Just been told of a 20 year old “debt”

This will be a bought debt situation. They buy bundles of debt from banks or utilities companies for pennies against the pound, then pretty much any collection made against that debt is profit. The information the debt companies are given by the banks is usually sparse and potentially incorrect, they've been chasing this debt internally or through agents for 20 odd years, there's a reason they've sold it on. It's worth noting that this overdraft could have been with any current or historical lloyds bank subsidiaries as the seller might not have told the agency which member of lloyds group the debt was originally held with so in the current line up that's, Bank of Scotland, Scottish Widows, and potentially Halifax but I don't know what their relationships within the group is.

If it's genuinely not you just tell them, if it is you, hell, they've waited 20 years, tell them to do one, ask them to prove the debt, they won't be able to and at that point you should insist they write it off, if the refuse to threaten them with the FCA, these guys are terrified of the FCA.

A note on statute barring, this prohibits them from taking legal action against the debt, chances are it applies in your case, however it won't stop them sending letters and phone calls, regardless of the ethics of the matter.

I worked for a company like this for 6 months after Uni, I wouldn't touch bought debt even though those guys were rockstars in terms of their status with management as they had the hardest job and the best margins. I managed 6 months before I realised the money wasn't worth the job and jacked it in. Funny story, 9 months later my former employer chased me for a debt I'd already paid to a telephone company, suffice to say I refused to pay it.

Best of luck with it.
 
FortuitousFluke said:
This will be a bought debt situation. They buy bundles of debt from banks or utilities companies for pennies against the pound, then pretty much any collection made against that debt is profit. The information the debt companies are given by the banks is usually sparse and potentially incorrect, they've been chasing this debt internally or through agents for 20 odd years, there's a reason they've sold it on. It's worth noting that this overdraft could have been with any current or historical lloyds bank subsidiaries as the seller might not have told the agency which member of lloyds group the debt was originally held with so in the current line up that's, Bank of Scotland, Scottish Widows, and potentially Halifax but I don't know what their relationships within the group is.

If it's genuinely not you just tell them, if it is you, hell, they've waited 20 years, tell them to do one, ask them to prove the debt, they won't be able to and at that point you should insist they write it off, if the refuse to threaten them with the FCA, these guys are terrified of the FCA.

A note on statute barring, this prohibits them from taking legal action against the debt, chances are it applies in your case, however it won't stop them sending letters and phone calls, regardless of the ethics of the matter.

I worked for a company like this for 6 months after Uni, I wouldn't touch bought debt even though those guys were rockstars in terms of their status with management as they had the hardest job and the best margins. I managed 6 months before I realised the money wasn't worth the job and jacked it in. Funny story, 9 months later my former employer chased me for a debt I'd already paid to a telephone company, suffice to say I refused to pay it.

Best of luck with it.
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All good advice, but all I'd say is that the bit in bold isn't quite right.

They're allowed to issue a claim, but where it applies, the Limitation Act acts as a complete defense, as long as your defense includes it.

The only reason I say that is that they can continue their bluff right up to a court hearing, but as long as you've raised limitation as a defence the claim will be dismissed.
 
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! :p :D

Once again, a case in point as to what a helpful community this forum can be. :)
 
it is called ZOMBIE DEBT it is statute barred and nothing they can do unless you admit to the debt and offer a repayment then you're six years starts over
admit to nothing and say go away it is statute barred
 
It sounds like the debt is most definitely statute barred if you have not acknowledged the debt in 20 years. Therefore if it was really your debt I would certainly not be paying it now.

Anyway, if some two-bit company called "Reunite Me" contacted me fishing for information I would certainly would not be entertaining them with a reply at all. The only time I would take action is if CCJ papers arrived which I highly doubt as A - they don't know if you are the correct person and B - it's 20 years old.

It sounds like they are just hitting people with the same name waiting for someone to bite and pay up regardless.
 
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.
 
ivrytwr3 said:
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.
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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! :p

I feel more for the undoubtably countless people who receive such correspondences and pay up without question....
 
AHarvey said:
I'm guessing it someone with a debt that has a similar name/dob and they are trawling for someone to land it on.
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this..its happened to my wife as well, a woman with the same name but at a different address in a different part of the country

we rang ( it was not this outfit you are dealing with)and told them we had never lived there and cleared it up with proof of residence at our current address..never heard from them again


they must just send the letters to everybody worth the same name...its a really lazy way of chasing debt
 
Scania said:
Thanks for the advice all.


Cheers.

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


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 :D - 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.


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

Worth a read for you squire
 
@Scania It is entirely possible that the debt collection agency has linked someone else's debt to you due to same name, and dob. The methods they use depending on how far down the track they are with trying to link the debt can get very limited and this kind of thing happens.

Just stand firm that you never had a Lloyds account and that the debt cannot be yours.
 
Funnily enough, I saw this in the news today - and Lloyds' name was mentioned in the article:
Representatives of a government-owned bank are suspected of forging signatures on court documents in repossession cases, the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme has been told.

In the US, such practices - on a very large scale - led to billion-dollar fines and millions in compensation.

The allegations relate to UK Asset Resolution and loans from Northern Rock, Bradford & Bingley, Mortgage Express, also Lloyds Banking Group.

The companies strongly deny the claims.

The signatures, of bank officials and legal representatives, are found on documents such as statements of truth and witness statements submitted to the courts as part of repossession proceedings.
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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.
 
Malevolence said:
Why would he pay off a debt that isn't his?
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Because some folk think it's too much hassle over a few quid and just pay up. I've seen it before on here.

Scania said:
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.
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Yep "Prove It" letter is the way to go. :)
 
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