mackenzie hall

[michael57]

I have received letters from Mackenzie Hall and would like some advice. The first letters said they would like to talk to me urgently on a personal matter now I have received a letter from them stating that I owe several hundred pounds and to initiate a standing order within the next 7 days. I do not owe anyone any money and have not contacted them. Where they got my name from I don't know

[CheekyChops]

Just put their name into Google... reading some of the reports on there, they don't sound like very nice people!

It seems they chase up very old debts. You definately don't owe any money or have CCJ's from years ago?

Maybe get copy of your credit file from experian or equifax and see if there is anything on it.

[CheekyChops]

See this question on the same topic: http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Business-and-Fi nance/Personal-Finance/Question344779.html

[michael57]

I definately don't have any outstanding depts, I think that I may be the victim of identity theft someone has used my details to purchase goods and left me with the dept. I have no intention of paying Mackenzie Hall a penny I don't owe them anything

[innocenti]

Have you been to the police and reported it? You will need to do this to get the debt cancelled against you.

[michael57]

I have'nt been to the police and reported it but I will do that.
Thanks

[themas]

It may be identity theft but I think it is much more likely to be the way Mac Hall work - which can be very sloppy at times I believe. They've probably got a debt on their books which is owed by someone with the same name as you (or a very similar one) & they have traced your address. They then act as if you are that person, without knowing whether you are.

You can either ignore it, or write back (recorded delivery, keep a copy) saying you do not owe any money & see what happens. Do not give them your phone number (although they can get your landline number anyway if you are not ex-directory).

[jaybee07]

I too have received a letter dated 23 July, claiming I owe money to 1st Credit (JD Williams). 1st Credit are the debt collectors for JD Williams, an online shopping catalogue. I have never heard of either of them until I Googled them. Apart from the tactics of MH, researched on Google and with numerous complaints, the identity theft issue is the worrying one. I am getting a credit report from Experian, have sent MH a letter recorded delivery, reported them to BBC Watchdog and spoken to my bank's fraud department.

We will see what happens next. It does seem totally unethical that innocent people with no debt issues should be hounded, and I don't intend to let that happen to me.

[michael57]

I was contacted last year by a dept collection firm called capquest who said they were acting on behalf of Marshall Ward Direct. I contacted them and explined that I had never had any dealing with MWD, I also reported it to the police at the time and informed capquest of this giving them a crime ref number. They said they would look into the matter and I never heard any more from them. MH seem to have taken on this dept and are demanding that I pay. Is there any legal action that can be taken against MH?

[themas]

You can ask for a copy of their complaints procedure and follow it through. If not satisfied (or if they don't give you the procedure) you can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Apparently, each complaint to them costs the firm �400!

[matthewmurra]

I'd get a credit report from experian and equafax. if these show nothing then they are up the creek, and tell them so. also tell them to prove the debt. good luck.

[paulnz]

I also received a letter regarding a personal matter.

Turns out they bought a debt in 2002 and they are now chasing payment.

The debt was bought from Sky tv. They couldnt tell me when I missed a payment etc. However, I moved in 1999 so this supposed debt is nearly 8 years old.

They just hope people pay the 'debt' as it is so old.
Complete conmen, dont pay them a bean.

I told them I would pay if they came to see me, I now live in New Zealand.

Cheers Paul

[angiec28]

I also received a letter from Mackenzie Hall regarding a so called outstanding debt, after doing further research into the matter i believe that it is a load of rubbish, i was meant to have an outstanding debt to Sky Television from 7 years ago!! If this was the case then i would have been blacklisted, wouldnt have been able to put sky in this year, got a mortgage or have a telephone put in! I phoned sky and they said that they have never heard of this company although MacKenzie Hall said that sky had passed my debt onto them!! I wont be phoning them back and they aint getting a penny out of me!

[jeckyb]

I have also received a letter from MH.
I don't know how they got my address either as I have moved house twice in the last 10 years.
After two calls to their office it appears that my so call debt goes back 10 years.
I rented a coin opperated TV from Telebank.
Someone came round each month & emptied the meter which paid for the rental.
They are asking me for �108.
I asked them how on earth I could owe money when it was collected each month - I even used to get a hand full of pound coins back as there was always too much in the meter.
Their reply: "that is nothing to do with us. Just pay your bill as we will not drop this - infact we will take further action if you do not pay".
I asked what the debt was for but they did not have that information.
I asked them for the contact details of the company that passed over the so called debt (Telebank no longer exist) but they didnt have that info either.
I have now writen to them demanding proof that I owe this money.
I'll write again if I get a respponse from them.

[sammy1977]

i have recieved a letter from them saying that i owe over �600 to telebank, i have never had any dealings with this company, my mum hired a telivision but she has been dead for 4 years and am not aware she was in debt. they had the cheek to say they had written on numerous occasions when only 1 letter was recieved, i have e-mailed to say all this as after googling them and reading what the company was like i wont be calling, also i have e-mailed [email protected] - the finacial ombudsman - i just think these sort of companys need more regulation, and believe me if it was a debt i owed i would pay it and i wouldnt be posting this

[Tabbiekat]

I have been on the phone to MH today. they are aggressive and intimidating. I defaulted on a card 16 years ago. Thought I'd settled it some years back. But it seems MH have bought what debt thay insist I have and want me to pay up "or else......." However they are legally floundering as the alleged debt is more than six years old. You'll find everything you need to know about the 1980 Limitations Act here http://www.clear-your-debt.co.uk/limitation-ac t-1980.htm it has been invaluable to me.

[belfastlass]

they search your credit file and THEY ARE AWFUL they hounding me for debt as someone shares my name HOW DO THEY GET AWAY WITH IT

[thpeshul]

I have had dealings with Mackenzie Hall over a debt which was already timebarred (in England that's over 6 years old, in Scotland over 5), this is what this bunch of scumbags specialise in, they are chancers and try to scare people into paying money that is no longer due. If you search the Internet you can find letters which you can copy and paste and, in my experience, one of these letters and you'll never hear from them again. These people are 100% playground bullies and are absolutely hopeless, the only thing I would say is NEVER PHONE THEM, DO EVERYTHING IN WRITING!!

[nickyj2969]

After reading through all the comments I'm going to write mine and hope it maybe helps someone.
I moved into my present address August '07 and within a month had received my first letter from Mackenzie Hall stating that I owed something like �700 on a Barclaycard Visa account. As I'd never heard of them and knew I didn't owe any such thing (I had and still do have a Barclaycard Visa, the only one I've ever had) I called them. Rude is one word I'd use! Just to be 100% I got an Experian credit report, nothing. I also called Barclaycard who confirmed the account I have is the only one I've ever had.
So I just ignored all the increasingly threatening letters and they eventually stopped.
Until about 5 months ago. This time I apparently owe Marks and Spencer �484.20! Again, I have had an M7S store card in the past (about 15 years ago) but that was paid off and closed. So again I'm ignoring them.
Seems to me they must have some of my details because I do have Visa and have had M&S, but that's it. It's also odd how they only started writing to me when I moved to a new address.
The photo copied letter heading is shabby to say the least.
I've often commented to my husband that I wonder how many worried people actually pay them. Or old people who worry themselves sick over it.
My advice? Ignore them.

[robored]

I HAVE TODAY RECEIVED A LETTER FROM M/H REGARDING A SKY BILL OF £41.50 OUTSTANDING AND THREATENING TO TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION SHOULD I RING THEM AND SAY I CANNOT PAY THE FULL AMOUNT BECAUSE I AM NOW UNEMPLOYED I CAN ONLY AFFORD £1 PER WEEK