Its simple, or it should be a person or business runs up a debt with you, you haven’t got the time to chase the debtor so you try and find a suitable company to collect the debt on your behalf.
Its not that simple, believe you me, we experienced just that scenario we kept on receiving faxes from a Manchester based company saying that they can collect a debt or you will get your money back we finally gave in and requested a meeting, mistake number 1, we set the appointment on the 24th of January and received a call from their representative to say that he couldn’t find us which meant that we had to go looking for him a few miles up the road, now at this point the alarm bells should have started ringing but we thought poor sod doesn’t know the area very well and went to the rescue. Very pleasant older gentleman listened to our problems intently and said they he had to make a few phonecalls which he did, he called his head office and gave the name of the debtors to an associate and requested a call back, in the meantime we talked about the weather waiting for his return call which came a few moments later, he had a smile on his face, he said we have found some information on this person and it looks as if they have some considerable funds available in a few of their accounts. Well we were pleased it all seemed justified they have the money in their accounts they owe us so by a simple calculation it was worth paying the money to get the debt recovered. WRONG WRONG WRONG, mistake number 2 and mistake number 3 all rolled into one, yes the company portrayed a level of professionalism in finding out this information but this is where we started thinking with our wallets and not our mind.
“We can collect the debt from the debtor”, we said but this is a seasoned professional that ignores, letters, phonecalls and even court dates, don’t worry he said we will personally go down there and collect this money for you, we have a team of professional debt collectors that will recover this money for you, Great! Where do we sign, and that’s where we should have stopped but instead we didn’t, we agreed a price and made a deposit based on the information he received from head office that there was money available in the debtors name. We will require all the paperwork sent to our office along with the balance, I said I will get this to you by the end of the week.
In the days leading up to the end of the week I started making a few checks about the company, they were a registered company they had a consumer credit licence so things looked quite good, so we compiled the 5 years of paperwork and couriered to them along with our cheque. A few weeks later we phoned for an update only to be told that the file hadn’t been set up and it would take an additional week, ok we thought, not a problem, Then we rang in to receive the first update, oh we went sent them a letter we are waiting for them to respond, a letter I said they will ignore that when are you going to visit them, oh we need to send them a letter first.
This was how it went on week after week, phoning in for an update, all we heard is that they had sent them a letter, we were getting frustrated and kept on asking when are you sending in an actual debt collector? Started seeing the pattern yet, we have, the final straw came when the collection company wanted more money to take the person to court, this is when the penny dropped and we realised that we wasn’t going to see any of the money we had either paid to recover the original debt.
Phonecalls, faxes, phonecalls faxes even emails that immediately bounced back, all to no avail they had our money and that was that, even them ignoring their own terms and conditions didn’t seem to sway them they had our money and that was that.
So if you are thinking of collecting a debt, think wisely, don’t fall for the tricks of the trade that were used on us, it was a costly mistake, we cant even recover the documents as they cant seem to find them, a bit strange that as the paperwork was included with the cheque and they managed to find that all right.
Please feel free to contact me for the complete horror story, for legal reasons we can not divulge the company at this time not until the have at least appeared on BBC Watchdog.
My advice, choose carefully, choose very carefully ask for companies details that they have collected from in the past, don’t take anything at face value because that is what it is face value and nothing else.
This lesson cost £2350.00 so save yours and don’t make the same mistakes we made.
You have been warned!
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12 comments:
I have experianced the same problem with this rouge company and cant believe that people like this walk the face of the earth. Thank goodness that I didn't pay the second installment and only have a loss of £375.00 unlike some of the other unlucky people I have read about. I have reported this company to trading standards and watchdog. If anyone is willing to join me please reply to this blog.
Hi, I would be more than happy to help you report this company to Trading Standards and Watchdog. If you would like to let me know where to write/phone then I will get moving. I shall also be reporting them to the people who issue Credit Licenses and Data Protection (if I can find out how).
I have also reported this company to Trading Standards, Cheshire and Manchester, obviously I am not the first to do so, so why then are they still being allowed to con other innocent people out of their money? I am now going to add my complaints to Watchdog. Maybe if enough people complain someone will listen. I actually went to ADC office on Cheetham Hill Road today. 1 to ask to see the file on my case (guess what it supposedly wasn't there, although my children who were in a different room to me say they saw someone get it out of the filing cupboard) and 2 to see if I could get them to give my money back.!! If any one would like the mobile number of the lady director who holds the cheque book I have it! not that I expect that will be any use. Shes too busy driving around in her black BMW jeep or silver mercedes - paid for by us poor trusting souls
Yes, please give me that number. 14 months later and I am still waiting them to collect from 3 clients of mine. Supposedly they are sending in the baliffs to two of them on 26th Feb, although last time I was told they were going to all three be taken to court. They are just a joke!!
I think her name is Saminda or Samunda number is 07967 287024. Interested to know how you go on.
When I was there my kids noticed documents from HMRC pinned up for late payment and other complaints from other people lying around. When I said I was not going anywhere until I saw someone or a file, the man in the office called the police.
I have written to them twice to demand to see my files, and got no reply. I have reported them to the trading standards, but not much happening there. I have also reported them for repeatedly sending through faxes to try and get business, despite the fact I had told them they were not to send them anymore. In the end I reported them as they already had some judgement made against them for illicit fax sending (can't remember who it was with now). I am thinking of taking to a solicitor to see what can be done. To be honest I have lost about £550, which isn't as much as some, but it is the principle. Plus I could have taken these three clients through the small claims court by now and got my own judgements against them. Done it before successfully. I will keep the number and then if I get no joy after this supposed visit on 26th Feb, I will give her a call - repeatedly......
I demanded to see my file whilst I was at their office, conveniently it wasn't there and could be sent down & viewed within the week. When I demanded to see copies on their computer the system was down -which was funny because I was sat next to a girl in the back office and they all looked up and running to me. What are they trying to hide? When I got outside later with my kids they said that they had had to move whilst they got a file out of the filing cabinet which they were looking at and they thought it was mine. The company you need to speak to about illegal sending of faxes is the ICO at Wilmslow (google it for details) they have been banned from sending faxes since Sept 2007 according to previous blogs I have seen so the more people that complain about them the better. Also anyone who has already contacted Trading standards about them, please write to or email Manchester Trading standards again asking what has been done. Their address is Manchester Trading Standards, 1 Hammerstone Road, Gorton, Manchester, M18 8EQ. The more people who complain at the same time the more likely we are to see some action!?! I am writing to both Manchester and Cheshire Trading Standards again to let them know my experiences on visiting them. Ches Trading Standards said that they were in breach of their contract by not letting me see evidence of debt collection. Jackie I know its the principle and it eats me up every time I think about them getting off with my £565, but it will cost you even more if you take this up with a solicitor.
I rang Samira Sadique on her mobile number she professed to knowing nothing about my case and asked me to ring the next day at 11.30 a.m. after she had been into the office and looked at it. I rang the next day and several times after but the mobile is always on answerphone. However on the answer phone message she does give an email address for people wishing to send in their CV's for a job. So I have sent her copies of letters via the address which is for anyone who wants to do the same, jobs786@yahoo.co.uk Pester power is my only option at this stage.
Don't get mad, get even. We have to stop these people doing any more damage. I was taken for £460 in January 2008. This is a police matter. We can all see that they have taken our money with no intention of doing anything- this is theft. With more victims I'm sure a criminal investigation can be started. I am preparing a report for The Office of Fair Trading, The Credit Fitness Team at The Office of Fair Trading, The Police, The Information Commissioner, Trading Standards Office, BBC Watchdog, Manchester Evening News and several of the National Press. Please contact me with your stories. They may face criminal charges. smudgestick@yahoo.co.uk
My mother has been a victim of this firm to the tune of £2,500+VAT given to them in Sept 2007 to help her recover a debt. We checked the firms website prior to dealing with them and were given a money back guarantee. I wish I had made more checks. They are sick pathetic people and deserve to be jailed. Anyone who needs our assistance bringing the individuals who run this firm to justice can contact me for information about my mothers dealings at bhavesh@chande-ifa.com.
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