Is this legal? I've just had a call.
Discussion
I've just had a call at home, it was a very short conversation that went like this:
Me: "hello"
Caller: "Hello, is that Mr. H###"?
Me: "speaking"
Caller: "Hi, I'm trying to find someone named Gail H###, is she a relative of yours?"
Me: "No, not at all".
Caller: "oh, right, sorry to bother you".
Having CLI on the phone, I did a quick Google search (01254 844088) and it's come up as a debt collections agency called J2 Solutions, who are part of Mackenzie Hall group. A slightly less quick Google shows that they seem to specialise in finding old debtors, and aren't very nice people.
As they weren't looking for me (and I don't know any Gail H###s) I'm not overly worried, but I guess they are looking for someone named H### in the north west and are going through all of the names in the phone book? Is this legal ... I can't what law it would break, as the phone book is in the public domain. I thought I was ex-directory though, but having just checked on the online version I'm there (oops!).
Me: "hello"
Caller: "Hello, is that Mr. H###"?
Me: "speaking"
Caller: "Hi, I'm trying to find someone named Gail H###, is she a relative of yours?"
Me: "No, not at all".
Caller: "oh, right, sorry to bother you".
Having CLI on the phone, I did a quick Google search (01254 844088) and it's come up as a debt collections agency called J2 Solutions, who are part of Mackenzie Hall group. A slightly less quick Google shows that they seem to specialise in finding old debtors, and aren't very nice people.
As they weren't looking for me (and I don't know any Gail H###s) I'm not overly worried, but I guess they are looking for someone named H### in the north west and are going through all of the names in the phone book? Is this legal ... I can't what law it would break, as the phone book is in the public domain. I thought I was ex-directory though, but having just checked on the online version I'm there (oops!).
It's ulra-illegal and the government and law enforcement agencies are really hot on it at the moment. Ring 999 (no point waiting for your local nick to answer) and say that someone phoned you and asked you if you knew someone, which you don't, and then, when you confirmd you didn't, they said thanks and hung up.
These vile creatures make me sick. Worse than paedophiles, IMO.
These vile creatures make me sick. Worse than paedophiles, IMO.
You could apply the above to the question "In what way would it be illegal?" if you fancy thinking it through for yourself.
Luckily, I don't have any outstanding debts, nor have I ever had any that have not been completely paid off. I'm from that slightly old fashioned era of "saving up to buy things" and "if you can't afford it, you can't have it".
Unless RBS are getting heavy on the mortgage borrowers these days, and it was a polite reminder to pay up!
I shall watch this space, so to speak, to see if anything else happens.
Unless RBS are getting heavy on the mortgage borrowers these days, and it was a polite reminder to pay up!
I shall watch this space, so to speak, to see if anything else happens.
bramley said:
Mr_annie_vxr said:
You've now confirmed you live there.
D'oh!Does sound to me like a sneaky trick has been played and that the debt dudes are after the chap that answered the phone.
but it could be the mob after the OP with sticks and raging death on him, when he is not expecting it, like the middle of the night......or tomorrow at 11.34am....Muhahahhaahahhaha!
Landlord said:
It's ulra-illegal and the government and law enforcement agencies are really hot on it at the moment. Ring 999 (no point waiting for your local nick to answer) and say that someone phoned you and asked you if you knew someone, which you don't, and then, when you confirmd you didn't, they said thanks and hung up.
These vile creatures make me sick. Worse than paedophiles, IMO.
Gosh, what a wit. These vile creatures make me sick. Worse than paedophiles, IMO.
You could apply the above to the question "In what way would it be illegal?" if you fancy thinking it through for yourself.
As I said, if you want to wade through the first post and, taking your own advice, think it through for yourself, I can't see in what way it would be illegal, unless perhaps there are applicable harassment or telephony abuse laws - it's certainly not against data protection law. However, it is an odd call; in the same way as if someone stopped me in the street and said "you're a bloke, we are looking for a bloke, do you know him?".
Plotloss said:
If you asked them where they were calling from and they confirmed it was a company and they told you the name and the person they were looking for, would that not be a breach of the DPA?
Not really, only breach of the DPA if they said WHY they wanted to speak to said individual. (Happy to be corrected if wrong, but that is my understanding of the DPA)I work in debt enforcement and although i dont know whether its illegal or not its certainly against our licensing rules. If one of my employees was doing that they would be fired as they would risk me losing my license.
When someone calls you, always find out who they are before you let them know who you are. Tell them no-one at this number accepts anonymous calls and hang up if they dont identify themselves.
When someone calls you, always find out who they are before you let them know who you are. Tell them no-one at this number accepts anonymous calls and hang up if they dont identify themselves.
I conducted a due dilligence exercise for a previous employer, and visited a few collection type places. Very interesting.
Basically, they have a team of people trying to trace debtors.
They go through old Govt records, phone books... all sorts. They'll phone neighbours, people with the same name etc.
Whilst I believe they have an obligation to tell you who they are calling from (name often means nothing), you are under no obligation to tell them anything.
What is interesting, is that whilst I was listening in, the number of neighbours or releatives that will tell you everything about the debtor is stunning. Everything from full addresses, to the new car they bought, or (get this!) offer to phone back with further information (and do!).
Basically, they have a team of people trying to trace debtors.
They go through old Govt records, phone books... all sorts. They'll phone neighbours, people with the same name etc.
Whilst I believe they have an obligation to tell you who they are calling from (name often means nothing), you are under no obligation to tell them anything.
What is interesting, is that whilst I was listening in, the number of neighbours or releatives that will tell you everything about the debtor is stunning. Everything from full addresses, to the new car they bought, or (get this!) offer to phone back with further information (and do!).
LeeThePeople said:
I work in debt enforcement and although i dont know whether its illegal or not its certainly against our licensing rules. If one of my employees was doing that they would be fired as they would risk me losing my license.
When someone calls you, always find out who they are before you let them know who you are. Tell them no-one at this number accepts anonymous calls and hang up if they dont identify themselves.
Thankyou for that.When someone calls you, always find out who they are before you let them know who you are. Tell them no-one at this number accepts anonymous calls and hang up if they dont identify themselves.
ETA is there an applicable piece of licensing rules I can refer to, or is this a public licensing condition?
Edited by aclivity on Friday 13th February 15:06
I'm pretty sure I read in the weekend paper a while back that these agencies buy up old debts for a nominal fee and then try and recover the debt themselves.
I think it also said they have absolutely no legal authority to make you pay back the debt. I suspect they're careful about how they word their letters but I think you're perfectly within your rights to just chuck them in the bin. Strange.
As to whether they can ring up random people during the course of their investigations, I would have thought it was perfectly legal. Their profits rely on their ingenuity I guess, so they'll probably try all sorts of odd tactics to recover their money.
I think it also said they have absolutely no legal authority to make you pay back the debt. I suspect they're careful about how they word their letters but I think you're perfectly within your rights to just chuck them in the bin. Strange.
As to whether they can ring up random people during the course of their investigations, I would have thought it was perfectly legal. Their profits rely on their ingenuity I guess, so they'll probably try all sorts of odd tactics to recover their money.
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