I'm pretty sure they can only call you between the hours of 9 and 9 anything outside that time is harassment and you can file a complaint - keep your phone log of when they called.

No one here will judge you - 95% of the people here either are or have been in the same boat as you're in now and will do their best to give you advice relevant to your problem.

When they call and speak to you do they ask you security questions to verify your ID? If not they're probably in breach of some part of the DPA. If they do just refuse to answer them - you don't know who they are so you could be giving personal info to anyone! Emails are simple - add them to your spam list and you won't see them. Check the currency for the amount they are asking you to pay - they demanded mine in Dollars which made it seem a lot more than it was!

Is it the nice Glen Mathew From Bluenose who describes himself as an attorney from Washington DC that's calling you? He used to call and write to me a lot but I ignored him and he's stopped!

They probably won't have a copy of the application then, they lost a lot of the early applications and a lot of the others they have from this time are scanned copies of a blank form with your signature and a stamped signature on their behalf. I had a similar scenario with them to yours - sent the DCA the prove it letter got a letter from them saying they were handing it back. Heard nothing for a while then got a letter from Crap 1 saying they were handling the account again that was around February 2011 - I've heard nothing since (touch wood)

When did you open the account and how was it applied for - over the phone, internet etc?

When it was with the DCA did you send a CCA request or ask for a copy of your application?

I sent them that one a few weeks ago :o) My post above is what they came back with

Great stuff thanks. So do nothing?

Had a reply back from them: 'We have received your recent undated letter on 6 February and we note the English legislation to which you refer. In order to assist the Irish Court please say if you have ever had an account with HSBC bank and in particular a consumer loan and please also confirm your date of birth is **/**/****. We await hearing from you.' What should be my next step??? I don't fancy confirming the information at the end as it would appear that I'm potentially incriminating myself?

Thanks lads - I've added te bit into the letter about being aware of CPUTR 2008. Do you think that would make any difference? And should I use the vexatious letter too?

Deleted as remembered I could edit the previous post and couldn't figure out how to delete the post!

OK another letter recvd from this lot titled letter before court proceedings saying: they refer to previous correspondence and note that I remain indebted to their clients. Unless I contact them with my repayment proposals by return of post they anticipate their clients instructions to issue legal proceedings with a view to securing judgement. Once judgement is issued it will be published in teh trade gazettes (what does that mean?) and may be placed in eth hands of the Sheriff for seizure. (pretty much tha same as teh last letter) Then goes on to say : In view of the substantial sum (given in Euros) they will be recommending to their clients that I'm examined in court with a view to obtaining an instalment order against me. They trust I'm aware of the implications of the action and urge me to respond. This is their final request. Any thoughts please???? I think I read a letter somewhere saying that while a debt was in dispute with a DMC and they hadn't provided proof then any action then any action taken against me would be vextrus (or something like that) would that be apt or should I wait for a reply to the last letter I sent them?

Cheers. I checked out their website and could only see them as solicitors. It wasn't until I read this and googled them with debt collectors after their name that that came up! I'll get the letter sent this week

Thanks - starting to panic! No never sent it but they did send me a copy of the app without me asking. Should I ask for it again? I also got the (short) list of payments made which the last lot called my statements. Can you point me to the right letter please?

Hi Come home today to a letter from Mason Hayes & Curran Solicitors saying: HSBC v Me Amount - in Euros this time We act for the above named and we have been instructed in respect of the above outstanding account which is due by you to our client. We understand you have been given full particulars of the amount outstanding and that to date it has not been paid. The purpose of this letter is to advise that unless you pay the above sum to us by return of post our client has instructed us to issue legal proceedings with a view to securing judgement. Once judgement is issued it will be published in the trade gazettes and the matter may then be placed in the hands of the Sheriff for seizure. We trust that you are aware of the implications of this action and would therefore urge you to contact us with your settlement proposals straight away. If you wish to pay the full amount by bank transfer our account details are bla blah blah Any advice on this please?

It was advice I got here - I ignored HSBC, MCS and GT Law or whatever they're called then it went out to Bluestone I asked on here if I should send that letter and was told yes...so I did. Only thing I've had back is a list of payments which they alleged are statements and prove I made payments to HSBC. This list had my name, sort code and account number on it and was sent to an unverified email address. Considering taking legal action for a breach of the DPA at the moment.

Their next port of call will probably be Bluestone Law in the US - again don't panic - just follow the info above or send them the prove it letter.

According to their website they self certificate to something called Safe Harbor - however that doesn't list Bluestone Recoveries International just Bluestone Law and Bluestone Services Inc. For safe Harbor it says amongst other things: The European Commission’s Directive on Data Protection went into effect in October of 1998, and would prohibit the transfer of personal data to non-European Union countries that do not meet the European Union (EU) “adequacy” standard for privacy protection. While the United States and the EU share the goal of enhancing privacy protection for their citizens, the United States takes a different approach to privacy from that taken by the EU. In order to bridge these differences in approach and provide a streamlined means for U.S. organizations to comply with the Directive, the U.S. Department of Commerce in consultation with the European Commission developed a "safe harbor" framework and this website to provide the information an organization should need to evaluate – and then join – the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor program. Please note that the form used for self-certifying compliance with the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor Framework is identical to that used for self-certifying compliance with the U.S.-Swiss Safe Harbor Framework; nevertheless, an organization is not required to self-certify to one of the Safe Harbor Frameworks in order to self-certify to the other. Organizations should also note that when they select “Switzerland” as a country from which they receive personal data, they are self-certifying compliance with the U.S.-Swiss Safe Harbor Framework. It is critically important that an organization read the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor Privacy Principles, 15 FAQs, and enforcement documents before submitting a self-certification form.

Yep - well just a print out of when payments were made and when they were missed etc. But it had my name and bank sort code and account number on it. They said there was a letter from the bank giving them authority to deal too but that wasn't attached

They've only sent the normal letters. they sent the copies of statements to an email address that they didn't verify as being mine before they sent them - it's different to the one the bank has on file. For all they know it could have been anyones email address.

OK - what about the costs bit? Still tempted to go after them for breaching the DPA

Another letter from them today saying as they haven't heard from me in response to their communications I am hereby advised that this matter may be referred to a collection agent in my country for local collection action, which may include legal action. It's not too late - please contact us immediately. What do you think? Marry, snog, avoid? I read in another thread somewhere that courts here don't award costs - is that true?

I meant me suing them for breaching the DPA. So they couldn't just bring an action locally against me?

Thanks - I suddenly have vision of million Dollar lawsuits!