With Gordon Brown being portrayed as the ultimate bully is it any surprise I receive threatening mail from a company calling itself Scot Call? Yes a Scotsman will call at my address and threaten me with violence if i don't pay up. This country is going down the pan. Anyone else feel intimated by these clowns?

Many thanks BB. Very helpful advice. Thanks to all who've replied.

Would I need to acknowledge a Court Order or can the bailiff simply turn up, clamp my car and ask questions later? Yes my "wife/son" could do with a car. Thanks for the HU.

Hi again. I wasn't sure which forum to post this in (Legal/Bailiff/DCA's) so apologise in advance if this is the wrong forum. I need some advice on whether it's safe to purchase a vehicle given that I have long term (12 months) outstanding Credit Card debts. Specifically do debt collectors have powers to seize (cash purchased) vehicles to recover the debt? If the answer is yes does the collections agency need to provide written court orders before action is taken? How does the process work? Secondly would purchasing a Vehicle/Insurance alert the agencies to my whereabouts? Moving address and avoiding the electoral register appears to have bought me more time. Any advise would be most appreciated. Brent..

Many thanks to you all. I will close my account PDQ. Regards.

Hi again, My Halifax Savings account has recently been debited £400 by its credit card dept and am questioning the legality given no prior consent was given for this withdrawal. Whilst I admit this amount is owed to Halifax I question the methods used in this instance. I would appreciate any guidance as to whether I have a claim against Halifax. Thanks in advance.

Anyone?

Having received bankruptcy threats from unscrupulous DCA's I am now looking at options to avoid my bank account being frozen in my absence. My question is this, are offshore bank accounts immune from UK bankruptcy law? and if not can my UK bank account be frozen without my knowledge/consent?. I have no property to protect just my life savings. I will shortly be moving to the US & the last thing I need is for my current account to be frozen in my absence. Any advise would be most appreciated.

Very briefly. Thanks to members of this forum it was established Lowell's had not provided the necessary documents under prescribed terms for the purposes of sections 61 (1) (0) and 127 (3) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. The debt has never been acknowledged and I had up until now considered the matter closed since forwarding my letter of complaint. In my letter I made it abundantly clear to Lowell's that any further requests for payment will be regarded as harassment and will be dealt with in a court of law citing the harassment Act 1997 section 3. Lowell's were also warned about breaching a number of the OFT Collection Guidelines. Since my letter to Lowell's the matter has now been passed on to RED (for the second time) who wrote to me requesting settlement. Mr.P of Reds recoveries department was sent a copy of my letter to Lowell's stating my intent to sue should they ignore my request to stop the harassment. Today I received another letter from Mr.P threatening bankruptcy and CCJ. Surely this behaviour is in breach of the law let alone on ethical standards of behaviour. Before I instruct my solicitor to serve a writ I would appreciate any advise/warnings before doing so. Thanks in advance.

Great advise NP. Thanks for your efforts. Happy New Year.

Thanks for the advise Dave. Very much appreciated. Happy New Year.

Cheers Paul, you guys are the best. I can now put this fiasco to bed once and for all. Happy New Year.

Many thanks CB. Happy New Year.

Hi Paul, I have uploaded the image here http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/7794/lowellscopyccafd9.jpg Looking through my files I notice exactly the same letter was sent months ago re CCJ also stating that no further contact would be made, only to be passed onto Hamptons and or Red legal departments. This company has lost all credibility dishing out threats in such a cavalier fashion. Regards.

Excellent letter CB. I will try just one more time. Like I said despite all my efforts to resolve this issue in an amicable fashion all I receive the same old reply along the lines of "you have have failed to contact us therefore"... I sincerely doubt one can reason with this company as they appear hell bent on ratcheting up extortionate legal fees and expenses in order to blackmail its victims. Why is this company not investigated for dubious practices? Regards