Mackenzie Hall contacted me at work

[filibear]

A long while ago I received correspondence from Mackenzie Hall relating to a debt, I called them from my mobile (witholding my number) and asked them what it was about.

 

When they then told me what it was I told them I had no idea what they were talking about. Then contact stopped, until about two weeks ago I received a text asking me to call them and then they called my house number (which is not only ex directory but registered in my husbands name) leaving a message and now five minutes ago I get this email at work

 

I have never EVER given my work email out to anyone, so how did they even get it????? and are they allowed to do this??? (I have put the x's in by the way to cover my personal information)Reference: XXXXClient Reference:

 

 

xxxxxxxPursuers: xxxxxxxxxOriginal Creditors: xxxxxxPrincipal Sum: £xxxx Settlement Offers In regards to the above mentioned account, we are now willing to offer you the opportunity to clear your balance for less than the figure owed.

 

Option 1 – Pay only £xxxxx to close the full outstanding balance by the last working day of this month,

 

Option 2 – Pay only £xxx to close the full outstanding balance by the last working day of next month. This offer is only applicable if you make a £xx holding payment on your account this month. Failure to adhere to any part of this will result in full payment being due.

 

Option 3 – Pay only £xxx to close the full outstanding balance by the last working day of next month. This offer is only applicable if you make a £xx holding payment on your account this month.

 

Failure to adhere to any part of this will result in full payment being due. If you wish to take up any of these offers, you MUST contact Mackenzie Hall Limited on 01563-xxxx or respond to (email address) by 20th March 2012.

Edited March 6, 2012 by citizenB
spacing for easiier reading

[padja]

its a fishing trip, the mistake you made was ringing them in first instance, some questions, how old is the debt? have you checked your credit file? and they cant contact you at work

[coledog]

Bottom feeders - looking for income, ignore

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Hi if they are offering discounts this early then it's

doubtful they can fully back up their claim.

Who is the original creditor, due you recognise the account??

Without the detail it will difficult to advise.

Check your credit files, use the 30 day on line free trials,

check if this debt is on there.

Never, Never phone them!!!

MH are notorious for chasing Statute Barred debts.

[filibear]

Hi, thanks for your quick reply, I cant find anything on my credit file save for a credit card debt (that being young and foolish I had totally forgotten about) which is five anfd a half years old, it has to be that, but the reference they gave me was just that they had bought it from another agency so they gave me their name and that was that, I told them at that point I was not acknowledging the debt as until they can clarify what it is I dont know what it is.I'm just scared they are going to start contacting my realtives/employers (after all they got the landline number and work email from somewhere 9we have a strict email policy at work so it is NEVER given to anyone.

[huggys boss]

The general concensus (excuse spelling) is that if they are offering a reduction then either they are trying to collect a stat barred debt or they know they do not have the correct paperwork to collect on the debt or they are just fishing incase you are the owner of the debt.

 

Whichever it is, IGNORE them. DO NOT RING THEM.

If possible block their email address from your work email and spam them.

You could send them a prove it letter if you wanted to see what they had, but if you are sure they do not hold an account on you I would ignore them.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Hi, thanks for your quick reply, I cant find anything on my credit file save for a credit card debt (that being young and foolish I had totally forgotten about) which is five anfd a half years old, it has to be that, but the reference they gave me was just that they had bought it from another agency so they gave me their name and that was that, I told them at that point I was not acknowledging the debt as until they can clarify what it is I dont know what it is.I'm just scared they are going to start contacting my realtives/employers (after all they got the landline number and work email from somewhere 9we have a strict email policy at work so it is NEVER given to anyone.

Ok start my sending MH a CCA request to see if the have any info,

CCA request cost £1.00 and the have 12+2 days to provide it.

 

I would also suggest sending the following to Rob Sands

Compliance Director at MH.

Dear Sir,

 

I write in reference to your recent communication reagrading

an alleged debt you claim is owed by me.

Take note I do not acknowledge any debt to you or any company

you may claim to represent.

I am very concerned about the way Mackenzie Hall have contacted

me, all telephone calls and e-mail contact at my work place must

cease immediately I will deal with this matter only inwritting.

I am sure I do not have to remind you of the OFT Guidance

sections regarding my wishes regarding contact or the sections

on harassment.

Send it recorded delivery.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

BTW have Mackenzie Hall searched your credit files?

[sillygirl1]

I wouldn't go to the bother of a CCA request, just tell them you don't acknowledge any alleged debt, and could they please provide you with the info they have on you for this alleged debt so you can check your own records.

 

If you CCA they will take the money and cite Carey v HSBC as a reason they don't have to comply and try and restart any clock ticking for statute barring.

 

Complain to Sam Gardiner at East Ayrshire Trading Standards about them emailing you at work.

 

Email back stating

 

For contacting me at this email I am offering 0 in full and final - unless of course you want to explain fully in court how you got this email and why you think you have the right to harrass somebody at work.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

No Lawful request for information either SAR or CCA can restart the

statute barred clock.

The CCA will not affect anything at all,but will enable you to see if

MH has the document to back up their claim.

[sillygirl1]

We know that but this DCA takes the proverbial.

 

There is a 'go forth' letter somewhere which basically tells them to get lost, you do not recognise any alleged debt and could they verify where they got their info from, in view of using the works email.

[sillygirl1]

15 guests at 5.15 on a Tuesday afternoon..... must be some kind of record.

[padja]

must be quiet time at DCA's Sillygirl1

[Bang!]

DONT offer anything ever zero as a full & final settlement - as it can be seen as aknowledging the debt.

 

The discounts mean they see propect of a court issuing a judgement in their favour as unlikely - and so are using data matching as a way of scaring/inconveniencing you to pay/deal with them.

 

Years ago I had a dispute I hoped to fix before I left the UK. It never happened, and so effecitively to the bank/dcs i had disappeared when i left. They sent letters to relatives addresses with my surname (my name is foreign and uncommon) and telephoned people who had been directors of companies where I had also been a director - some on mobiles, and the only way we figured they got it was from unrelated dealings with the same bank. These calls asked how to get in touch with me and the callers declined to identify themselves.

 

So be prepared for attempted harassment - but if you can ignore DCs they normally go away.

[asm76]

Nothing verbal can be taken as acknowledgement. Only a payment or written acknowledgement can reset the SB clock.