Meritforce Doorstep Collectors Manual anyone?

[robcag]

I've been receiving letters and phonecalls (both methods totally unanswered and ignored of course) for the past couple of months from Muck Hall who have been passed a (so-far) unenforceable alleged debt by 1st. Crud.

 

Today I received a brown envelope marked URGENT (who are they trying to kid?) and when I got around to opening it I found it was a nice letter from 'Meritforce', who I hadn't previously heard of, concerning Muck Halls previous failure to collect. It contained all the usual 'we may' do this and 'you must' do that delusions, but having a few minutes to waste I decided to Google them.

 

A few CAG links were amongst the search results, along with links to Muck Hall and Meritforce themselves (they appear to be owned by MH as expected). Well, I had a slightly amusing read of the MH site then went to the Meritforce one ( http://meritforce.co.uk/ if anyone's interested )

 

After reading some of their drivel I noticed a link on one of the pages for 'Agent Downloads' (I guess he must be their 'Top Gun' to have his own link ) so I followed it. There was a link to download the 'Meritforce Collections Manual' which members might find amusing (complete with typos). Here's the direct link;

 

http://meritforce.co.uk/includes/downloads/MF%20COLLECTIONS%20MANUAL.pdf

 

On the very first page there is a reference to 'DOORSTEP COLLECTION AGENTS' so it must be official, people DO actually collect doorsteps!

 

Cheers

Rob

MF COLLECTIONS MANUAL.pdf

Edited September 5, 2012 by robcag

[dx100uk]

dx

[ashmk]

Nice find

[unclebulgaria67]

I had one of the Meritlessforce people come to my address regarding a relatives debt owed to Sky for about £50. They had gone abroad and used my address as a forwarding address and I had to deal with a few debts they left behind.

 

Anyway this guy turns up with a clipboard.

Are you Mr R Murdoch ?

No I say, there is nobody at this address with that name.

They reply, oh they have moved have they?

I then say, I have a brother who lives abroad with that name and I just had correspondence forwarded via my address.

They then say, a debt has been left owing to Sky for £50 (Data Protection breach !) and your address may be blacklisted. ( Before they mentioned the Sky blacklisting, they looked up a Skydish (which is my neighbours), just in case it was on my house)

I retort, the debt is not in my name, debts are name related and Sky don't black list address, as that would be in breach of fair trading rules.

Then they scurry away, jump in a car and drive off.

 

The stupid thing with this, is that I had told MH on numerous occasions that the relative had moved abroad and had even given the mailbox address my relative used abroad.

 

So question is does the Meritlessforce manual mention about them giving debt information to a third party, in the hope that the third party may pay the debt.

 

I did actually complain to MH's compliance manager at the time. It was pretty much, a case of sorry for our error and any inconvenience caused. OFT etc, were about as useful as a chocolate teapot and seemed to just accepted it was a mistake by MH.

[Staraker]

Funny how they feel the need to point out:

 

During a collection visit you will not:

- Use menacing behavior

- Carry your collections in a threatening behavior

- Obtain payment by deceit

- Contact a customer whilst inebriated

[cerberusalert]

I had to smile at the bit about 'The Rehabilitation Of Offenders Act'.

[huggy41]

- Contact a customer whilst inebriated

 

them or us

[Learnerlitigator]

It is imperative this information is consumed:

- Always make sure an adult is in the property; never

enter when there is only a minor

- If the customer in question is acting in an aggressive

manner to yourself, refrain from entering the property

- If you hear/see any animals acting in an aggressive

manner, refrain from entering the property

 

OMG they have to EAT the manual?

[cerberusalert]

Come on, we're talking about a company here who gets suspicious over Castor sugar. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/anthrax-alert-at-debt-collectors-caused-1006752

[huggy41]

if i ate a lot of colman's good old English Mustard as i often do .and then passed wind into an envelope and sent it to them would that not be called MUSTARD GAS

[huggy41]

I LIKE THIS BIT..

 

Truly an industry first...

 

PIN protected Motorola Xoom tablets with Work Mobile technology allow our agents to download accounts directly into a secure inbox, allowing them to truly work 'in the field.'

 

Every account instructed to the agent is time, date and location stamped for auditing purposes with a Google Map positioning link that is accurate to 4m, and can be reported back to you, our client, in our monthly reporting.

 

With the induction of the 'Route Planner' we can now plan the best collection route for our agents and monitor their work, allowing us to move towards employing full time doorstep agents dedicated to your accounts, truly an industry first.

 

now then is that 4 metres or 4 miles

[sillygirl1]

This bit immediately caught my eye - in house cleansing strategy, then why do they bother to try to gain access to my flats when the doorstep has already been claimed by other doorstep collecters!

 

We are not only here if things go wrong, but to make sure

things always go right. With a strict in-house cleansing

strategy using all three Credit Reference Agencies, a fully

trained finance team and excellent back office support

functions working hard to make sure that you are free to

do what you do best: collect.

[sillygirl1]

This is hysterical.... best reading material in ages (next to Shogun)

 

2.5 Every member of staff that holds information about identifiable living individuals has to comply with data

protection in managing that information. Individuals can be liable for breaches of the Act.

[Sparks_]

Oh boy, that picture on the ID card would have me running for the hills!

[unclebulgaria67]

COMMISSION PAYMENTS

YOU WILL BE PAID 20% ON YOUR COLLECTIONS PLUS

STANDING ORDERS PLUS CARD PAYMENTS .

 

With automatic account allocation, available balances in

your area will be sent to you directly by email allowing

you to work ‘on the go’ maximising the payment

opportunities in the postcode area you have chosen to

call you own.

 

Manual needs to be updated, as Robert Sands is no longer their Director of Compliance.

[cerberusalert]

You mean to say Bobby Sands is no more?

[unclebulgaria67]

You mean to say Bobby Sands is no more?

 

Yes, according to a report which was linked on here I think from Credit Today, he left to set up his own DCA.

[cerberusalert]

Yes, according to a report which was linked on here I think from Credit Today, he left to set up his own DCA.

I was in fact playing with the name & referring to the other Bobby Sands.

[DieLTSBDie]

Talking about that ID badge - Christ, times must be hard for Geraldo!

[Bandit127]

Hmm, third reference to the DPA being taken seriously that I have read recently. The 2 previous ones were ex DCA employees.

 

This manual goes...

1. Introduction.

2. DPA 1998.

3. The rest.

 

Seemingly, OFT and other guidance isn't so important... Perhaps the ICO has teeth that the OFT and Trading Standards do not.

 

Just a thought...

[caledfwlch]

Bloody hell, they seem to think they have the right to enter homes from one of those quotes!

[ScarletPimpernel]

Yes, according to a report which was linked on here I think from Credit Today, he left to set up his own DCA.

 

I think Cerberus was referring to the 1981 Ulster Slimmer of the Year.

[robcag]

I think Cerberus was referring to the 1981 Ulster Slimmer of the Year.

 

 

 

Rob

[bigshoes...bigsocks]

This is a brill find. And if someone's dropped the ball by allowing this to be publically accessible I'd love to be a fly on that wall come Monday morning...

[ScarletPimpernel]

This is a brill find. And if someone's dropped the ball by allowing this to be publically accessible I'd love to be a fly on that wall come Monday morning...

 

The poor English and lack of proofreading speaks to a slipshod organisation anyway, which will come as no surprise to anyone who has had dealings with DCAs.

 

On the other hand, perhaps an embittered ex-employee wants to show them up, which would be nice, or even a current employee who is hacked off, which would be even better.