CAMPYLOBACTER: Anyone else had it?

[Cinnamon]

I got a letter from a company called Helploan (MCO capital) in August,saying that I (well,Hubby) had agreed to a loan of £513 which was payable back immediately.

As I know we have no loans, & are very proud of the fact that apart from our mortgage,we don't buy unless we can afford it,I promptly filed it to one side & forgot about it.

 

Got another letter today saying that interest of £213 had been added & it was being reffered to a debt collection agency.

 

Has anyone had anything similar?

I have tried phoning them,but of course as its in Hubbys name,they won't speak with me about it. Hubby says he will phone when he gets time

 

It smells like a scam to me..................

[The Dogmother]

Does to me too - I will ask a friend who is with the Trading Standards people and let you know what she says....

[Cinnamon]

A quick Google has come up with this:

 

http://www.actionfraud.org.uk/mco-capital-limited-sep10

 

I am just reporting it to Action Fraud now

[lillybettybabs]

Sounds very dodgy, Try contacting Citizens Advice.

[Olly]

Definitely dodgy. I wonder how many people panic, and pay up? Let us know how you get on with reporting it.

[The Dogmother]

Definitely dodgy. I wonder how many people panic, and pay up? Let us know how you get on with reporting it.

 

That'll be what they are hoping - some people would find this very scary.

[Cinnamon]

Well,I called Action Fraud, & they are so inundated with calls that they had to take my number & are calling me back.

Apparently they have had THOUSANDS of phone calls in the past few weeks about this

 

Its horrible & really scared me at first,but I am calmer now I know I am not the only one

[The Dogmother]

Friend at Trading Standards says it's a new and serious scam - call them on 0845 051 0845 (Oxon region)

 

It really is a problem and apparently some people are being scared witless, or near divorce over it!

[Happy chickens!]

That's dreadful; these scams get worse and more 'professional' every time. Many might be tempted to pay up a relatively small amount rather than worry about solicitors etc. Grrr. Well done for spotting it!

[Cinnamon]

Ta Clare.

Sadly,they too are inundated with calls & have an answer machine on

 

My bank have been worse than useless..........................

The fraud advice people advised me to report it to them,even though there is no sign on my accounts of any fraudulent activity & they (HSBC) wouldn't even put me through to the Fraud department so I could report it,as there is nothing (YET!) to report.

It didn't help that I don't know which of our 3 HSBC accounts has been targeted either

[Cinnamon]

Well.........................

 

Got through to Trading Standards who have told me,directly against the advice of Action Fraud,to write the company a letter denying there is a loan at all & asking them to prove it.

Action Fraud told me not to,under any circumstances,make contact with them

Think I like that idea better,less fuel added to the fire as it were,so I am not going to phone or write to them

[lillybettybabs]

Well.........................

 

Got through to Trading Standards who have told me,directly against the advice of Action Fraud,to write the company a letter denying there is a loan at all & asking them to prove it.

Action Fraud told me not to,under any circumstances,make contact with them

Think I like that idea better,less fuel added to the fire as it were,so I am not going to phone or write to them

Yes that does sound a better way, I worry that some vulnerable people have paid up

[Patricia W]

A friend got a similar ( text on his phone as it happens) purporting to be from the AA. Do you think this is a similar scam?

 

Tricia

[Bramble]

A friend got a similar ( text on his phone as it happens) purporting to be from the AA. Do you think this is a similar scam?

 

Tricia

I can't imagine the AA would do their debt collection by text? Think I'd ignore it and see what happens?

[debbier]

There is a lot of discussion about this lot on Martin Lewis's MSE site. Apparently Helploan are part of the MCO that are targetting the unwary.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=2704995&page=34

[Valkyrie]

Knowing we don't do loans and the mortgage has been paid off a couple of years ago I'd be sorely tempted to say to them "bring it on - and then I'll sue you". I reckon they are hoping that so many people have taken out so many loans that they have lost track and so someone will cough up. They are Go get em Cin.

[Alis girls]

Love the naughty smilies where do you find them? Christian will be on your back re these. I hate these fraudsters - go out and get a job and leave us law abiding citizens alone.

[Valkyrie]

PM'd you Alis girls.

[Christian]

*climbs off Valkyrie's back*

 

They are in the Smilies section on the right Ali.

[Valkyrie]

Oh thank goodness, I was beginning to feel the strain there, Christian!

[Alis girls]

Not the ones I wanna use ain't

[Alis girls]

Oh so it is - senior moment mwah mwah

[Cinnamon]

And so it goes on................

Recieved a debt recovery letter today for MCO Capital LTD f0r £726.00.

It all looks VERY legitimate, it has a tear off payment slip on the bottom & the usual 'How to pay' bit on the back.

 

Even though I am certain it is a scam,I hate getting things like this through the door......

 

It says we have to pay within 48 hours or either solicitors will become involved or debt collectors will come around.

I wonder how many people have had this very formal looking letter & just paid up?

 

Anyhow, I contacted ActionFraud again and they have totally changed the advice they gave me a couple of weeks ago (nice of them to tell me,eh?)

I now have to contact MCO and tell them that I do not have nor ever have had a loan with them.

It seems that rather than they being the scammers,they are a legit company who have been targeted by a large gang of identity thieves.

 

So, we just might get Bill Bailiff banging on the door next week

[Clur]

Personally I would write to them, stating you are sending a copy of the letter to trading standards, categorically denying you owe them any money. Ask them to send you proof and notify them you are seeking legal advice over their continued harassment of you.

 

We did this in similar circumstances (the company sent a debt collector to our house) and heard nothing back from them ever again.

[Cinnamon]

Just what I am doing now

 

I am very cross that firstly ActionFraud did not respond to me phone call & secondly the advice on their site has changed & gone from do not contact the company,to contact the right away