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[Viral_Jim]

When I cancelled the omega insurance with Tesco, I cancelled it before the last payment was taken so there was an outstanding balance. Without contacting me, Tesco handed the debt off to Moorcroft debt collections. Not how I would have handled it but ok.

After they called me I declined to pay on the basis I needed to confirm the actual outstanding balance with Tesco. Dealing with the organ grinder rather than the monkey as it were. So I called Tesco, paid up and that was that.

Got another call tonight asking me to make payment. I explained I already had, then the guy on the phone tries to pressure me into sharing my credit card statement to prove payment! On what planet would you share sensitive personal financial information with a random company that you have no commercial relationship with  . I told them where to get off and talk to their client.

He then tried to imply they'd take me to court. I told them to go ahead, it'll be funny and I'll claim some expenses for the privilege of defending the claim.

We await developments.

[STEMO]

If they claim they have incurred costs by chasing you for payment, and you are refusing to pay their costs...watch out. They are mercenary bastards.

[Doctor Gollum]

I use Stepchange to deal with them... Think they only had the account for a month before throwing it back to Lloyds...

[New POD]

My wife needed a credit card, and we agreed that an asda one would be good as cashback on asda purchases.
Gets the card and there are 2 ways of getting it working. one is to phone a real person and the other is on line.

The online method automatically puts your statements onto online only, without you being aware.

So my wife uses her card about 3 weeks later for the first time. Then we are waiting for a bill. After about 5 weeks, we check on line and find that she's had a bill and defaulted and had a "fine" of 12 added to her next bill.  So we quickly pay the total.

The very next day she gets a letter from a debt collection agency.  She phones asda credit cards and they apologise and refund the £12 as they can see it's not her fault and put her back on paper statements. 

[zirk]

If they claim they have incurred costs by chasing you for payment, and you are refusing to pay their costs...watch out. They are mercenary bastards.

Yes indeed they can, but Tescos should have refused to deal with you after passing the debt to a third party collection agency, in theory, they have annulled the Debt from Moorcroft.   

[Doctor Gollum]

Credit cards are devil's work...

[Mister Rog]

We all get bombarded with persuasions to do everything online. When it all works' great. When it doesn't it's a disaster, and the disasters are all too frequent.

[Andy B]

Credit cards are devil's work...

Not if used & paid off each month. They can be very handy & convenient 

[Doctor Gollum]

Credit cards are devil's work...

Not if used & paid off each month. They can be very handy & convenient 

Hmmmm if you can pay it off each month then you don't need one

[Viral_Jim]

Credit cards are devil's work...

Not if used & paid off each month. They can be very handy & convenient 

Hmmmm if you can pay it off each month then you don't need one

While technically true, I think they still have a place. Firstly they provide additional protection for purchases, we have used the section 75 rules to reclaim money for purchases which have gone wrong more than once.

Also, SWMBO and I have each had two free business class upgrades to the US and back as a result of the air miles we accrued, at least half of these have come from CC spend.

As with many things though, they have the potential to land you in the sh!t if used incorrectly

[aaronjb]

Credit cards are devil's work...

Not if used & paid off each month. They can be very handy & convenient 

Hmmmm if you can pay it off each month then you don't need one

Section 75 protection is a wonderful thing - and for large purchases you'd be mad not to take advantage of it.

Had I not paid by CC for a £450 wiring loom then, right now, I'd be out £450 with no wiring loom now that the company I bought it from has (apparently) done a runner. But I paid on a credit card, so I'm not - I have my £450 back and they're left to fight with the credit card company.

.. wait, what Jimmy said

[Andy B]

Credit cards are devil's work...

Not if used & paid off each month. They can be very handy & convenient 

Hmmmm if you can pay it off each month then you don't need one

I disagree. My money stays in my bank account all month earning (a bit of)  interest. Come the end of the month, my credit card is automatically paid off in full. I also win in that my credit card gives me some money off fuel & some other things and I don't need to go & get cash to pay for stuff ...... I effectively have £20k in my back pocket.

[Gaffers]

Send a recorded letter asking for proof of liability for the debt as well as dates of all correspondance sent from the aggrieved party(ies) to yourself and when the notice of default was sent.  Unless they are squeeky clean and have followed the correct procedure (which it sounds like they are not) they will most likely back down at that point.

[Kevin Wood]

I had the same when I moved house and a utility company sent my final bill to my old address, then wondered why it went unpaid.

Contacted the utility and resolved the issue then advised the debt collectors that sex followed immediately by travel was their best option. Didn't get any further hassle.

[STEMO]

All of this bravado is fine, as long as it is the correct and legal way to go about things. If you think that your life can't be made hell by these companies, then take a trip over to MSE forums. You will see there that, despite you doing things correctly, a lot of companies play fast and loose with your credit file.