Letter from Outfit Called Absolute Locate

[wurzel]

Don't know if anyone else has ever had one of these?

According to their website w ww.absolutelocate.com, they "Reunite clients after years of separation...." Lost family members, unclaimed inheritances etc....

Sounds quite exciting.

A bit of digging around reveals that some company called Global Debt Management Services sits behind all this.

Not the sort of reunion I had in mind

As far as I know, I have no debts or CCJs against me. If they've found something on me it goes back at least 15-20 years when I moved around a lot and it's just possible there may be an unpaid utilities bill.

Am I right in assuming that there is some time limit on how long a debt can be enforced (6 years seems to be bandied about on various forums) ?

I could just pick up the phone & ring them but they're not going to talk to me unless I confirm who I am by giving them personal details & at that point I fear the floodgates will open....

[cojak]

Can't you request that they give you any information they have about you (via DPA)?

How about getting an Experian credit check on yourself?

[wurzel]

Can't you request that they give you any information they have about you (via DPA)?

How about getting an Experian credit check on yourself?

Yep - just did that. Rating is excellent with 0 negative factors.

[Safe Collections]

Don't know if anyone else has ever had one of these?

According to their website w ww.absolutelocate.com, they "Reunite clients after years of separation...." Lost family members, unclaimed inheritances etc....

Sounds quite exciting.

A bit of digging around reveals that some company called Global Debt Management Services sits behind all this.

Not the sort of reunion I had in mind

As far as I know, I have no debts or CCJs against me. If they've found something on me it goes back at least 15-20 years when I moved around a lot and it's just possible there may be an unpaid utilities bill.

Am I right in assuming that there is some time limit on how long a debt can be enforced (6 years seems to be bandied about on various forums) ?

I could just pick up the phone & ring them but they're not going to talk to me unless I confirm who I am by giving them personal details & at that point I fear the floodgates will open....

To be clear, a creditor can ask you to pay a debt at any time. However, no legal action can be taken once a debt is statute barred and the time limit for that is six years from the last contact/payment between creditor and debtor.

Lots of consumer debt agencies will handle statute barred debts that they buy for a few pence on the pound, with the aim of getting the debtor to make an admission and small payment towards the debt despite the fact it is statute barred.

As soon as a debtor makes a payment on a statute barred debt, even if only for £1, the clock starts again and the creditor has another six years to take action.

You can talk to them over the phone without any issue, just explain you received this letter and now need some clarification.

[SueEllen]

Lots of consumer debt agencies will handle statute barred debts that they buy for a few pence on the pound, with the aim of getting the debtor to make an admission and small payment towards the debt despite the fact it is statute barred.

As soon as a debtor makes a payment on a statute barred debt, even if only for £1, the clock starts again and the creditor has another six years to take action.

You can talk to them over the phone without any issue, just explain you received this letter and now need some clarification.

Why would you talk to them on the phone then?

I would just bin the letter.

I know there is an issue where some people's credit files get combined with someone of the same name but completely different date of birth and addresses so I would check my credit file myself from all the agencies.

[barrydidit]

Am I right in assuming that there is some time limit on how long a debt can be enforced (6 years seems to be bandied about on various forums) ?

The Experian search you've probably utilised (Experian Credit Expert?) will only return any negative factors (Public Information - CCJ's, Bankruptcies/Sequestrations and IVA's) dated within the last 6 years. Anything previous would be held on your record, but won't ever be returned to lenders or your own search.

It doesn't sound like you have anything to worry about based on the Statue Barred advice from Safe Collections.

[Safe Collections]

Why would you talk to them on the phone then?

I would just bin the letter.

I know there is an issue where some people's credit files get combined with someone of the same name but completely different date of birth and addresses so I would check my credit file myself from all the agencies.

To find out what is going on?

What if this is a case of mistaken identity? Letter gets binned and next thing you have the bailiff on your door for someone else's debt. Easier to solve with a call now than if that happens (and it does happen!)

What if the OP has had their identity cloned? Again, the sooner identified the easier it will be to fix any damage.

What if someone has set up a fake Ltd in the OPs name? This company could be busy taking delivery of a thousand iPads that disappear with the OPs name on the letterhead. A researcher set up a fake company in the name of Vince Cable just to highlight how easy this is to do.

Contrary to popular belief, you have nothing to fear from calling a debt collector. If it does in fact turn out to be a statute barred debt then at least the OP knows that is the case and that nothing untoward is going on.

Ignoring a debt collector is never a good idea.

[JRCT]

Ignoring a debt collector is never a good idea.

Unless you're married to one.

[BrilloPad]

To find out what is going on?

What if this is a case of mistaken identity? Letter gets binned and next thing you have the bailiff on your door for someone else's debt. Easier to solve with a call now than if that happens (and it does happen!)

Agreed. But in this case the company are on a fishing trip. Ignoring letters is bad - but having opened this one and found it is nonsense its best to bin it.

[forumresponder]

Absolute Locate - London Investigates - Thames Valley are a Debt Collection Companies

Google the Data Protection Commisioners website for their address and enter Absolutes Locate's Registration Number to find out what this company does

ico.org.uk/esdwebpages/Search

Enter Reg Number ZA019311

Data Controller: Natalie Bourner
Address:

2nd Cartwright Court
Huddersfield
HD2 1GN

Other Names:
Absolute Locate
London Investigates
Sherlock Investigates
Thames Valley Search

Reasons/purposes for processing information
We process personal information to enable us to trace debtors, to purchase debts and to collect on behalf of creditors. We also process personal data to support and manage our employees and to maintain our own accounts and records.


Where necessary or required we share information with:

business associates and other professional advisers
family and associates of the person whose personal data we are processing
suppliers and service providers
financial organisations
ombudsmen and regulatory authorities
central government
credit reference agencies
debt collection and tracing agencies
traders in personal data
courts and tribunals
current, past and prospective employers
educators and examining bodies



My advice is to ignore them as their letter is underhand. If you have debts get advice from a free independant debt advice company.



Responding to this underhand organisation is asking for trouble

Don't know if anyone else has ever had one of these?

According to their website w ww.absolutelocate.com, they "Reunite clients after years of separation...." Lost family members, unclaimed inheritances etc....

Sounds quite exciting.

A bit of digging around reveals that some company called Global Debt Management Services sits behind all this.

Not the sort of reunion I had in mind

As far as I know, I have no debts or CCJs against me. If they've found something on me it goes back at least 15-20 years when I moved around a lot and it's just possible there may be an unpaid utilities bill.

Am I right in assuming that there is some time limit on how long a debt can be enforced (6 years seems to be bandied about on various forums) ?

I could just pick up the phone & ring them but they're not going to talk to me unless I confirm who I am by giving them personal details & at that point I fear the floodgates will open....