1st Credit - phishing trip

[Richmond74]

Hi, first time post, so apologies if it's too long or in the wrong place. I have an interesting one here. I moved house around 4 months back, and last week received the usual phishing trip letter from 1st Cretins asking if I was Mr X, could I ring to confirm or deny etc. This was useful as I'd forgotten the loo paper from Sainsburys - it's just a pity the MD's face isn't printed on it instead of an unrecognisable signature! I can only assume they got my details from Noddle as I registered there after I moved in here, just to check things out.

 

Anyway, this morning (10 days later going by the letter dates) I have received another letter from 1st Cretins address (it was printed on the envelope flap) claiming to be a notice of assignment from Goldfish Bank saying all contact, payments etc must go through 1st Cretin. I say "claiming to be" as it isn't on headed notepaper from Goldfish, just plain black and white A4 with a weird squiggle where a signature would be, there's not even a typed name to go with the squiggle. This claims I owe them several thousand pounds and 22p, and the fact it came in a 1st Cretins envelope means it hasnt come from Goldfish at all - and Goldfish apparently de-registered with the FSA in 2008 and are "no longer authorised" anyway.

 

Now, I have never had an account of any sort to the best of my knowledge with Goldfish. I did however have a credit card with Morgan Stanley some years back, along with other cards. I was struggling a bit after being out of work for 6 months, and got nothing from DSS as I owned my property and was paying the mortgage from savings. Needless to say, card debt mounted, as did bank charges. Eventually I got a new job, secured a loan and cleared all outstanding debts.

 

On my Noddle credit file the Morgan card is showing a default date of Oct 2007, with a balance of £00.00, nothing about being settled, just a zero balance.. It was paid in full from the secured loan. So it looks like they are chasing me for a debt that was actually paid in full over 5 years ago - unfortunately I destroyed all the paperwork, statements etc from all cards I had once everything was paid - I wanted the whole mess gone and a fresh start. Unfortunately again, the company I took out the loan with that issued the cheques to pay the debts has also gone under, so I cannot get anything from them to say the cheque had been issued etc - I said this could be interesting! Goldfish was a trade name of Morgan Stanley, which they bought from Lloyds. They then sold the Goldfish accounts to Barclaycard or something like that, so their paperwork will be a mess.

 

Now, my first instinct is that they should go forth and multiply - they'll have a hard job proving I owe money that has already been paid, especially looking at the Goldfish papertrail. But equally, apart from the zero balance on the credit file I have nothing to prove it has been paid.

 

Or should I go down the prove it path, and let them start with the threats etc that I can build into a complaint to go to the FSA / TS / OFT and get them a nice big fine?

 

Suggestions on a postcard.......

 

Merry Christmas

[Bazooka Boo]

Ignore, if you start the tedious game of letter tennis then they just mark your file as 'mug awaits fleecing' an you will be bombarded with silly begging letters.

[tommytanker]

I woold ignore for now. Just one point a NOA can come from either party,old or new owner. If they write again i would be tempted to send a prove it letter just to keep a paper trail

Even if you did owe anything it is nearly SB anyway so i am sure you could tie them up for a few months.

[Richmond74]

Hi, thanks for that. I shall keep everything together. It seems odd to me that the NOA says "we have assigned your account to 1st Credit..." as if it has come from Goldfish, yet it doesn't actually say what company it is from. Who is the "we"?

 

I'll see what happens after Christmas, they're bound to write again.

[Bazooka Boo]

I wouldn't send anything, it is pointless and can be expensive, especially with the hike in postage. Ignore them, your under zero legal obligation to respond to anything that is pushed through your door.

[citizenB]

They should be quite clear as to the original account details so it looks like they might have got that wrong.

[Richmond74]

Well, a few months down the line doing some serious ignoring, and the situation is this. 1st Cretins gave up and passed it to Connaught Collections who spouted the usual crap in various letters about home visits, discounts etc etc. Their final letter said as I hadn't responded they were passing it back to 1st Credit. Heard nothing for 10 weeks, then I get a letter from 1st Cretins (without any of my account details - debt purchase date etc), saying they were passing it to another infamous bunch called Credit Security Ltd (a bit of research shows this lot are basically a couple of numpty chancers in a converted garage at the back of a building. I guess they work part time, and send letters using their Amstrad word processor).

 

If Fast Cretins had any paperwork at all for this alleged debt, which they apparently own and thought they could collect on,surely they would chase me themselves?

 

Just as an aside, I was reading through another forum, and made some checks on Connaught Collections. According to Companies House they are a dormant company. As a dormant company, surely they shouldnt be trading, sending out requests for money? ( I know they are basically the guy that sits at the next desk in the office).

I was just wondering if they could be reported for this? Does it come under any of the CPUTR 2008 regs about making false claims etc? I'd love to stir it up for them ( once I'm past the SB'd date of course).

 

Richmond74

Edited June 30, 2013 by citizenB

[citizenB]

Connaught IS 1st Credit, as IS Credit Security, so they are just trying to confuse and mislead you !

 

I am pretty certain there is something in the OFT guidelines that says that where there is a "group" then they should make it quite clear that it is indeed one and the same Company, just a different department.

 

I will try and find this and pop it up for you sometime tomorrow.

[oleg]

How *dare* you insult Cretin Security so? They operate not from a converted garage but from a pigsty. Unconverted.

Their letters count amongst the most amateurish from DCAs, and their standard chain includes a letter purporting to come from their solicitors.

Just one point to note. They sometimes say they will (not the usual may) take you to court. What this in fact means is that they won't.

When they do not own these debts, they can't instigate legal action, so I don't know why ppl fall for the threat.

Oh btw Credit Security are not 1st Credit .

[Richmond74]

HI, it could well be a pigsty looking at the pics. I havent had a letter from them yet, only the one from the head Cretins saying it has been passed on, so I have that to look forward to. I could do with a laugh at the moment I am aware that only the owner of the debt can take you to court, which makes it all the more fishy. If they had anything to go to court with, why havent they? Instead they pass it on. They're just chancing their arm that I'm a pushover!

[Richmond74]

Thanks for that. I was aware of the Conartist / Best Cretin link, but didnt know the other shower were also sleeping in the same cess pit. I havent recieved a letter from them yet ( probably written in green crayon from what i've heard about them), but it will be interesting to see whats on their paperwork.

[citizenB]

Nope, no green crayon.. Moorcroft is using that

[oleg]

Richmond

Let me repeat, Credit Security are *not* part of 1st Credit group.

No green crayons, nor any other colour, pure cheap amateurish monochrome. Instead of Final Demands in red print like other DCAs , best they can do is their usual black print but on pink paper. One could almost take pity on them.