hi, thanks for letting me join, I'm a newbie here wondering about a problem we have just had tonight. I came home tonight to see my daughter on the phone looking a bit flustered, she is 23 and doesn't live with us but is visiting today, she had just had a phone call from a debt collection agency called sigma red about a debt owed to the cosmetics company Avon. Some time ago she was approached in the street by an Avon salesewoman who asked if she wanted to become an Avon rep, she said she would think about it and gave the woman her mobile number and address. she never signed anything nor was she offered anything. she just thought she was saying she was interested. Nothing happened then, no phone calls, no letters, no cooling off period, no contract. 3 weeks or so later a parcel arrived at her door from avon. she opened it and it was an Avon rep starter kit. She hadnt signed for the parcel nor had she been asked to. she called avon and told them she didn't want it, and hadn't asked for it, and asked them to arrange to have it collected, which they agreed to. Avon had her mobile phone number and never to this day called her, she moved a few days later and left the parcel at the house as avon were supposedly collecting. that was in july. tonight she had a phone call from a debt collection agency called sigma red chasing her for a debt of £56. She was terrified by the woman who wanted immediate payment or else 'legal recovery' actions would follow. she was white faced when she told me. I got the details and called them back after verifying who i was and that i had authority to speak for her, I was told that she had to pay. I disagreed that there was any contract at all, she hadn't asked for it and had made an effort to get it back to them, they hadn't attempted to even call her, even though they had her number, because the debt collectors had the number from Avon. I told them that they hadn't a chance in hell, I considered this debt to be non existent, it was Avons unsolicited parcel that they hadn't made an effort to collect, and as far as i see it they had no claim. The woman wasn't particularly helpful i asked for a manager, he gave me the same spiel, I asked for copies of any documentation or contract that my daughter had signed, he said they weren't obliged to send me any, then he said they had no documentation, and round we went over and over. My opinion is that this debt doesn't exist. They sent her stuff she hadn't asked for, and failed to collect it when asked. he insists that she still owes them. I'm gonna ring Avon tomorrow, but where does she stand over this. she hasn't signed anything and never asked for it, and asked them to take it back when they sent it, surely she has done enough. the parcel is possibly still at her previous house, but as it was a student let i doubt it. Any thoughts on this. its only 56 quid I'm so annoyed that they had the nerve to send this stuff that wasn't wanted, and then drop it straight to the debt collectors without any contact. grrrrrrr!!

Not sure if I have posted this in the right place? Apologies if not! I'm currently working through my credit file and found a default from 2012 for £200 from when I was a representative briefly. I have contacted AVON and said: In April 2012 I was briefly signed up as an Avon representative at my previous address XXXX. I placed a couple of orders but then my personal circumstance changed and I was not able to continue, and I moved house shortly afterwards. I had some outstanding products to return from a couple of customers who didn’t pay for their orders and these were outstanding when I resigned as a representative. I received a bill from yourselves for £200 for outstanding stock, and contacted customer services to arrange a collection. This was arranged and the products were left in the secure cupboard where previous deliveries had been left by your delivery driver. The products were subsequently collected and I then moved house. Four years later, I am applying for a mortgage I have just been going through my credit record, only to find there is an outstanding amount showing to Avon for £200 (which I can only assume is for the products mentioned above), which is showing as a defaulted mail order account. This is adversely affecting my credit record and I urgently need to get it resolved. As above, I have never owed any money to Avon it is extremely disappointing that something I took up to help out with a little extra money has been having such a detrimental effect on my credit rating. I have also never signed up as a mail order customer directly as implied by what is showing on my credit report. I think this would be a good warning to others on how becoming an Avon rep can be incredibly negative. Please could you look into this as a matter of urgency and remove the incorrect record from my credit reference report. They have responded to say: Please send a copy of the signed proof of return from our carrier for the goods you have returned to Avon. Upon receipt of the balance, we will instruct the Credit Reference Agencies to update their files to show your account as satisfied. I don't have those receipts any more, it was four years ago and I have moved twice since then. I have received nothing from AVON or any DCA so assuming it is still sitting with AVON. Is there anything I can ask them to do, surely they have to keep the records? Also I don't want to pay the balance as I don't owe them anything, and I don't want it shown as satisfied, I want it removed from my file as it shouldn't be there! Any advice on how to proceed?

Hi hope somebody can help back in 2014 my partner worked as a rep for avon she had a big order around Jul/Aug 2014 there was problems with the customers not paying not answering their door etc so my partner got ready to return the items filled all the relevant details in online and used a return code or so she though around a week later she checked her account and it was in a held state she rang Avon and asked why and asked why no one had come to collect the stuff she was advised that the account was with the investigation team as my partner had infact used the wrong code online there are these things called reason codes you enter on your Avon account she entered a not received reason code, instead of a return items reason code she explained to Avon that it was a mistake on her part and could they arrange collection of the returning items along with other items that was waiting to be collected Avon agreed and that the next collection date would be 8/9/14 however after no delivery company came my partner rang Avon back they told her that the delivery company have stated nobody was home which there was they then said the next date for collection would be the 29/9/14 this went on with them not collecting saying we were not in when we were until they finally collected the stuff on the 10/11/14 all the while we was waiting for them to collect the stuff Avon decided to rack up late payment charges for non returned items and late payment for the account being in a held state. we have rung Avon back explained all this to them that they have got the items back and that a wrong reason code was used and the late payment charges for the stuff not being returned is an error on their side it was their Courier service that did not collect on time which we have already explained to them Their response there is nothing we can do you have to WRITE to the investigation team and send in proof that we returned the items we can not speak to them as they do not work via a phone OK then sure they do not and pigs fly. we have written a letter to the investigation team back in December 2014 they say they have not received any letters was advised by somebody at avon to send the same letter with proof of us returning the items via email with pictures of the barcodes of the return boxes we have done this twice and they are still saying they have received no email or letters from us and keep sending letters out stating we owe £636.43 and if not paid will be sent to a debt company for collection every time we ring Avon they say there is nothing they can do we have to speak to the investigation team via writing or email which we have done 3 times we tell them this and all they say is all we can advise you is to send another letter or email it is getting beyond a joke. The £636.43 is for the order of items we have not sent back and the late payment charges we have sent the items back we have proof which we have sent Avon but they keep saying they never receive any letter or emails they are charging us £636.43 for items they have received and late payment but i have explained all this to them in a letter and email that they never seem to get going round in circles i am not paying for something i clearly do not owe Any help on where i stand on this please would be grateful i cannot ring the investigation team at Avon as i cannot find a number and the normal Avon number i ring they say investigation team do not have a number i need to write or email but as you know i already tried that i do not know who to contact i have uploaded a letter they keep sending every week. Thanks in advance for any help Jay