Being chased for a debt which isn't mine (Lowell Financial)

[Zenduri]

Wow just read a bunch of endless 1 star reviews for these con artists on Google seem they pull the same stunt with everyone threatening people over debts that are nothing to do with them
How do they get away with it?
Op just ignore them but keep everything they send as proof. If they carry on after a few months then send them a recorded threatening letter intending to take legal action against them they will soon go away

Few posts late to the party with that advice lol

 

[Dav4]

Few posts late to the party with that advice lol

Oh yeh lol I just skimmed the original post and then replied didn’t realise op had updated with an outcome

 

[Doggie2k]

Oh wow I just received a letter from this company just yesterday about an unpaid debt to O2. Thing is I'm a paying O2 customer and not once have they contacted me about owing them money.

The letter from Lowell was accompanied by a letter from what looks like O2 telling me they've closed my account and moved the debt of £34 to Lowell portfolio.

Whilst I will be giving O2 a call tomorrow asking what the hell is this would this put a black mark against my credit rating?

 

[Dirk Diggler]

I've been suffering similar harassment for around 4 years now.

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/threads/advice-required-relentless-debt-collector.18642071/

My advice:

• Contact the company you are alleged to owe the money to (not the debt collector) and get written admission that you aren't liable.

• Every time the debt dogs contact you, send them a copy of the admission and remember to use the word harassment.

The debt collectors are relying on fear of bad credit score and courts. They actually don't have the power to affect your credit score, and one of them volunteered this information in an email.

 

[McBain]

A quick update. Having sent them a "prove it, go away or I will report you to the FCA" letter I have received a letter of apology confirming I am indeed not the person who owes them money. What a complete bunch of cowboys.

Report them anyway, clowns.

 

[Nasher]

Write "not at address" on the letters and put them back in the post box. They will go back to the return address and they will be billed for the postage.

 

[Hades]

I've been suffering similar harassment for around 4 years now.

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/threads/advice-required-relentless-debt-collector.18642071/

My advice:

• Contact the company you are alleged to owe the money to (not the debt collector) and get written admission that you aren't liable.

• Every time the debt dogs contact you, send them a copy of the admission and remember to use the word harassment.

The debt collectors are relying on fear of bad credit score and courts. They actually don't have the power to affect your credit score, and one of them volunteered this information in an email.

It's resolved now, as per my last update. But I 'spoke' to Three using online chat and they confirmed the account wasn't in my name. I took screenshots of this chat. I then used the letter in my original post to quote credit regulations at Lowell. They provide for such a scenario and at the point you tell them you dispute the debt they must, within a reasonable time, investigate and prove the debt is yours. They are not allowed to keep chasing you without doing so and can be reported to the FCA if they do.

The Lowell letter didn't initially appear to have an actual real address to send the letter to and they asked that you either phone them or email them. This makes it harder for you to prove an audit trail and also helps them collect your phone number and email address to continue chasing. Don't use these methods. At the very bottom of the letter, in the tiniest writing possible, almost needing a magnifying glass for someone old like me, was their company registered address (I think they may legally have to put it on their letters but make it as small as possible). This was a PO box number but it is what I used to send a recorded delivery letter to.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

It's resolved now...

Yea, I saw that you resolved it but I posted my post because in my experience that won't be the end of it. The debt will be dormant for a period of time, and then get sold to an entirely different kennel who will be all over you again.

Anyway, good luck with it.

 

[LOAM]

Yea, I saw that you resolved it but I posted my post because in my experience that won't be the end of it. The debt will be dormant for a period of time, and then get sold to an entirely different kennel who will be all over you again.

Anyway, good luck with it.

Are you any further in resolving yours String?

 

[Dirk Diggler]

Are you any further in resolving yours String?

The latest one's appear to be off my back, but as you can see from the thread it just constantly resurfaces. What doesn't seem to help me is that the utility company thought I owed them over £1k so any of the usual hounds will be slavering at the mouth to buy the debt for £50 or whatever.

This is the email I always send to keep them at bay:

We note from our file that you provided evidence of the property sale to this office on 8 August 2014. We referred this information back to our client and we received a response from them on 8 October 2014 advising that the supply period for the account was 1 February 2013 to 16 December 2013. Our client therefore asked us to obtain a copy of the tenancy agreement for this supply period to allow them to further investigate.



I can confirm that on receipt of your above referenced email of 9 December 2014 we placed our file on hold and referred to Scottish & Southern Energy for further instruction. Our client contacted us on 6 January 2015 and has instructed us to withdraw from this matter as they have confirmed the balance has been adjusted to 0.00. In view of this our file has been closed and returned to them and no further correspondence shall be issued by this office in regards to this matter.

 

[Hades]

Yea, I saw that you resolved it but I posted my post because in my experience that won't be the end of it. The debt will be dormant for a period of time, and then get sold to an entirely different kennel who will be all over you again.

Anyway, good luck with it.

Ah I see. Thanks.

 

[shauncr91]

Haven't read the whole thread but here's my input. Lowell are a debt purchaser so you will have had a debt with Three long ago who've then sold it to Lowell, you should speak to Three and get them to investigate and eventually recall the case.

Used to work with Lowell on a daily basis on behalf of another phone provider.

 

[Dav4]

I've been suffering similar harassment for around 4 years now.

The debt collectors are relying on fear of bad credit score and courts. They actually don't have the power to affect your credit score, and one of them volunteered this information in an email.

According to many of the 1 star reviews on Google for this company they have damaged quite a few people’s credit scores when they have checked on Experian etc so they must have someways of doing it?
All in all it’s scary that they can harass innocent people with fake debts that have nothing to do with them. I’ve notice a lot seem to be BT, Vodafone and 02 etc debts from people having phone contracts

 

[itchy]

According to many of the 1 star reviews on Google for this company they have damaged quite a few people’s credit scores when they have checked on Experian etc so they must have someways of doing it?
All in all it’s scary that they can harass innocent people with fake debts that have nothing to do with them. I’ve notice a lot seem to be BT, Vodafone and 02 etc debts from people having phone contracts

They are chasing me for a british gas debt from 2003.... lol

Ignore them do not phone them and acknowledge the debt, they cannot do anything if you don't acknowledge the debt.

They just debt farmers.

 

[dirtychinchilla]

From watching Can't Pay, We'll Take It Away, I don't think not acknowledging the debt achieves anything at all.

 

[iv-tecman]

From watching Can't Pay, We'll Take It Away, I don't think not acknowledging the debt achieves anything at all.

That show shows mostly a load of folks that seem to not even know their own rights.

And new laws for October 2017 means any debt collector has to send a pre advice before any court action giving the potential debtor time to prove the debt is not theirs, or come to a suitable payment plan with a debt charity such as step change or national debt line.

CCJ for personal debt hardly results in goods taken if you have no assets, only homeowners and those who own their cars worth more then £2000 outright should worry if they have none secured debt.

Those who do not own a home and hire purchase their car or do not own a car of any worth have little to worry about.

Only council, tax and fines are enforceable by bailiffs, and secured debt. Anything else, well good luck... Most debt collection companies know this, but still try it on. Debit collectors have no more power then I do to ask for money from someone.

 

[MikeTheNative]

From watching Can't Pay, We'll Take It Away, I don't think not acknowledging the debt achieves anything at all.

Those people do actually owe someone money though. In OP's case prior to it going to court they have to prove that it's 100% his debt which they would lose and it get thrown out. However I would never advise to just ignore it.

 

[mattyg]

From watching Can't Pay, We'll Take It Away, I don't think not acknowledging the debt achieves anything at all.

After 6 years of not acknowledging the debt it becomes statute barred

 

[iv-tecman]

After 6 years of not acknowledging the debt it becomes statute barred

Well it can still be pursued, but after six years of no one claiming to owe the money or they haven't proved it or taken it to court after six years legal action is no longer possible. And its no longer possible to just apply for a CCJ before even making the person you are chasing aware you are intending to take court action.

You can't even make someone bankrupt or get a debt relief order unless you owe one single creditor over £5000 - so most debts below this figure are mostly just chased by letters and phone calls, eventually the debt collection agency archives the debt and another company years later buys it for pennies in the pound and has another go. Most likely when the debt is 5 + years old in a hope to scare someone into stumping something up, by offering 50% off the total amount or asking for a regular payment plan... Once it hits 6 years they can no longer go to court but can still chase.

 

[hondo]

A quick update. Having sent them a "prove it, go away or I will report you to the FCA" letter I have received a letter of apology confirming I am indeed not the person who owes them money. What a complete bunch of cowboys.

What a complete load of *******