harassing calls please help.

[Housed]

i have been getting called from hallifix by an automated system about 7 to 10 times a day.

 

yesterday i did send a formal letter stating that they only contact me in writing only and im waiting for a reply on that.

 

when i spoke to complaints department yesterday they told me that when i signed up for the credit card it says that i agreed that they can call me 5 times a day! if i dont make payments on time. i dont ever remember agreeing to this.

 

can someone shed some light on this please ??

 

thanks in advance

 

chris

[nathal]

when they ring, tell them you dont want phonecalls regarding this, only in writing, they will eventually get the point

[Housed]

the thing is its an automated phone call, its not a real person so i cant say anything.

[Lizzie R]

I had a similar thing. I wrote and told them to stop or I would report them to Ombudsman. It took a day or two but they finally stopped. Funny thing was, I didn't owe them anything, I had merely started proceedings to get my charges back - couldn't be anything else BUT harrassment. Cheeky devils.

 

If we'd have been FarePak customers we'd have got a few bob out of them... our money of course!!

 

Good luck, and don't take it lying down!!

[Guest Battleaxe]

Despite sending letters tow, MBNA did not stop harassing. i called the police in got a complaint number, harassment still continued, so ended up having to have a bar put on the phone.

 

the plice told me to go through the rigmarole of the stupid automated phone call and get all the details I can.

 

Why would anyone agree to have five calls a day to remind them of an unpaid account? They are having you on. I would check the terms and conditions and then whip a letter of to the Chairman's office. Include times of calls and anything else you can.

 

That's the best I can offer. despite the template letters, these firms take NO notice of anything in writing, unless you are prepared to take it all the way to court.

[Housed]

thanks for advice the advice people.

 

i have just reported them to the OFT who have now passed the info on to trading standards. the OFT said they are in breach of Section 40 of the Administration of Justice Act 1970 which i did include in the letter that i sent them yesterday.

 

someone from halifax is going to contact me within the next 48 hours.

 

will keep you posted

[diabolical]

Yep, had the same problem of numerous phone calls from this and other companies. They would phone, I would answer, we would discuss the account status, I would make arrangements to pay when I could. But then, they would phone again and again, and each time I would make the same arrangements to pay when I could. Even though they say "I'll put a note on your account", this appears not to happen as the next caller has no knowledge about the previous call and what was agreed. I consider this harrassment.

 

For a while now the answerphone has been on constantly. Prior to this, I informed everyone that was important (friends, family, acquiantances) to leave a message and of course, naturally assume that if anyone phones me in urgency regarding something... then they will leave a message. The automated systems they use rely on recognising that a human actually answers the phone, if no human (or just a machine) answers, I don't think it can 'leave a message'.

 

My view is that if they wish to make contact, they can send a letter to which they will receive a letter in response. This way a 'paper-trail' begins and hence a record is made.

 

This was my solution, but there are various other ways to solve it. Such as refusing to discuss financial details over the phone, refusing to confirm your identity as to do so would be a breach of your privacy, giving false identity details so that they cannot identify they are speaking to the right person, blowing a whistle down the phone, informing them about the legalities of harrassment, and numerous other ways.

[nwuk]

thanks for advice the advice people.

 

i have just reported them to the OFT who have now passed the info on to trading standards. the OFT said they are in breach of Section 40 of the Administration of Justice Act 1970 which i did include in the letter that i sent them yesterday.

 

someone from halifax is going to contact me within the next 48 hours.

 

will keep you posted

 

Hi

 

I also had this prblem. I wrote to them asking to be contacted by letter only and I got a letter back saying "there is nothing they can do to stop the calls".

 

A copy of that letter has been sent to Ofcom, Financial services ombusdmen and the office of fair trading.

 

I received a call form Ofcom who said thay do not normally look at individual cases, but due to the severety of the breach, they are investigating it.

 

This morning, I also recieved a reply form the OFT who are going to investigate as well and have enclosed a "complai desclosure form" for mew to return. The OFT also staed that it's unlikely one complaint would result in them losing their consumer credit licence, a few complaints will enable them to ensure the Halifax do not breach the licence - so get the complaints sent in

 

Steve

[Guest Battleaxe]

I rang OFt about MBNA and explained what has happened to date. i also reminded then that I had already lodged a complaint earlier this month.

 

They rang back and guess what, MBNA is now being investigated, so it does pay to whinge, or shout or whatever, but keep doing it until someone listens. yes I signed the form on for disclosure, today and on the first time I contacted them. Tomorrow I'm getting in touch with OFCOM.

[ab123uk]

The Halifax's Automated system should stop calling once an agreement to pay has been made. My mum has complained because one company use asks you to enter your date of birth, house number, post code. and account number/card number! chuff me, fraud prevention? oh dear!

[nwuk]

The Halifax's Automated system should stop calling once an agreement to pay has been made

That's the problem - most of them were silent calls...

 

...anyway they still haven't agreed to pay me - yet

[Housed]

Job done

 

they have removed both my numbers from there system and will now only contact me in writing.

 

thanks for the advice everyone.