Just been told of a 20 year old “debt”

[Scania]

Arrived home from work on Friday to find a letter from Reunite ( www.reunitemenow.com ) asking for assistance with their investigation.

Their office was closed then so I called this morning to discover they are acting in behalf of Global Debt Recovery in London and they advised me to contact them, I’ve duly done this to find I have a debt related to an old overdraft with Lloyd’s Bank dating back to 1999 for the sum of £550.

Whilst I’m awaiting them to forward their documentation to me I’m puzzled about the whole thing.

Firstly I don’t recall ever having a Lloyd’s account and if I had I’m sure I wouldn’t have simply forgotten about it!
I’ve received nothing in the intervening 20 years about this, nothing shows up on my credit file although the debt is registered to an address that I lived at albeit very briefly 20 years or so ago.

I’m assuming once they send further details I can tell them I have no knowledge of this etc and assume it’ll sort itself out (yeah right!)

As I say, I find it odd that this has all of a sudden arisen, I don’t understand why a tracing agency has been used to locate me as I’ve always been on the electoral role and therefore I’d assume easy to find.

What puzzles me most is why now after 20 years? I don’t know much about debt recovery etc but do know that a debt would be statute barred after 6 years although I don’t know if this applies to a bank account overdraft.

Just got to sit and wait for the relevant documents to be forwarded to me, they said this could take two weeks.

Any pointers appreciated.

 

[Scania]

Have you checked your credit file? That would tell you if you ever had a Lloyds account (but surely you would remember)

Yes, mentioned it in my OP, checked it again this morning and no mention of Lloyd’s. ( not sure how far back Experian goes mind you )

 

[Scania]

It isn't an automatic statute bar - they might still be able to chase it if they have evidence that shows they've attempted to follow it up in a reasonable manner on their side - however a company "can't" just suddenly decide to pursue outstanding money matters 6+ years later if they've made a mistake, etc. and not discovered it or tried to do anything about it sooner.

Certain types of debt aren't covered as well.

So be very careful in correspondence, etc. you could make yourself liable again for the debt in the manner you might acknowledge it, etc.

I would suspect this to be a scam attempt rather than a genuine debt though. Infact if they are asking you to "assistance with their investigation" don't give them any information whatsoever.

The letter arrived using that wording and upon contacting them they have just forwarded me to a different debt collection agency.
Thus far it doesn’t strike me as a scam more some **** up somewhere but of course I’m wary.

I’m wondering what constitutes a reasonable attempt by them to follow it up, I’ve clearly moved from the original address but stayed on the electoral role at all my subsequent addresses so think I’d be easy enough to find.

All I’ve given them is my old address and my current one (who the people sending the letter have anyway) and categorically stayed that I do not have any recollection of ever having a Lloyd’s account.

Just got to wait for the “documentation” I guess and take it from there.

 

[Scania]

Thanks for the advice all.

They call and simply await an "OK" or "maybe" response which they are automatically recording and then base there entire claim on, If these companies call, clearly state that you did not have any credit / debt / etc with any of the mentioned companies and end the call.

Be careful if you do investigate as you don't want to mistakenly admit to someone else's debt as these companies will chase you for it.

Cheers.

I’m Very careful about this and have said I didn’t have any Lloyd’s account then or subsequently.

Well firstly "Global Debt Recovery" is such a generic sounding name, I'd be wary initially of a scam, I'd certainly check how long they've existed for... do they have website, are they a ltd company you can look up. There does seem to be one online with that name and a website that looks like something from the 90s, though is that the same as the details for the company you've been contacted by?

I'd contact Lloyd's, if it isn't a scam then it is possible that either you've had some account you've forgotten about and they've been chasing it up at your old address or perhaps you've been a victim of identity fraud at that address - was it an address you lived at with a partner for example? Is it one you didn't have any post forwarded on from?

I’m assuming it’s this site - http://www.globaldebtrecovery.com/contact.php - the contact number is the one I called, they’ve got some great reviews (not!)

I did have a redirect set up at that address for a few months from what I vaguely remember - I struggle with last month never mind two decades back - no correspondence whatsoever, nothing on my credit file and I’ve got no Lloyd’s paperwork anywhere at home (I hoard such things thankfully)

Probably chancers, I doubt it’s somebody with a similar/same surname, mine is relatively unusual.

Don't speak to them on the phone.

Send them a "prove it" letter https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=2607247
and sign it in a different sigature to your normal one, yes it's a bit paranoid but why take the risk

Thanks for that, I’ll await their documentation and see if I need this, how on Earth they are going to have documentation from 20 years ago remains to be seen, I’m not holding my breath on that one.

 

[Scania]

I am willing to bet that they have no documentation at all..

Me too, I couldn’t get an old statement from NatWest that was over 8years old a while back despite the same account being my current account in daily use so I really don’t see how they’ve got anything related to Lloyd’s from 20years back.

Global debt recovery is another one of those ''debt'' companys that buy blocks of debt for pennies in the pound and then go after the person { or anyone else they can pin it on } for the full amount of the debt.

Just a quick google search on them proves what scumbags they are.

I wouldn't worry about it to be honest. if you do not remember the debt then it most likely not yours.

Contacting lloyds wont help as they will have sold off whatever the debt is to GDR and that is the matter finished as far as they are concerned.

I had a similar thing with them { GDR } it had nothing to do with me so i ignored them. they send a letter every now and then offering me a great deal 50% off the debt etc if i pay it off but i just shred the letters.

Nothing in my credit file about any debts i owe so they can get lost as far as i am concerned

Interesting, cheers.

 

[Scania]

This is incorrect, and without being rude it's false info like this that perpetuates around internet forums because people post it because they heard it from someone else on the internet and then people get into trouble.

https://cleardebt.co.uk/debt-help/debt-help-guides/out-of-date-debt



Big difference - you can most certainly be pursued for a debt after 20 years if the limitation act doesn't apply to your situation. Now we know in Scania's case that he's not in Scotland, and that he hasn't had contact about this debt before so he should be safe under this the Limitation Act. However as someone mentioned earlier, what's to say if they got hold of a recording of his voice when he calls, or a copy of his signature so they can then falsify that they had had contact within successive 6 years periods. These debt companies are hardly squeeky clean and as someone mentioned the website for this one was only registered less than two months ago. Be very careful!

Thanks, very helpful.

They are a genuine company that used to purchase old debt from Lloyds. Remember all the entities that Lloyds own now as well. So it may not have been branded specifically as Lloyds at the time.

They certainly seemed genuine when I spoke to them, no mention of payment and they said they were not in full possession of all details which I found interesting, hence the two weeks before they said they’d be back in touch.

I’m ready though for whatever ploy follows next, it seems pretty open and shut to me, I’ve no record of any Lloyd’s debt, never had a Lloyd’s account certainly not 20years ago and after making a conscious effort over the past few years to make sure anything in my credit file that would cause me a problem was rectified, I don’t see how this has been missed.

Just paid for a detailed report and I’m showing nothing for Lloyd’s whatsoever.

The one thing I’m struggling with is a definitive view on statute if a barred debt which is an overdraft is eligible for being statute barred as such.

Looking forward to their correspondence, might end up having some fun (or a headache) with this....

 

[Scania]

Did you ever have a TSB account? Lloyds and TSB merged in the 90's but when they split up in the 2010s they simply shared out the customers between themselves instead of dividing them back into Lloyds/TSB customers.

Never had a TSB account either.

 

[Scania]

I came home from work tonight expecting said documentation to be waiting for me, it wasn’t, I’m half expecting to never hear from them again (given I stayed I’ve never had such an account) we shall see.

My “prove” it letter is printed out and awaiting a stamp, I’ll let you guys know as and when/if there’s any developments.

Thanks for the advice, greatly appreciated, I’ve gone from worrying about this to wondering how much fun I can have with it!

Once again, a case in point as to what a helpful community this forum can be.

 

[Scania]

I would not have even replied - all you have done is flag up to them that you are active and now they will start pursuing you.

They threw the line, you bit.

Yes, I bit, but, there’s a certain person in my life I’d very much like to reconnect with and wondered if this was such an enquire - a tactic they clearly know well and play on - ultimately, yes I replied but didn’t declare I was the debtor as I am not, so they can try whatever the next tactic is by all means, I’m ready for the next round, if it appears which I’m doubting tbh as I clearly told them that I’d never had such an account.

They can chase me all they want, I’m more than up to wasting someone’s time especially if it’s some scumbag chancer as it appears these clowns are, I contacted Lloyd’s today to make sure I wasn’t suffering amnesia and indeed I haven’t ever had an account in their name - bring it on!

I feel more for the undoubtably countless people who receive such correspondences and pay up without question....

 

[Scania]

http://debtwizard.com/dw-forum/2/566

Worth a read for you squire

Nice one, a VERY interesting read!

Thanks.

 

[Scania]

Any more word from the debt collector yet or did you just pay it off?

Yes, got another letter yesterday (I’ll try to remember to scan & upload it later)

I’ll wait a week and send a template “get lost” letter and take it from there.

 

[Scania]

Funnily enough, I saw this in the news today - and Lloyds' name was mentioned in the article:Government-owned bank 'forging signatures' in repossession cases - BBC News

So if you get any documents from Lloyds which claim to have your signature on, I would inspect them very closely. It seems that they might like to think that they are above the law.

Very potentially helpful, thank you.

Because some folk think it's too much hassle over a few quid and just pay up. I've seen it before on here.

Hell will freeze over before they see a penny from me!

Yep "Prove It" letter is the way to go.

I’m going to send them as many correspondences as possible without particularly saying anything so hopefully I waste their time and money in replying.

 

[Scania]

Forgot about this thread

To recap, I ended up getting a letter from them stating I must phone or proceeds will start etc so, I rang them.

This is where it got plain weird!

I spoke to a chap who was very pleasant and helpful, basically repeating the line that I don’t know anything about it and - crucially - said “regardless though this debi is statute barred is it not?”
To which I got the reply “Yes, that’s correct”

So I then said “So basically your perusing me for an unenforceable debt?”

Again he replied “Yes”

So I then said “Then stop harassing me for something you cannot prove never mind enforce”

“Yes, that’s fine, we’ll remove the files from our system”

He said he’d send a letter confirming this - which I’ve never received - in short, it’s statute barred, they can’t enforce it but just buy up old debt - or perhaps just randomly mail people - in the hope people just pay it to get rid of a “problem” that actually isn’t one, I’d imagine many just pay up which is why these scum do this.

My advice to you @twilli would be either just bin it or phone them and state the debt is nothing to do with you and regardless due to time elapsed it’s statute barred and unenforceable and for them to go forth and multiply!

 

[Scania]

Here we go again, arrived home tonight to another Reunite ( www.reunitemenow.com )letter worded exactly the same as the letter in my OP asking for assistance with their investigation.....

Thankfully, one of my German shepherds has censored the letter, I had to spend 5 minutes piecing it back together before I could read it...

This time, the remnants of the letter have gone straight in the bin, as I should have done with the first one.

I just thought I'd keep the thread updated!

 

[Scania]

Got the Daily Mail for that.

Wouldn’t have that rag anywhere near my arse, who knows what I’d catch....