA is the my credit file from a credit agency eg Experian. sorry for being thick how do i go about getting one. can i do it online and which is the best 1 to get one from.

 

Hi yes on line Experian (credit expert as ontv) and or Equfax)

they have 30 day free trial offers, just remember to cancel

before end of 30days.

[dx100uk]

look below here

 

dx

[julesverne]

I have a problem just tried with experian and they need a credit card or debit card details. i dont have one is there another way? my wife has one but dont think it will work as obvoiusly its in her name.

[julesverne]

will post a cheque off tomorrow and get my file once i have received do i need to post it on here minus personal details or should i be looking for something?

thanks in advance for replies.

[dx100uk]

do a £2 PO

 

 

all the debts you pay should be showing on your CRA file

if they dont

i'd start asking WHY?

 

dx

[julesverne]

 

as for PPI

 

that easy

see the links below in my sig

and ask away

 

dont forget penalty charges too [late/over/letter/phone]

 

if the OC's could have done something about gettting their money back

they wold have don long before now

 

 

 

 

dx

 

thanks dx100uk,

 

by trying to claim these PPI and late charges etc(there was a few) could i not be putting myself in hot water making this an even bigger problem for myself for example the banks think cheeky oik he's not paid us and now he's claiming from us lets go him after with all guns firing ETC, or should i keep quiet. what would be the best way to proceed. Also what is an OC

thanks in advance for any help/advice given

[LostAtSea]

Hi Jules

The alleged debt has been sold on so its no longer their concern. The PPI and other charges are a separate issue. Its money they have taken from you and the law says your entitled to it back. Go get them tiger, you'll feel so much better and it will put into perspective who has the power:)

 

OC=Original Creditor

[julesverne]

forgive me if the im not upto speed on stuff im still trying to get my around it. but if the debt has been sold on and credit card killer basically ripped me off why has no one tried to get me in court after 3 years if they own this debt.

 

thanks in advance

[LostAtSea]

Its difficult to say without knowing what CCK did (if anything). For the moment just follow the advice given. Your credit file will will reveal the true state of things. The DCA's are good for keeping you supplied with emergency toilet paper and comedy phone calls to keep you smiling ( you probably don't get the joke yet but stick with us and you will ).

[julesverne]

i just got this letter today from brachers LLP on behalf of experto credite who have the MBNA debt.it goes as follows

 

dear sir

 

Eperto credite limited and yourself

outstanding balance £10,500.55

 

we write further to the above and note we have yet to receive a response to our earlier correspondence. ( just for info this was on in Oct 2011)

 

we would reiterate your thatyour arrangement with creditcardkiller is invalid and has no legal standing and it is therefore your responsibility to settle the balance due to our client. Again, we would suggest that you may wish to seek independant legal adviceand/or cosult public meia to the current status of creditcardkiller.

 

in view of the above and to avoid legal action we would invite you to complete the attached personal financial statement and return it to us within 7 days of this letter together with your proposals for payment for our clients coinsideration.

 

in the event that creditcardkiller have paid our client direct, we would be obliged if you would ask them to contact us as a matter of urgency with details of payment.

 

weawait hearing from you within the time mentioned

 

yours faithfully

 

signature here

 

BRACHERS LLP

 

End of letter

 

i think i should just ignore this but wife is getting really stressed and upset especially after the doorstep visit from lewis group yesterday re my smile card debt

 

thanks for any help and advice in advance.

[ims21]

Hi

 

Ok so to me that just seems like an invitation to supply information and is more of a threatogram.

 

IMHO it doesn't constitute an lba.

 

The others more versed in Brachers will be along shortly for you.

 

ims

[julesverne]

thanks ims

 

Through all of this i am now just wondering what my plan should be as i cant use rely on CCK.

 

1. actively engaged them to try prove this is my debt and get on with my life.

2. just ignore it all log it calls txts and save letters and hope they give eventually but something tells me they wont so need a strategy in case they dont because it is very annoying for me and stressful for my wife.

[dx100uk]

well tell your wife a doorstepper is NOT a bailiff

and has no more powers than i MILKMAN to demand money from your doorstep.

 

that letter IS a threat-o-gram

just cleverly worded as a ll are.

 

the if.might.maybe. instructed etc is the give away.

 

await the cra file

 

and the same on this smile debt too.

 

DON NOT USE THE PHONE TO TALK ABOUT YOUR DEBTs EVER!!

 

dx

[Ricardino]

Silly question but if you are still self employed you presumably wrote off the bad debt against tax liabilties?

 

Ric

[julesverne]

just got my pass key today for my credit report from experian. i have screen grabbed what i think is the info i should be posting on here minus pers details

 

http://photos.bravenet.com/246/490/428/6/A2AB2CCA7C.jpg

 

http://photos.bravenet.com/246/490/428/6/AB9EA4FFE0.jpg

 

http://photos.bravenet.com/246/490/428/6/371B6AA2DD.jpg

 

first 2 show my status of the 3 debts

third shows a search made by brachers llp on behalf of experto credite.

 

i cant really make head nor tail of it but from this information what does this mean for me and the debts

 

thanks in advance for all help

[julesverne]

Silly question but if you are still self employed you presumably wrote off the bad debt against tax liabilties?

 

Ric

these were personal credit cards not related to me being self employed.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Hi, The unrecorded searches are nothing

to worry about, all comparison sites will

search each time you log into another company

fo a quote.

Some DCAs/Debt purchasers check regularly

to see if an individuals credit profile has changed.

The 3 debts entries are pretty standard.

[dx100uk]

ok

 

so can we have a bit of back ground

when the cards were taken out

your last payment

etc etc

 

dx

[julesverne]

as i believe from the entries i have shown. MBNA have sold their debt to experto credite ltd

CO OP haven't they still own the debt.

barclaycard who took over egg haven't sold it on either. but then they haven't chased the debt in over 18 mths

so in anybodies opinion where do you think i stand in particular of the debts with regards at some point what are the chances theseDCA's / banks taking me to court after all this time.

have sent off SAR's but know this will take time. to get back.

 

to be honest after listening to all your great advice i think the best option would be to ignore them, keep all letters and log all contact until needed.

But would there be any chance i can get these debt struck off (to coin a phrase) or just wait the 6 years to go of my credit record or do i wait for the sar request to see what info/documents are still available.

i'm assuming once they are off my credit file they are deemed unenforcable.

[julesverne]

all cards were taken out before 2007 approx ages of cards 12 years mbna, 8 years for the egg and 7 years approx for the smile/co-op cast i stopped paying on all cards in january/feb 2009 do you need anymore info?

[dx100uk]

lets reassess the whole lot when we have all the sar's

 

i bet there will be interesting info to come yet

 

dx