Hi = I read your message with interest as I am now being chased for a alleged £10 debt from 4years ago when I had an account with 3G. I have no recollection of this debt and have not been contacted by 3G ever since asking for payment. There is no record of such an account being registered on my credit history either. Anyway, I as shocked to find that Lowell have registered the £10 debt as a defarult on my credit file. This as you can imagine is very bad for my credit profile. I was wondering if you have or had anything registered on your credit file and if so did you get it removed and how easy was it?

thanks

Hi I read your message with interest as I am now being chased for a alleged £10 debt from 4years ago when I had an account with 3G. I have no recollection of this debt and have not been contacted by 3G ever since asking for payment. There is no record of such an account being registered on my credit history either. Anyway, I as shocked to find that Lowell have registered the £10 debt as a default on my credit file. They have not contacted me once about this alleged amount and just went straight ahead saying I was in default. This as you can imagine is very bad for my credit profile. I was wondering if you have any advice on this?

thanks

Complain to Offcom about this

For anyone that receives a speculative letter from a debt collection agency (they will send out loads of letter to the same name they have searched for on the registers) I would suggest you send them the following:

Dear Sir/Madam

Account no:

You have contacted me/us regarding the account with the above reference number, which you claim is owed by myself/ourselves.

I/we would point out that I/we have no knowledge of any such debt being owed to (insert company name).

I am/we are familiar with the Office of Fair Trading Debt Collection Guidance which states that it unfair to send demands for payment to an individual when it is uncertain that they are the debtor in question.

I/we would also point out that the OFT say under the Guidance that it is unfair to pursue third parties for payment when they are not liable. In not ceasing collection activity whilst investigating a reasonably queried or disputed debt you are using deceptive/and or unfair methods.

Furthermore ignoring and/or disregarding claims that debts have been settled or are disputed and continuing to make unjustified demands for payment amounts to physical/psychological harassment.

I/we would ask that no further contact be made concerning the above account unless you can provide evidence as to my/our liability for the debt in question.

I/we await your written confirmation that this matter is now closed. Otherwise I will have no option but to make a complaint to the trading standards department and consider informing the OFT of your actions.

I/we look forward to your reply.

Yours faithfully



(Your Name) Do not sign

Thanks for the advice. I'm now waiting for a response. They sent me a calling card in the post the other day. THey keep wanting to get me to call them on these premium rate numbers!!!! I have just ignored it and sent the above letter instead of calling

HI MrTim. Actually, this whole nasty business prompted me to do an Experian credit check and my record is clear, but my husband found out that Lowell have done a credit check on him!!! That's the next battle to see how we can get them to remove it. Still waiting to hear from them since we've sent a letter basically telling them to prove we owe this debt because we don't think we do. I think the 1st step is proving the debt in question's not yours then you have to contact them and tell them to remove the record. Good luck!

Hello, It seems I am in the same boat as some of you.

I received 2 letters today, both in the same envelope from 3Mobile & Lowells. They are saying I owe £102 from 2005. I distinctly remember settling my account with 3 at the time (05) as they were a pain in the a*se company to deal with. 3g had never contacted me to say I owe them any money but what is worrying me is that theyve tracked me down to my new address. After receiving the letter I phoned 3 only to be told by them they cannot deal with my complaint whatsoever and to contact Lowell directly, which I have done by phone also. I now realise from reading other threads on this site that I shouldnt have contacted them. I did however say from the outset of the call I have no knowledge of any debt and I do not accept it. They told me 'thats fine, but I need to prove it'.

I have printed the template letter posted on here (thanks to Tartanarmy) and am currently awaiting reply. After reading numerous posts on this site regarding similar cirumstances, I am becoming increasingly annoyed at having to sort something like this out. I definitely think they are chancers and hoping some people are worried into just handing over money for debts that dont exist.

Well, you'll never guess this, but now Lowell has employed some lawyers to harass us on their behalf!!! They had the nerve to send a letter saying there was no reason for us not to pay the so-called debt, then they even called our home the other day (must have gotten our land line off the voters' roll because I never supplied them with it). Underhand crooks. We've simply written to them, refused to speak to them on the phone and told them to put it in writing. Have requested Lowell to send us proof of this so-called debt and written to their lawyers and have threatened...no PROMISED to report them to the Office of Fair Trading if they don't prove this debt or stop harassing us!!

If you get anything from a solicitor whilst waiting for proof or a copy of your agreement send them this:

Dear Sir/Madam

I DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY DEBT TO YOUR COMPANY

THIS ACCOUNT IS CURRENTLY IN DISPUTE

Dear Sir/Madam,

Your Ref : [enter ref here]

I refer to your letter of [eneter date], which was received today.

Frankly, I am surprised of the need to remind a firm of solicitors about the terms and conditions surrounding my Consumer Credit Agreement request (Consumer Credit Act, 1974); received by [enter debt collectors name] on [enter CCA request date]. I can only assume therefore that they failed to inform you.

Should your client now persist with threats of legal action as stated in your letter, I will welcome the opportunity for a judge to look at several offences committed by [enter debt collectors name] under The Consumer Credit Act, 1974, as well as your client’s non-compliance with and total disregard for the law on this occasion.

Yours Faithfully,

Print name, don't sign

If you have just sent the prove it letter then you will need to amend the first para to reflect this

Hope this helps

Thanks. I sent a similar letter. Only thing is it's the Data Protection Act which needs to be quoted because for mobile phone contracts, they are not under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Anyway, still waiting for a response from either. Will let you know

Hi guys,

Im new to this forum. I have been searching the net finding myself in a similar predicament i.e. just recieved a letter from Lowell Porfolio last month, re: a 3g debt from 2005 i knew nothing about. in haste i paid the debt (£16.08p), but just 3 weeks ago i have had a default account added onto my credit file (source: experian, equifax). i am getting nowhere and having seen all the other people similarly treated i.e. 3g being inept informing customers any money was ever owed (to the customers detriment), i am worried. 2 points id like some feedback on:

1). if ive paid the debt to lowell immidiately is that an admission of guilt? they sent me an official looking letter does this count as a default notice??

2). do you guys think it might be an idea to approach media about this? i dont seem to be the only one and possibly naming and shaming may help people in a similar predicament?

By all means - yes - BBC watchdog would be a good start....

Hi to all, like many of you I have also signed up to this forum since recieving a letter.

Mine is from 3 Mobile saying that they have passed my "debt" on to Lowell Portfolio 1 Ltd and that I should pay the outstanding balance of £64.74 to them.

I like many of you closed my account with £ Mobile at least 12 to 18 months ago and have heard nothing from them untill this letter.

I have another problem that I have got to check and that is I have been turned down for a credit card for some supposed bad debt! Now I have no debts to speak of certainly none that I am not managing so the only thing I can think of its this 3G thing that I dont owe!

Hi Griffo,

There's practically an epidemic of letters from 3G/Lowell!!! See Phishblaster's response to my query on the 23 Aug on the previous page of the threads for tips on what to write to them to try and establish whether or not the debt in question is yours. Next I'd suggest signing up to Experian CreditExpert online. It's free for a month then you can opt to pay after, but you'll be able to see your detailed credit report and try and see which the so-called outstanding debt is. You'll probably be able to pinpoint when exactly Lowell went snooping around into your credit as well. Good luck

Hello

My partner received a letter a few years ago from 3 stated that he owed them money - he believed didn't and therefore didn't pay it. After a while they sent him a letter saying they were going to take him to court so he paid the “debt” off - but has ended up with a default on his credit history which says it is unsettled. He has paid the money and has online banking - we have found the payment going out on his past statements but this is the only proof we have. We really want to get the default settled. Is there anyway we can do this?

Would really appreciate any help.

Thank you!