Phone calls from Westcott

[prunella]

Hope someone can advise me; I've been receiving lots of missed calls and voicemails recently asking me to call Westcott / Westcot (not sure which way they spell it). Being on the receiving end of loads of spam calls (my mobile number has somehow ended up on some list) I never answer calls from a number I don't recognise, but these voicemails are worrying - the message uses my full name and asks me to call them with a reference number, obviously they are some sort of debt collection company from what I've read on this forum but as far as I'm aware I don't have any missed payments on anything / problems with any sort of credit.

 

I've checked my experian credit history and it says my credit rating is excellent, it lists my bank accounts etc and doesn't have any mention of any debts other than a bank loan I have which has no problems - is it possible that I can have a debt outstanding which doesn't show on my credit history???

 

From what I've read on here Westcott are not the most reasonable / ethical of companies to deal with, so I'm reluctant to answer the phone to them, but I'm really worried that this debt could be some sort of identity fraud which could have a negative impact on me - any advice on what I should do?

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Hi yes it is possible that some accounts are reported on othe CRAs, try Equifax ,

Call Credit have a free sight called ''Noddle''.

What ever you do refuse to answer any security questions if you get caught on the

phone.

If you are worried about the possibility of ID fraud do check the other 2 agencies

asap.

they are chasing loads of old accounts at preseny

[prunella]

Thank you, hadn't realised different credit agencies had different info, will check asap.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Thank you, hadn't realised different credit agencies had different info, will check asap.

 

Creditors will some time use different agencies and any combination of

the 3 main agencies, the CRAs do not share data with each other.

[prunella]

Oh god, thank you so much for your advice! Have just checked with noddle and there is a default of £36 showing for something which looks like a mobile phone, from an address I haven't lived at for years - says I had been making regular payments on it up to november last year. I have literally no idea what this is! Is it possible that someone living at that address after I moved out could have set up a mobile phone account in my name?

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Are you sure it's yours, would you not know if money

was being taken out of your account, you will need

to make a careful check of all your accounts and cards

to see if your account has been compromised.

Have you by chance lost a phone or had one stolen?

[prunella]

I'm trying to remember but I don't recognise the name of the company - they're called 'Hutchison 3G' which doesn't mean anything to me, my mobiles have always been with Orange. I can check back my bank statements but I'm sure I would have noticed a direct debit going out every month, the default says the contract was taken out almost five years ago, so surely if it was a mobile phone I would have had to be renewing it every year which obviously I haven't?

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

I believe Hutchinson used the Orange network.

This sounds like ID theft.

You need to contact Noddle and place a notice

of dispute on the entry straight away.

[prunella]

Thank you for your advice, have ticked the 'dispute - other - I do not recognise this account' box and will see what happens, this is really worrying me as I am currently applying for a mortgage and really worried this will affect my chances.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Thank you for your advice, have ticked the 'dispute - other - I do not recognise this account' box and will see what happens, this is really worrying me as I am currently applying for a mortgage and really worried this will affect my chances.

If this is showing only on Noddle then I would doubt it will cause a problem as it is not a very widely used agency.

I think you should google Hutchinson 3G get the address and write a formal complaint to their data controller and demand the removal

of the entry send a screen print of the entry and state that you have no knowledge of any such account and have NOT been making payents to it.

The lettter should start ''I do not acknowledge any debt to H3G. then Formal Complaint.

[prunella]

Am going to check with other credit agencies now to see if it's showing on them. Don't suppose you happen to know at what point in the mortgage application process credit checks are made? Have already had mortgage offer from bank but stuck in a chain so worried that by the time I come to actually get the money and move they'll say no due to this default! As it's not for much I don't know whether I should just pay it to try and sort out my credit history???

[prunella]

...as an aside, now that I've registered with call credit for their free credit report will they pass on my address etc to the debt collection company? Not sure what happens to all this information about me which is geld online?

[prunella]

*geld should read 'held', apologies I'm feeling very stressed!

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

No they won't pass it on.

The company could find you anyway if the could

be bothered,but it's not your debt anyway.

If the bank has made a firm offer then again should

de no probs.