# "intrum justitia" Credit agency claim



## roker (16 May 2009)

Out of the blue I have received a demand for payment for €92 from “Intrum Justitia” apparently a credit collection firm which is taking action for none payment.
 This is a complete surprise to me, I have not received any previous bills and it is apparently for an Ebay transaction.  I have never ever used Ebay.
The letter is unsigned and I first thought it was a scam but this seems to be large company.

However I am prepared to look further into this because my son did have a transaction with Ebay, there was no sale and therefore no money is owing. He was unable to contact Ebay through their talking telephone system.
I have written to the company explaining and asking how my name is involved. 
Any suggestions? Can they take action?


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## JoeB (16 May 2009)

*Re: Credit agency claim*

Ask them for a copy of the unpaid invoice.. and dates and times, products, services etc which were supposedly purchased.


While they may be able to take action it is not unreasonable for you not to pay when you have received no specific info like dates, products etc. Is your son a minor? Could he be afraid to admit the truth?, maybe he has run up a bill with somebody...

Why is is 'apparently' for an Ebay transaction?, presumabely because it said so somewhere.. did it say anything else?


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## roker (16 May 2009)

*Re: Credit agency claim*

The letter states my name, Ebay and a reference number, and that they are taking formal action to recover the outstanding balance €92.
My son is 27 yrs and says he did a transaction but did not have a sale, so that he does not owe money. I do not know how Ebay works with charges but he is unable to contact them. he is going to contact "Intrum Justitia" himself. I have written them asking how my name is involved. I am assuming that this is the same transaction that is €92


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## bond-007 (24 May 2009)

*Re: Credit agency claim*

They won't be suing for €92. Intrum are just a pack of loud toothless dogs.


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## roker (6 Jun 2009)

*"intrum justitia" Compensation from Debt collector*

Intrum Justitia (debt collectors) have made a false claim against me, threatening legal action to recover money that I do not owe. They may have dropped this because I have protested and not heard from them recently. They have not even the courtesy to let me know.
Should I take action for compensation? They cannot just send letter out like this without substantiating it.


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## Brendan Burgess (6 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*

Well you were not defamed as they did not publish it, so you have no case there. 

It seems to me that debt collectors will make mistakes along the way in trying to collect debts. If they had to compensate people for making mistakes, then they could not function and the entire commercial system would cease to function. 

Brendan


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## ontour (6 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*



Brendan said:


> If they had to compensate people for making mistakes, then they could not function and the entire commercial system would cease to function.



If they had to compensate people for mistakes made, they would have an incentive to make fewer mistakes.  They charge a high price for their service, why should your time in defending a false claim not also be valued?


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## rmelly (6 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*



ontour said:


> If they had to compensate people for mistakes made, they would have an incentive to make fewer mistakes. They charge a high price for their service, why should your time in defending a false claim not also be valued?


 
So should anyone found not guilty in a criminal case have their legal fees paid for by the state?


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## roker (6 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*

Brendan. Sorry I do not see your point. I am not trying to gain out of this, just to stop this practice. Why should they cause people the worry of legal action? I still do not know if I am cleared. If the system has to stop because people/companies send harmful letters then so be it.
Is there a state agency to which I can complain ?


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## Smashbox (6 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*



roker said:


> Brendan. Sorry I do not see your point. I am not trying to gain out of this, just to stop this practice.


 
*'Compensation from Debt collector'*

So what compensation did you want from them, if you didn't want to 'gain'?


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## j26 (7 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*

The passing of your name to the debt collectors by the person who said they were owed the money could be seen to be defamation (by the supposed creditor)


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## mathepac (7 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*



rmelly said:


> So should anyone found not guilty in a criminal case have their legal fees paid for by the state?


In certain cases of 'wrongful prosecution' in this country and the UK that has in fact happened.


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## roker (7 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*

Firstly, they have not told me if they have ceased proceeding, I could still end up in court, Secondly, and apology would be in order. Financially enough to hurt them, I would give it to charity. But satisfaction would be to have a government department stop this practice.


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## bond-007 (9 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*



roker said:


> Firstly, they have not told me if they have ceased proceeding, I could still end up in court, Secondly, and apology would be in order. Financially enough to hurt them, I would give it to charity. But satisfaction would be to have a government department stop this practice.


It is highly unlikely Intrum will take you to court. They have no legal powers whatsoever. Intrum are like a toothless _Rottweiler_, all bark and no bite. They only do what their master, the original creditor says. 
Did you contact who set them on you?


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## jack2009 (9 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*



roker said:


> Should I take action for compensation? They cannot just send letter out like this without substantiating it.


 
What loss have you suffered that you are looking to be compensated for?


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## roker (10 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*

Jack2009, Look at my reply 07/06/2009. I am trying to stop the practice not gain!
They now seem to be ignoring my letters and emails. I have also found an article in the UK “Which” magazine, where there has been false claims, “Which” say it can effect  a persons credit report. There is lot of useful advice, e.g. Tell them if the matter is not resolved in 28 days you will consider it deadlocked and failure to disclose details will be brought to the judge,s attention.


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## bond-007 (10 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*

They cannot damage your credit rating. That is a myth they put out to frighten people into paying.


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## ney001 (10 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*



roker said:


> Brendan. Sorry I do not see your point. I am not trying to gain out of this, just to stop this practice. Why should they cause people the worry of legal action? I still do not know if I am cleared. If the system has to stop because people/companies send harmful letters then so be it.
> Is there a state agency to which I can complain ?



If this is a genuine mistake then just drop it. If they were hired to recover a debt then presumably there is a suggestion that  you owe the money by at least one party i.e the party who hired the debt collectors so your argument is with them.  It is not up to the debt collection company to decide whether or not you owe the money it is up to them to follow their clients instructions and collect the debt!.  As for stopping this practice you are wasting your time and even if you did get 'compensation' it would not be enough to 'hurt them' as you have stated.  

Why chase debt collector and not the person who instructed them??

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=112973

Also I note from this thread that the debt if €92 with possibly some involvement on your son's part, just how much compensation did you have in mind??, if it's a real debt your son will have received notifications on his ebay account - just get him to check it.


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## jack2009 (10 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*

It is just a standard letter from Intrum as other people have already outlined!

It is not Intrum's fault that someone supplied them with false or inaccurate information.  Yes it would be nice if they did at least send you a note of apology.  However, this may not be that straightforward as even people who do owe money reply back saying that they dont.  

Intrum firstly need to investiage or in your own words substantiate your claim before responding as they cannot just take your word for it.


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## shootingstar (10 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*



Brendan said:


> Well you were not defamed as they did not publish it, so you have no case there.



Where would you find this published information?


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## Smashbox (10 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*



> My son is 27 yrs and says he did a transaction but did not have a sale


Just read that from your other post. He did a transaction but did not have a sale? What does that mean? If you enter into a transaction on ebay, you are buying a product or service.


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## roker (10 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*

My son has the account. I have never used Ebay, I have not registered as an account. 
This is a different issue, I do not have all of the details but he had a verbal agreement for a 2nd transaction and as I said in the other post he was unable to contact them on their automated telephone system to clear this up. So why have they contacted me? It is Intrum Justitia not Ebay that is threatening legal action with me. will they threaten brother/sister next?


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## samanthajane (10 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*



bond-007 said:


> They cannot damage your credit rating. That is a myth they put out to frighten people into paying.


 
Not 100%. well not in my case anyway. 

It happened to me that someone either with the same name or had used my name took out credit, payed for a while and then never paid again. 

8 years later i got a letters from 3 different debt companies requesting that i pay. 

To cut a long story short 2 of these i was able to prove that it wasn't me. Date that payments were made i could prove i was out of the country, so they let it go. The 3rd company wouldn't budge even after sending them all the information that was good enough for the other companies. 

The last letter i had from them said they would register the bad debt against me and this would effect my credit rating. Obviously going mad over this and what i found out after phoning around a various of places is that they can register this debt against you, i contacted them again saying if they did that i would sue them. Never heard anything back from them since then. 

I wanted to go to court so i could show the judge what proof i had but was told they dont take people to court for this, i just had to pay it. Which of course i never did. I think they have managed to figure out for themselves that it wasn't actually me, but it took some doing. 

I wouldn't hold out any hope of getting anything from them. It's hard enough to get anything from them apart from " how much are you going to pay"

And i loved it that they offered me a 40% discount on the outstanding payment if i paid there and then. Did they somehow think i was going to pay a debt that wasn't mine just cause they offered a discount. 

I'd just settle that they have stopped contacting you about this.


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## bond-007 (10 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*

They can only affect a credit rating if they obtain a judgement against you, at least it is that way in the Republic. In the UK they operate slightly differently in that they often purchase debts. This is very rare here.


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## samanthajane (10 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*

Maybe thats what it was then. 

I find it hard that it went on for 8 years with me not hearing a thing about it. It's not like i disappeared, i had bank account, utilities ect in my name. 

One of these companies was intrum justitia, but they dropped it pretty quickly. The other 2 were english companies. 

It got very complicated as one account was set up in Ireland the other 2 in the UK. So i had letters coming at me from all over the place.


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## ney001 (10 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*



roker said:


> My son has the account. I have never used Ebay, I have not registered as an account.
> This is a different issue, I do not have all of the details but he had a verbal agreement for a 2nd transaction and as I said in the other post he was unable to contact them on their automated telephone system to clear this up. So why have they contacted me? It is Intrum Justitia not Ebay that is threatening legal action with me. will they threaten brother/sister next?



Do you not think that you should have all the information from your son by now? did he email them? I don't think there is much point chasing compensation when you don't have all the facts from your son! Sort that out then reply to debt collectors!


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## roker (10 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*

I have already stated that my son's case is a different issue, it does not concern me, it is up to him to put his case, I have not signed to be his guarantor


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## ney001 (10 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*

So are the debt collectors chasing two different debts then? One from your son and one from you? If not I don't understand? I thought this was one eBay debt that they were after ?  If it is the one debt they are chasing I don't see how you can say that they are in the wrong when you admit that you don't know the full details! Please clarify


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## Bronte (11 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*



bond-007 said:


> They can only affect a credit rating if they obtain a judgement against you, at least it is that way in the Republic. In the UK they operate slightly differently in that they often purchase debts. This is very rare here.


 
Not specifically in relation to this company but there was a case of debts sold on to another company in the newspapers recently resulting in a person being brought to court so maybe it's not so rare.


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## bond-007 (11 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*

Indeed, but the point being made is that the DCA cannot do anything unless it takes a person to court.


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## csirl (11 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*

OP, can you clarify who they are seeking repayment from? Is it from you or your son? Do you know that this is related to your sons eBay or are you just guessing?

I dont see how your name would be on any documentation to do with your sons eBay - the debt collectors would be seeking your son, not you. How would they even know your name? Its also illegal to seek payment of a debt from someone who had no involvement with the debt.


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## roker (11 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*

That is exactly the point. My son has a problem, they are seeking payment from me. I repeat, I have never used Ebay, they have never clarified what the debt is for so I cannot say for certain if it is his debt. I assume that it is his debt because he has used my credit card in the past.


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## bond-007 (11 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*

So he set up the account using your name and credit card info?


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## ney001 (11 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*



roker said:


> That is exactly the point. My son has a problem, they are seeking payment from me. I repeat, I have never used Ebay, they have never clarified what the debt is for.



But my point is that you have not clarified the details of your sons ebay transaction either! so the point is, he may have bid on something in your name, either way somebody gave your name in the first place so until you get all the details from your son I don't think you can chase debt collection agency.


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## ney001 (11 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*



bond-007 said:


> So he set up the account using your name and credit card info?



Sounds like it to me - they didn't magic op's name out of thin air! reluctance to get full story from son puzzles me along with the fact that op is treating these as two separate issues???


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## roker (11 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*

The account is not in my name. Ebay must allow payment from other credit cards?
What about getting all of the details from Ebay, which they have failed to do? and why no previous bills? My son lives the other end of the country.
On a different note. I have stopped all family members form using my card for booking flights, ordering insurance etc>


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## csirl (11 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*

This doesnt make sense. Are you 100% sure that the debt collection agency are collecting an eBay debt? Regardless of whether or not you credit card was used by your son, if the account is in his name, the debt collectors will be seeking him.

I suspect that we may all be barking up the wrong tree here. There are three possibilities (1) it is an entirely different payment they are seeking or (2) someone was using your name/details without your permission to run up debts or (3) they've confused you with someone else in the area with a similar name. 

You need to ask the debt collection agency what exact alleged debt they are chasing, who has instructed them, what date the alleged debt was incurred and what it was for?


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## ney001 (11 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*



roker said:


> T
> What about getting all of the details from Ebay, which they have failed to do? and why no previous bills? My son lives the other end of the country.
> O




Look, if ebay had an outstanding debt owed by you or your son, he will have received invoices and then non payment of items notes along with emails from ebay about items in dispute they will be in HIS ebay account. HE will have the information already sent from Ebay if it is a legitimate transaction..... if not then they obviously have the wrong person.  You & your son need to email both ebay and debt collectors.... not being able to get through on phone over the course of last three weeks won't cut it.  They have a good email service and you should have the reference number on the letter from debt collector.


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## roker (12 Jun 2009)

*Re: Compensation from Debt collector*

As I said earlier, they are not responding to emails or letters, All I have is a threat to take legal action Quoting Ebay (unsigned letter), no previous communications or letters. I am assuming it is my son’s transaction, but that is another issue and he also disputes his payment. I have written to both parties and obtained proof of postage.
That is why I want this trigger happy practice stopped.


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## Orson (28 Jun 2009)

*Re: Credit agency claim*

I've had a run-in with Intrum.  Lloyds Bank put them on to me for an overdraft 10 years ago which I had already paid off.  They're total incompetents.

Trouble with them, though, is that they're relentless.


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