HFO What they doing?

[FINBAR82]

Ive been having numerous phonecalls from HFO themselves. the last off which being tonight, I had one call as I was leaving work on my mobile......never even knew they had my mobile number(which had changed only 2months ago so no company knows it:confused:).

 

These calls are all concerning a barclay card I had about 3 years ago, I Managed to pay off a chunk off it at the time but I lost my job and lost track off it altogether(lord knows how)

 

so when I was leaving work I asked them if they could call back when Iam not driving, they tried pressuring me into carrying on talking, so leaving the phone on I threw it into the passenger footwell and kept driving, when I got home I checked my mobile, turns out the guy who rang had stayed on the phone for 5mins, at about 7pm I got another call from a guy called Tony from HFO. Now my father was the one who answered the phone and he was told a fair bit of info about what the call was all about. So I was seriously unhappy about that, then I was told myself that they had tried to ring me numerous times over the past month and should off received letters, Neither off which have I any knowledge off so as close as I know I havent received any communication from HFO until today.

 

this guy tony tried to get my bank details off me to set up a direct debit, which I refused to do, saying this was suspicious and I want this in writing and will not give any details over the phone, he started going on about how he couldnt pospone this account any longer and If I didnt give him my details my account would go further and mean my possesions being reposesed I stood firm and in the end he relented and the info is in the post for me to take the next steps. were he informed me that the call has been recorded for legal purposes.

 

at about 8:50pm my dad shouted me down for another phone call this time it was John from HFO trying to get my bank details to set up a direct debit, I just turned round and said that I would not be giving out my bank details over the phone as I have just said to his college Tony, he said that there was nothing on the computer saying that this was so. at this point I said I would not be giving out any details and informed him off what had been said before I hung up.

 

what is this company trying, 3 calls from 3 different people from the same company, what can I do to stop this sham off a company contacting me again and requesting my bank details?

 

also any other tips that can help me with this company would be much appreciated

[dx100uk]

for a start they are a DCA they NO LEGAL POWERS!

you have done correct

DON'T discuss any details over the phone AT ALL.

deny the debt & first off a CCA request letter & a telephone harrassment letter.

just fishing me thinks.

 

 

dx100uk:)

[FINBAR82]

cheers dude, got a feeling that they have just tried and call me again, who the hell are HFO anyways, Ive never heard off them

[adelaidebull]

I had the same telephone tactics off these people...

I just stated the telephone harrassment laws to them,and threating all types of legal action...

I also sent them a CCA request..

So far the only reply i've had off them is a offer to dropped the debt by 50%...

[FINBAR82]

I set up a payment plan with HFO, via the post and the first payment was due to go out on the 10th of may. I knew I had money in the account I set up the DD with as I have another account that I use for everyday etc.

 

Now today I had a phonecall from TONY at HFO claiming that they never received the payment. considering I had told them that I no longer want any communications via the telephone and I wanted everything in writing I thought this was out of order. Next he goes on to state that they will be adding charges for missed payments and if I did not pay today then they will be taking me to court.

 

I informed them that I will not be bullied into making any payments at this time due to the missed payment being in there error and I will no longer communicate via the telephone then I hung up. The phone rang a further 2 times before my brother answered it, where TONY informed him off my debt and they were sending the bayliffs round to collect money off the sum I owe.

 

what can I do about this company who seem to persistantly break my request over the telephone and continue to harras me over this?

[FINBAR82]

Please help me, HFO are claiming to be coming round with the police in 2-3 weeks time, can they do this. its has now seriously got me worried, my Halifax account was in credit above what the amount due for this payment was and have it in writing, is there a way I can stop them doing this due to the error not being mine.

 

I really need my mind put at ease over this one as it is now going to put me in real difficulties

[diskmandave]

Utter utter bullsh*t! HFO are a debt collection agengy, plain and simple.

http://www.hfoservices.com/home.html

They have no legal powers as previously stated, the matter is civil and the police have no remit whatsoever in the matter. They cannot send baillifs without a ccj and subsequent default upon it.

 

Have a read of this:

Debt Help UK : Administration of Justice Act 1970 | UK debt consolidation service with free help and advice | UK debt consolidation service with free help and advice

 

You need to send the CCA request ASAP, include £1 p/o and send by recorded delivery, the template is here...

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general-debt/20758-creditors-dcas-letter-templates.html#post162367

 

Given the tactics they're resorting to, i'ld really strongly advise getting in touch with your local Trading Standards office as what they're doing breaks every rule in the book. Again, link below..

Trading Standards Central - Trading Standards and Consumer Protection information for the UK

 

Keep us posted, good luck, Dave.

[FINBAR82]

thanks dave, when I heard balifs and police, it got me into a bit off a panic, Ive been bouncing around on the phone to the halifax and everything, I have nothing in writing since the payment plan, then they phoned a 23times in the past 2 days.............its a different person everytime its them

[diskmandave]

thanks dave, when I heard balifs and police, it got me into a bit off a panic, Ive been bouncing around on the phone to the halifax and everything, I have nothing in writing since the payment plan, then they phoned a 23times in the past 2 days.............its a different person everytime its them

 

Sorry to be a bit tearse with you, but you really need to start standing up to these people and taking the advise previously given. If you need examples of how to deal with DCA's on the 'phone i'ld suggest checking my RobinsonWay thread... And particularly here...

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/debt-collectors-debt-collection/71386-diskmandave-robinson-way-co-5.html#post737533

 

In short, these people are taking advantage of your inexperience and identifying you as vulnerable, which is why they are giving you such a hard time. They want the money, they don't care how they get it and they don't care if they break the law! WE have to use the Law to prove them wrong! Which I did here...

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/debt-collectors-debt-collection/59620-diskmandave-lowell-finacial-capone.html

 

Good Luck, regards, Dave.

[rory32]

Finbar,

Follow Dave's advice and do a bit of reading on what your rights are. This will make you far more able to stand up to the barstewards. Once you do you will notice that they back off very quickly. These people are bullies and like all bullies if you stand up to them they run away.

[gizmo111]

If they threaten police again tell them you will be calling the police if they trespass on your premises.

[FINBAR82]

well today I received a call from a mobile.....it was this tony again, saying that since last night I hung up on him he was ringing to read me the act of which I had signed.............considering I havent signed anything that must be a bit hard...............being busy as I was at work I told them id ring them back.

 

 

I gathered a couple of members off staff together and rang them from the sales managers office with the speaker phone on..........Spoke to tony again and he informed me that I had signed the agreement(considering that Ive only had one bit of mail from them and sent them nothing). I read them the riot act confirming the telephone harasment act etc which I had done in the first place, TONY then carried on as if I hadnt said anything. I steped in with the fact that the error was down to them over there attempt to remove funds early from my account...............when he replied that I have no proof off this, I foillowed up with that I have written proof off this. he quickly made an excuse and I was put on hold for 2-3minutes.

 

When Tony returned he informed me that balifs will be sent round to my property(which is actually my fathers) to remove property to value of the debt. I Informed him that the balifs better be prepared to be extracted from my property by all means necessary conveining with the law......which was met with......you cant do that, I said that I dont see why not when you cant send balifs round for the mistake that HFO themselves have made and that I will not bow down to there bullying, which was met by the phone being slammed down on there end.

 

 

about an hour later I received another call, it wasnt tony, it was a bloke called John. I stated the fact off the telephone harassment etc and that since it has been broken I will be contacting the trading standards concerning the company. he was rather quick to deduct £150 off the debt. I told them that I want the offer....as with any other corespondance from them in writing before putting the phone down

 

just have to wait and see what happens now

[rory32]

Well done finbar...you are getting there, allbeit it's all rather frustrating and a pain in the backside.

[FINBAR82]

tell me about it........in the end I just want them to send the balifs round................just so I can escort them from the property:p

[tomterm8]

I am no longer welcome on CAG

[gizmo111]

7. SAR barclaycard and claim back charges.

 

8. Stop speaking to them on phone - you'll only wind yourself up

[tomterm8]

I am no longer welcome on CAG

[FINBAR82]

right, the final straw was reached on saturday night...............I was away With my girlfriend spending the weekend in scotland for her bday. I had my phone on me just incase there was some news on my grandfather. in the end I splashed out on a new sim card just cos my phone rang that much, the **** was really taken when at 11pm on saturday night my phone rang............it was HFO. I put the phone down on them and promptly turned my phone off. when I returned home on monday I phoned them up confronting them over the telephone harassment and everything.......they said they had nothing in writing from me about it..............I struggled to keep the smugness from my voice as I told them about me sending it recorded delivery and stated the info on when It was delivered and everything.........they hung up havent heard anything from them since but I have sent a strongly worded letter to them and also a letter to trading standards about the way HFO have behaved. lets see what they try next

[diskmandave]

Good for you! You're finally getting it that these people can be stood up to!

 

Have a read up on this as well:

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/reports/consumer_credit/oft664.pdf

 

Good luck, keep it up, Dave.

[Curlyben]

I'm sure Trading Standards would be very interested to hear of these "peoples" business practices.

 

I recently called TS about an overzealous DCA and they where very helpful.

I even called this DCA to give them the good news and TS ref.

Now, surprisingly I haven't heard from them since