allegro wrote on Apr 27
th, 2012 at 1:21pm:
Anyone else getting silent calls from 01482 483 251? This is Wescot scumbag debt collectors as far as I can see. Had one call per day for the few days. I don't have any unpaid debts and nobody else has lived at my address for over 14 years.
Yes. I had several calls from them when I was on holiday earlier in the year with the above CLI and the finally a manned call when I was back at home. It was about a neighbour who had left here some time ago and trying to ask if I knew whether he still lived here. I think they started off their call with something like "is that the householder" and then want to ask if I knew if a Mr A Bloggs still lived at No XX here.
There are several threads about this at whocallsme.com and the moneysavingexpert.com discussion forum.
I wrote to their Chief Executive to complain (they are actually Wescot by their way and their website is
www.wescot.co.uk) He claimed in his reply (at least he did reply in person) that they are legally entitled to do this to pursue debts but I believe and lots of people believe it amounts to harassment by trying to blacken a debtor's name/character with their neighbours (since everyone will look up who the number belongs to and who Wescot are with Google and put 2+2 together).
There are two ways to strike back at this firm:-
1. Report them for misbehaviour to the Credit Services Association to whom they belong to by emailing daniel.spenceley@csa-uk.com as set out at
www.csaconsumers-uk.com/page/i-have-a-complaint2. Report them to the Office of Fair Trading who also directly regulate their activities as a debt collection agency by emailing enquiries@oft.gsi.gov.uk
There is another thread about this firm's behaviour at:-
http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?250710-Westcot-DCA-Ser...Basically no other debt collecting firm seems to be doing what they are doing by contacting someone's neighbours because that person owes a debt. I think they have crossed a line in terms of reasonableness or the lack of it in doing so.