I was recently contacted by International Credit Experts Inc. (ICE) advising that they have been hired to recover an outstanding debt on a Barclay Card under my name. They did not have anymore info other than the amount and
Their file # - no original credit card # or any other info. Since I have not been in the UK since 2002 is this valid?
They made a settlement offer if I pay the monies to them - first they wanted it sent via Western Union to an
Individual and when I requested their company bank info for the purpose of wire transfer they sent this to me.
Do I have to pay - is this legal - what do I need from them in writing before I send the funds ? They have said
That the case will go to Court if I do not pay now.

If this debt goes back to 2002, in the UK the statute of limitations is six years, so this debt cannot be collected by these people and if you contact them, send them money, the statute of limitations starts all over again for another six years.

I don't think they have actually been hired, but bought the debt for so many cents on the dollar from, probably Barclays, or whoever bought it from them first, and so. These debts are bought several times.

No it isn't legal, do not send money; the debt has already gone past the statute for collecting in the UK. There is a website that offers more information on this and if you can access it, take a look.

[ loanapps.co.uk (http://loanapps.co.uk/uk_credit_record.shtml)

Tick

Penny, post scrip to my post above, International Credit Experts are a Woodbridge Ontario Company, quite a few websites on Google, but anyone can have that nowadays. I have never heard of them, there has to be at least 500 collection agencies in Ontario alone.

Tick

Is this a just debt? Did you actually default on the payment?

Normally, now-a-days anyway, companies will go to a company, Barclays, and offer to purchase debts that have been written off by Barclay's for a fraction of their actual worth.

This company would then come after you for the full face amount of the debt. Their profit comes from difference between what they paid for the debt and what they collect from you.

For example, suppose you owed Barclay's $2000. The company comes in and pays Barclay's $200. They then come after you for the full $2000. They make $1,800 on the debt.

So why all the information, because you have wiggle room. Instead of offering to repay the full amount, offer them $1000 and see what they say.

If the debt is bogus, make them prove to you that the monies are actually owed. That is what thy would have to do in a court of law.

A lot of times, there are errors made in the bulk purchases of debt. Also, this debt may have been relieved from you because you filed a personal bankruptcy in which case they are not entitled to any repayment.

I just received a rather forceful voice mail from International Credit Experts Inc of Canada advising me that unless
I send the funds am tomorrow the settlement they offered is off and they will take me to court, pursue full costs
And force me to fly to Canada to defend myself. This is about an old Barclays Card debt - they have only told me the
Amount and their file # - not the dates of the debt nor how old it is and that the money is owed to them.
Can they pursue me through the courts?

How long since you last made any payment to them on this account?

Depends,

Is it past any SOL, that depends on any promises to pay, or last payment made.

1. they can always file and try to sue, and may, but most threaten all sorts of things.
2. you don't have to even appear ( you will lose of course) but they cannot make you fly there.

Did you request all of the other information, and have they sent you anything in writing ?

They have not told me how old the debt is - it may be 2002/2003? They will not send me any info other than
Their file # and the amount they say is due

So tell them to sue you and they will be forced to produce documents verifying the debt. You should not have agreed to a settlement unless they could prove the debt.

When I have asked them three times in the past not to call me at work (they have my cell and home #)
And the person gave me an ultimatum (he agreed that is what it was) pay up today or they will take
Me to court for the full amount. He also called me a liar and that he wanted to speak to the person at my
Work who handled wages so that they could garnish my wages. He would not tell me how old the debt was
- he did let it slip during that it was several years old. He was very loud, very rude and very frigtening. If
He calls my work what can I do? This might cause me to loose my job. Can anyone help please?

I received a very threatening telephone call at work when I have asked them three times in the past not to call me at work (they have my cell and home #)
And the person gave me an ultimatum (he agreed that is what it was) pay up today or they will take
Me to court for the full amount. He also called me a liar and that he wanted to speak to the person at my
Work who handled wages so that they could garnish my wages. He would not tell me how old the debt was
- he did let it slip during that it was several years old. He was very loud, very rude and very frigtening. If
He calls my work what can I do? This might cause me to loose my job. Can anyone help please?

You don't have to talk to debt collectors who call you at work. A good ploy is tell them you are recording the conversation, (you may not be able to but it works).He will immediately tone down his approach to moderately abusive instead of volatile abusive. They will say anything to make you pay, and unless they have a judgment against you they cant. Good idea to find out when the debt originated because the statute of limitations may protect you from them evey contacting you again.

There are actually laws against them now from harassing people.

Here is the best website I have ever come across that explains your rights against harassing debt collectors. If you can't access my link, Penny, cut and post the url so you can.

www.creditinfocenter.com/rebuild/creditorharassment.shtml

Tick

Are you in the USA?

There are laws if you are about when they can call, and what they can say. I would get his callback number, his name, who he works for and turn them in to the authorities.

But keep in mind if you do have the debt, they can take you to court to collect it, along with penalties... but at least you are entitled to your day in court.

If you have the means to record these calls... and its legal where you reside to do so, then I would. If you live where both parties need to know... at the beginning of the call, state this call is being recorded... You will have it (proof they knew by the recorded statement) along with everything said to support a harassment charge if they are using tactics that violate what is legally allowed.

I would also inform your employer about the threatening calls... they might be able to do something as well, as it's their phones, and their time... and it effects them.

Simply do NOT go off on them... it you need them to appear to be the complete villan and if you are recording the calls when they happen, it helps your case.

Most customer service lines already have the disclaimer that all calls are being monitored... if yours has that before the call routes to you, they have no expectation of privacy.

But don't give them the information they demand on the phone... but also log on a notepad when they called time and date and what they said.

I've actually had one call me... refused to give me info to prove they had the right person... yet asked ME to give them my SSI etc... (I told them to perform a phyically impossible sexual act upon themselves) and to tell me what Info they had on me... and I would hang up the phone if they didn't, and DO NOT call me unless they would... Did it several times in fact. THEN I told them they either give me the info that would identify me... specifically or I was turning them in for threatening calls as soon as I hung up.

They gave me what they had... and my full name didn't match... my Birth date didn't match... nor did the address they had on record. All I said was the only thing they had that was actually mine was the phone number, none of the other info was remotely accurate. No I still wouldn't give them anything else (phone number is actually a public record and not private) I never got another call.

Is this a UK issued Barclaycard ?

In which case it would be governed by the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and Limitations Act 1980.
Section 5 of the Limitations Act states

an action founded on simple contract shall not be brought after the expiration of six years from the date on which the cause of action accrued
So, as you previously mentioned that the last acknowledgement was in 2002/3 this debt is now Statute Barred and unenforceable in a court. This does NOT mean the debt has simple vanished or ceased to exist, but the collection agent CANNOT take any legal action to enforce the debt.

It is YOUR choice if you wish to pay it at this point.

Ps I have merged your threads into one to keep things simple.
Waiting for your input here.

The same collections company in Canada - ICE - have now called me four times at work - when I have asked them
Not to call me at work (company policy no private calls at work) and I have just found out that they called my
Office this morning but left no message. This comes after a very rude phonecall from them last week (at work)
When I advised them that since they had not provided me with information to confirm the debt belonged to me
I was not going to pay. (I think that this may be that the SOL has run out). The person then told me to transfer
Him to my payroll dept so that they could garnish my wages. I did not do this and his last words were that I
Should get a lawyer. What can I do to stop them calling me at work - it may cost me my job?