Hi, just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience with this, or any other DCA. Came round to see my boyfriend after finishing work yesterday to find a letter addressed to me in the kitchen, from 1st credit. The letter states that they have reason to believe that their 'subject' lives at this address. The letter is addressed to me, but starts off as 'dear sir/madam' and goes onto say that they are trying to contact 'the above named individual'. It goes onto say if no contact is made, we will assume you are the individual we are trying to contact and ensure all relevant correspondence is sent to you??? Or if you are not the above named individual please contact us anyway so that we can ammend our records. Am I right in thinking that it is ILLEGAL to open somebody elses post, so what were they thinking in addressing it to me?! ANyway the worrying thing is, I have no idea how they have linked this address to me? I have previously ordered things online and had them delivered to this address but surely they can't find it from that? Just wondering if anybody can help me, or if anybody has been in the same situation? Obviously this is a debt of mine which I had stupidly ignored and not heard anything for sometime but would obviously now like to sort out.

be careful with these guys though. i eventually had a doorstep visit from meritforce. i wasn't in but my mum spoke to the guy and told him to leave. apparently he was very rude and not atall bothered whether or not the neighbours overheard the conversation. previous to this, they sent letters, from 'hamilton mccarthy' to myself and all of my neighbours regarding my debt. i've already reported them, but the more people who do the better!

this isn't a forum where people come to praise these types of companies. we choose to come here to ask for advice, that is why you are reading negative comments. Peoples circumstances can change. I can safely say i have learned from my experiences and am taking the steps to clear every single debt i have thanks to the people on this forum.

Did anybody receive an email from them today explaining they have a new website?

I did try and set up a payment plan with cash genie and they said the £10 I offered wasn't enough. They went on to say I could offer to pay off more and they would consider it and to leave my bank details. I recently got a new bank account for my wages to be paid into and no way am I giving my bank details out so they can raid my account! Does anybody know if this company will agree to giving their bank details so I can pay directly into their account? Also, I received a letter from a company called 'grosvenor'. Not got the letter on me but they are a DCA. Anyway, so now I have Hamilton Mccarthys, the marston group (have reported both) and now these people on my back. What are they playing at???!!!!

I too have received a letter from the mrston group. I have already offered a payment plan. Has anybody else heard anything?

I cannot believe this! I too took a loan out with them earlier this year, had trouble paying back but did so in 2 installments (which I didn't authorise but was just glad it had been paid.) After this everytime any money went out of my account some of it was taken straight back out by.........JAMES KEEBLE LOANS! so maybe they reckoned they could keep my details and take money out of my account under a different name and get away with it!! As I've been irresponsible with card details in the past I put this down to being my own fault and never tried to get the money back. Instead I just opened an account with another bank.... Now I know the truth I am soooo mad!

I've heard it's quite common for payday loan companies to do this. However I thought maybe because I've changed jobs it could've been that, could be both I suppose, who knows!

Ah maybe! I opened up a new account with a different bank that my wages can go into. I am just about to close my other account as I have read many people have set up payment plans and they just help themselves regardless. Thanks, good job I'm no longer taking out payday loans! Remybarnie - Have you had any luck setting up a payment plan?

Hi just a quick update, would be interesting if anyone else is having this experience..... I'm repeatedly receiving the same texts and emails from a company called everydayispayday.co.uk asking me to apply. Each day I get more and more (sometimes upto 5 texts!) And, each time the emails become more and more 'attractive' (i.e discounts and quicker transfer times). Just now I have received another, and the email was marked as 'high priority'. After coming back and updating myself on the thread, I see they are the same company as cash genie, who, obviously I am an arrears with and am trying to sort out a payment plan. Why do you think they are doing this? They did say they were sending a letter to my employer but I have this month changed jobs. Do you think they are trying to get hold of their contact details? Seems odd to me?

It's disgusting isn't it. I rang them and asked why I should cooperate with them after sending out all of these letters after I had tried to set up a payment plan. They claimed it wasn't them even though they had previously said they had 'passed on the debt' to this company. I had this happen a total of 3 times, god knows what the neighbours think!!!! I have opened up a new bank account as I'd got into a bit of a mess with a couple payday loan companies including the infamous toothfairy and have now written to them asking to set up payment plans, but am NOT giving them my bank details, no way! Up to now heard nothing.........

I went on their website and they don't seem to offer any debt collecting services

Right, you just need to visit the website and (i think) in the FAQ section you will find their bank details. All you need to do is take the money, go to the bank and ask to pay the money into that account. Remember to use your mobile number as the reference so they know it's you who has paid.

does anybody know why the toothfairy thread has been removed? thanks, m

hi 42man cant find details of them on the internet. The letters they sent were all written on expensive paper & they look pretty legitimate. I have just been advised to report them. It's so embarrassing though, but atleast I have the proof as a couple of neighbours have given them to me (god knows how many people received them!) They obviously know my address just thought they'd embarrass me! Their address was on the letter I will post it when I am home tomorrow.

Thank you, it was the DCA though who sent the letter though. They're called Hamilton Mccarthy. I will pm you soon thanks

I'm going to yes, it is so embarrassing, people have been coming round handing the letters back (4 so far). CAB told me to report them but the woman I spoke to wasn't really upto date with things, she wasn't aware of what a payday loan was. Wish i'd never heard of payday loans!

i take back what i said about cash genie!anybody currently in arrears with this company please dont let the account go to the DCA. All of my neighbours have today received letters asking them to confirm where I live!!! and added information of what it was regarding, they are getting reported right now!!!!!! i did go to the CAB in tears but they said my debts arent large enough for their help just told me to report them and send letters out! so anyone reading, BE CAREFUL what a nasty tactic to humiliate you!

Are one month loan and cash genie not the same company? Their websites are so similar! Having dealt with a few you have listed I can tell you from my experience wonga and quick quid were quite difficult to deal with..(mind you I was ignoring the debts hoping they would disappear which obviously they didn't!) Quick quid hound you with calls, I had about 1 every hour or so everyday, the same annoying american woman, until they got fed up and passed my file to a DCA who weren't too bad atall. Cash genie I found quite helpful as once you have defaulted they do try to help you about by giving you the option of a 'one off' fee of £20 to roll over your loan. You are given your own 'debt manager' who will try and call & email you. They also offer payment plans. Wonga did threaten me with a doorstep visit and I found them to be quite nasty (however I was refusing to answer the phone as I was too scared to speak to them). They did send someone but I wasn't in and they just left a note and didnt call again. I would advise you to speak to each company before your next payday as they will probably be more sympathetic towards you, I reckon most will be quite willing to offer you a payment plan.

definitely stay away from wonga, they sent someone to my house 3 days after i defaulted. luckily i paid an extension fee and paid the loan off the following month!

That is ridiculous, I thought mine was bad! but over £800??? for an original £200 loan??? i have sent you a pm

i agree, the amount of stress they cause is ridiculous, not worth it atall.. what i would do to not have any debt! its the worst feeling ever! i had a payday loan with capital finance one also, they were taking money out of my account at all hours! id say toothfairy have been the worst to deal with so far, if i knew what i'd be going through now i would never have gone near a single payday loan!!

I have the same problem with fredrickson int, just received a letter today. I will use that letter also, thank you