Anyone had any dealings with Mackenzie Hall?

[Susie Strawb]

Hi, I received an SMS message on my home phone today asking me to contact Mackenzie Hall and they gave me a reference number. I ignored it cos I didn't know who they were, but I've googled the name and found they're a debt collection agency specialising in recovering really old debts, CCJ's etc - thing is I don't have any and I'm really worried about it as I've been reading some nasty stories about them. What should I do - contact them or ignore?

[Ethel]

How did they get your phone number?

For the time being ignore them and think about obtaining a copy of your 'credit record' from Experian or similar.

It seems an odd way to initiate contact over a bad debt. A letter in the first instance would be more appropriate.

I have just noticed experian have a 30 day free trial. How good it is, I don't know.

http://www.experian.co.uk/

[Susie Strawb]

Not sure how they got my phone number as I've only been here for three years and there wasn't even a phone line connected when I moved in!! I've not received any letters or anything from these people, this is the first I've heard from them, and like I said I haven't got any debts anyway so not sure what this could be about. Only thing I can think of is maybe the previous tenant had run up debts or maybe they just got the phone number wrong. The message didn't even say who they were trying to contact, just for me to contact them which I definitely am not going to do

[Oneeyedvic]

If you don't have any debts, why not call them.

We have had letters at my home address for a couple of people who don't live here (which I opened illegally) - everytime, i phone the debt recovery company up and explain that they don't live here.

Never had any hassle (and the last time they said thank you, they were about to send bailiffs round).

It may be that they have an old telephone number on the system - surely it is just courteous to reply to a telephone message?

[Susie Strawb]

Oneeyedvic - if you google Mackenzie Hall you will get the picture why I don't want to contact them :)

They have a history of being abusive on the phone and try to use bullying tactics on people, and it looks like they have been reported quite a few times to Trading Standards etc. To be honest I think it's really bad manners on their part to try to contact me by text message, especially when they didn't give me any details about who they were trying to contact.

If they are that desperate to get hold of someone at this address, or who used to live at this address, surely they should be writing here not sending text messages?!

[Oneeyedvic]

generally, the people who are unhappy with their services are people who owe money - they seem to feel it disgusting that a company is trying to trace them to honour their commitments.

As stated, if you do not owe money, then you have absolutely nothing to fear - you obviously cannot be responsible for someone else's debt.

If you moved in 3 years ago and took on a BT phone number, this number may have been someone else's number previously who does owe them money. It could also be a mistake when someone transferred the phone number into a computer system - these things happen frequently.

All you are doing by not telling them that this is nothing to do with you, is wasting their time and money - you may feel happy about that - and of course it is your call.

But, please try and remember, all these consumer sites that tell people how to stop paying charges etc with banks have an important implication - it means that banks are not making so much money - and that is something they will not be happy with.

Currently in the UK, we have totally free personal banking - bear in mind that with businesses (and most personal accounts in other countries) you get charged for each cheque you write, each time you withdraw money etc. - this is something I can foresee happening here soon - all due to these consumer websites who are trying to hide the fact that a person made a contract with a bank and is breaking that contract.

rant over ;-)

[themas]

Vic - I tend to agree with Susie on this. I do know Mackenzie Hall can be very difficult to deal with and I suspect that - if Susie contacts them - they may ask for all sorts of personal details from her so she can prove she is not the person they want. They would then have this info on record and there is no knowing what might happen to it. (I've even known someone - not Mac Hall - in a similar situation asking for driving licence and credit card details!) If it was me I would be reluctant to divulge information to them, so if Susie does contact them she should simply ask who they want, tell them she is not that person and leave it at that.

[Oneeyedvic]

I'd agree themas - I honestly think that they are not after Susie - they are after someone else - my point is that I'd call them up, give them the reference number / phone number and tell them that they have the wrong number.

[Susie Strawb]

I don't condone people who run up huge debts and then try and get out of paying for them - that's not what I meant at all. I'm just concerned about contacting them as I've read so many nasty stories about them. I just think the least they can do if they are chasing a debt is to send a letter - not just an sms message to a house phone. Anyway I can't contact them cos I didn't take a note of the phone number or reference number. If they happen to phone again or write to me then yes I will contact them but as I said this is the first I have heard from them. Thanks for all your help

[dzug]

Personally I would never call a cold caller back unless they either gave a freephone number or agreed to accept reverse charges. I then give them the third degree about the telephone preference service (though as they are presumably in this case not trying to sell you anything it doesn't really apply).

If they are serious they'll call again.

[SAMayhew]

I had a letter from them sent to my elderly parent's address. I had to contact them because I didn't want some debt collector turning up there and frightening them. I was told they have no details of what my debt is actually for or how long ago it was incurred - could be up to 10 years ago! It is for just under �400 and they said if I pay up tomorrow I can pay just over �300. I have no recollection of it at all - they say it is for goods purchased from a catalogue, but no details. I was told I was really lucky to phone when I did because the next department my debt would have been passed on to will do anything to get their money! I work for a firm of solicitors and have been told certainly not to pay up without proof and if its over six years old they have no legal rights anyway. I'm going to call back in the morning when my husband is with me - I'll let you know how it ends up. Whatever you decided, good luck!

[stewart alex]

I heard from this company via a tracing agency.. which made me giggle as they had all my details on computer..
it's about a real debt from 3 years back on a credit card.. I'm happy to pay off the debt as I do my others .. but the bullying was crazy and their knowledge on law was childish to say the least.. I asked them to take my phone number off their system (as it's my dad's number and he is ill will heart trouble) due to data protection act they must abide by my request.. they said they will, can.. always ring that number no matter what I ask.. (in a real threatening tone).. although I explained the law to them.. they said I was wrong and should go back to school.. (in not so many words).. he interrupted me all the time, by shouting and threatening that some one will call round to take my goods (although I live at home and have not defaulted ona CCJ which is the only way any campany can get bailiffs to due such things.. by law) I explained he was wrong and that in no way can he send bailiffs around without me going to court firstly and defaulting secondly... he was ranting on how I wrong and that I would get my comupence.. which annoyed me to death.. as I knew he was wrong... I rang the CCCS (Credit Consumer Councelling Service - 0800 138 1111 (freephone) theu gave me great advice and assured me I was right on my views of law in these matters... and suggested (well told me to) to contact the Financial Ombudsam with their details and an account of their vile behaviour..whether the debt is real or not..

J2 Solutions is a tracing agency that rang me and put me through to them.. I don't believe for one minute this is all made up.. as MH had all my details on their systems..

01254 663 900 is their number... if that helps anyone..
they would not give me a number for MH even though they said they can put me through... they don't give out MHs' number... which was fishy to me..

[stewart alex]

got the phone number for MH

01563 554547

if you need it...

[colinthecab]

hhh

[colinthecab]

hi im getting the same ive contacted watch dog you must do the same theres a con going on they want �900 for what i dont know who there are buy 4 months ago in my road 6 mobile phones were deliverd to 6 homes and they want money for them and there not ours watch out contact police and watch dog hurry dont leave it

[colinthecab]

they are con people contact watch dog and the police dont text them go to police and watch dog

[Dullahan]

I have also been harrassed by Mackenzie hall claiming a debt which I know nothing about. I wrote to their office several times sent a Fax and in the end contacted the KIlmarnock Police who told me they were not registered at that office at 30 Forestgate, Kilmarnock.
These people are loans Sharks collectors.
If you receive messages from them DO NOT IGNORE contact the Kilmarnock Police.

[John London]

Im disgusted with this company,They send you a text saying to call the Urgently.Im niot calling them
seemly they are trying to contact me a bil from the HSBC,That I owed over 6 years ago.
I was paying it via another company,the they just stopped taking my payment.also what concerns me me is the bill in 65% Bank charges.so surely this bill in Not right...

[CarlaLeigh]

I had a letter from them today, The letter did not tell me anything apart from that they needed to contact me on a "personal matter" so i called them, and to my surprised I was spoken to like a child, at one point i was called a *****!!! Aswell as that i was told that that i had to pay them �10 just to find out who and how much i owed! After constant threats i decided to call the trading standards in my area and they gace me the national dept line to call.

I called the national dept line and she they told me that they are a licenced and that they buy people OLD of 6 years plus dept from auction...laughing i told the woman i was speaking to that i would of been 15 years of age 6 years ago...

Anyway i was told to ignore all the letters from them and and not to call or write instead call the NDL and they will sort it out.

My advice would be to write a formal letter to mackenzie hall via recorded delivery asking who and how much you owe, If they do write back with the answers contact them directy or the NDL not mackenzie hall...they can not enter your house as they have to prove you owe this dept still in writing i hope this helps

[kazg10]

Hi all,my husband & I have been sent loads of letters to our address,we have only been here 7month but they have managed to get my husbands name-well mr & Then his surname. they sent us letters asking us to ring them or to let them know if we are not the person they are looking for..after not replying etc we got a letter out of the blue saying we owe over 3thousand pounds..we do not know who to as we dont get into debt & those we have been have been paid.we rang them & no1 answerd the phone. They have given us less than a week to come up with the money of which we dont have & have threatend us with court action. they have not said who we owe this to just that they are recovering it for their client!!!! My husband & i are worried as we catn tthink who we could owe it too but dont know if this is real or if they just want our money etc!!! We live in rented accom & do not earn the kind of money they are asking for..what should i do????? I think more people should complain about them & have the closed down. I suffer with depression & anxiety & things like this i am dealing with are hard & my husband works all the time so is left to me to ring them...debt collection people arent the nicest to you on the phone!

[marmaris8]

hi got an sms message yesterday from the said company and they telephoned me this morning. fuming i am i had a debt with a company and they have sold it to this said compnay and they want the balance outstanding which i cannot afford as i only ge tincapacity benefit , tried explaining to them and they told me not to be rude and interupt when they are speaking i have never heard such foul mouthed people as these, they claim to be professionals they are proven bullies through and through told me they would send someone round to my property yet i ahve not had any ccj for this at all just dont know what to do now at a loose end. i know i got to pay not saying i ma not but just cant pay the amount they want of me please help