Clarity DCA for arrows - unknown/very old shop direct account?

[Chris17uk]

Hi,

 

 

I received the below letter a few days ago and

 

 

wondering what to do about it?

 

 

I was in debt a few years ago when married to my ex with credit cards

and as far as I was concerned its all now been cleared.

 

 

This letter came out of the blue,

 

 

I have remarried and changed my name 18 months ago and moved house 3 times in the last 5 years,

 

 

I don't want to ring them, do I just ignore it?

 

Thank you

 

 

RESPONSE REQUIRED

 

Dear Mrs.........

 

Clarity Ref: ......................

Customer Name: (My Name!!)

 

We need to contact the above named person regarding an important matter and we have been provided with your address.

 

If you are the person named above, please contact our office on telephone 0844 56 1715.

 

If you are not the named individual, it is important that you contact us immediately in order that our records can be updated and to prevent further correspondence.

 

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

 

 

Clarity Credit Management

[dx100uk]

simply a phishing letter to catch a mug

 

 

don't forget DCA's are NOT BAILIFFS

 

 

and

 

 

HAVE NO SUCH LEGAL POWERS.

 

 

I'd p'haps check you credit file.

 

 

make sure ALL your old addresses show etc etc

 

 

might give a clue to what they are after as well.

[Chris17uk]

Thanks for your reply I will check out my credit file

[Bandit127]

Don't assume it is actually your debt either. Although this is a natural thought process, they will have written to every Chris**UK that they could find in the address book. It could very well be nothing to do with you at all.

 

If they really do think they have a match with you then they will write with an account number, sum outstanding and demand for payment. Only then should you think about doing anything more than checking your credit file.

[The GodMother]

So they have said if your not the person to call us. How interesting as its against the law to open mail not addresed to you.

[Stigman]

How interesting as its against the law to open mail not addresed to you.

 

The letter was fully addressed correctly so the DCA is not making the Op break the law.

 

The DCA has sent these letters to everyone with the same name as the Op both in the local area and beyond in the hope that one will be intimidated into paying.

 

The DCA has usual will put all the other letters down to either a computer or administrative error.

 

Stigman

[The GodMother]

They have POSSIBLY address it right. My FIL is a RM area Manager and has informed us that even if the letter is addressed to us but we dont recognise the address then return it to sender.

[oleg]

It is not an offence to open someone else's mail unless you do so with the intention of causing that person "detriment", eg taking a bank card.

[The GodMother]

Oleg yes it is.

A postie has to sign the official secrets act just to do there job

[oleg]

Chris was talking as a recipient of mail not as postwoman. The law is Postal Services Act 2000 s.84(3). Nowt to do with O S A.

As regards Clarity, I would ignore as they have no powers.

Their largest "client" is Arrow Global who, of course, buy more debts in value terms, than any other ****. When Arrow are coming on heavy, they call out their solicitors, not DCAs, eg Restons, Shoosmiths, Wilkin Chapman. You're not at that stage yet, Chris.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Chris was talking as a recipient of mail not as postwoman. The law is Postal Services Act 2000 s.84(3). Nowt to do with O S A.

As regards Clarity, I would ignore as they have no powers.

Their largest "client" is Arrow Global who, of course, buy more debts in value terms, than any other ****. When Arrow are coming on heavy, they call out their solicitors, not DCAs, eg Restons, Shoosmiths, Wilkin Chapman. You're not at that stage yet, Chris.

I agree oleg, there is some flawed advice being given here, if a letter has your name and address, why would you not open it and read it to say return to sender if one does not recognise a sender is rather odd.

[Chris17uk]

Thanks for all your replies

[Owesnowtbutbeingannoyed]

Postman/women having to sign the Official Secrets Act??? Where the hell did that come from?? Complete tripe!

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Postman/women having to sign the Official Secrets Act??? Where the hell did that come from?? Complete tripe!

Oleg has corrected this, some strange advice being given by one user lately.

[The GodMother]

Actually under the old RM they were classed as Govermemt contractors. Most of the posties stayed on. I no when my partners dad uncle 4 cousins and quiet a few other ppl started working for RM they were under the goverment ownership, please remember l have been with my partner for 12 yrs, anyway under the official secrets act of 1989 anyone who is a goverment official and carries out as part of their job any sensative docs has to sign the secrets act. Also under a FOI request before the sell of section 31 of contracts clearly says they have been made aware, it states my attention has been drawn to, to OSA and lists a few subsections o f further info. I will copy it in later as its on my hard driveinstead of my tablet

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Actually under the old RM they were classed as Govermemt contractors. Most of the posties stayed on. I no when my partners dad uncle 4 cousins and quiet a few other ppl started working for RM they were under the goverment ownership, please remember l have been with my partner for 12 yrs, anyway under the official secrets act of 1989 anyone who is a goverment official and carries out as part of their job any sensative docs has to sign the secrets act. Also under a FOI request before the sell of section 31 of contracts clearly says they have been made aware, it states my attention has been drawn to, to OSA and lists a few subsections o f further info. I will copy it in later as its on my hard driveinstead of my tablet

The Postal Services Act 2000 section 84 (3) & (5). in force historic legislation not applicable.

[oleg]

Chris created this thread to ask what to do about fishing mail from Clarity [or lack of, in this case]

and the question arose whether one could legally open mail addressed to someone else.

 

I don't think it's helpful to bang on about postmen signing O S A or any other act now, in the past or in the future. It's totally irrelevant.

 

btw Chris I had a strange encounter with Clarity.

 

They sent me a letter saying they'd like to "help" me by way of a 30% discount. No threats warnings, just an offer to "help".

I almost broke my strict rule of non-engagement to write and ask whether they were a charity.

 

That was their one and only letter to me.

 

Maybe no more relevance to your question than the O S A other than to give you an inkling perhaps of what a Mickey Mouse outfit they seem to be.

[dx100uk]

so have you looked at your credit file and nailed down what debt if any they are going on about?

 

dx

[Chris17uk]

Hi all

Thanks for all the replies,

 

I checked my credit file, nothing on it,

 

but now I have had another strange letter from Arrow stating an outstanding amount of £927 from a mail order company in 1998,

in which Arrow took over in 2011 has been transferred to Clarity,

 

I have no idea who they are or what they are talking about,

 

I have never had any correspondence with these people, and

 

I honestly cannot remember having an account with 'shop direct mail order' but as it was 16 years ago

maybe my memory doesn't serve me too well, not sure what to do next really, ignoring them feels the best option

[renegadeimp]

Ignore it. Something that long is very likely to be SB. Especially if youve never heard of it before. I wouldnt even waste the money on a 2nd class stamp with a prove it letter.

[Chris17uk]

Thanks for all your help

[The GodMother]

Sounds like a shop direct company eg littlewoods or something. Think they had Gus and Littlewoods at the time as my Auntie had one

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

If it is not on the CRA files, it is likely to Statute Barred, personally a I would send a CCA Request to Clarity £1.00 statutory fee Use a Postal Order Marked for Statutory Fee only) Clarity have 12 + 2 Working Days to Comply, get free proof of posting.

[renegadeimp]

I wouldnt even waste the money on a CCA request. It's very likely to be SB. I'd just wait and see what they do next, if anything.