Debt Investigations (UK) Limited, and Intrum Justitia debt finance AG, same address,  same managing director demand payment through their own dormant company!

 One of our  contributors with much experience in dealing with  debt collection agencies recieved a letter from a company calling itself Debt Investigations (UK) Limited who correspond from a PO box address in Liverpool. Here is what he had to say.

Generally speaking if we send back any mail we receive from these so called ‘Bailiffs’ (private debt collectors) we would normally expect to bruise their ego’s just enough for them to put up another bluff or ‘demand’ or response in some manner attempting to frighten us into thinking we must bow down to their self assumed authority. Of course they know their game is up when they see the questions we’ve asked them but, in order to peddle their lie a little more just to keep the myth alive they may just send another demand, before falling silent.

Recently I received a ‘demand’ from one of these rogue companies alleging that a debt was due. A dark, sinister looking piece of paper full of the usual bluffs, boxes, titles and threats which, naturally I responded to in the usual manner taking my favourite big red felt tip pen and clearly marking it ‘REFUSED FOR CAUSE: NO CONTRACT’ and sent it back to the address shown on their paperwork.

Correspondence address:

P.O Box 871

Liverpool

L69 2BL

Some weeks later a letter arrived from Royal Mail containing the paperwork I’d sent to Debt Investigations. It had been opened by Royal Mail for the purpose of finding out who to send it to. Royal Mail put a red sticker on the original envelope I sent to Debt Investigations marked ‘addressee gone away’.

Clearly, Debt Investigations (UK) Limited are relying upon our ignorance and fear, by expecting us to ‘call the number’ on the paperwork and fall into the joinder trap. By sending back their paperwork they exposed themselves as crooks using a fictional address to create an illusion. I wonder how many of us fall for these tricks of entrapment and pay up because it seems easier. Chances are that had I have called the number as indicated on their letter it would certainly have cost me.

Pretty much all debt collectors push us into calling them. NEVER call them. Instead, or if you’re unsure, simply write across their own envelope in Bold ‘PERSON NOT RECOGNISED AT THIS ADDRESS’ and send it back to the return address usually found on their envelope.

Upon further investigation we found that the creditor, Intrum Justitia debt finance AG,   and Debt Investigations (UK) Ltd were registered on companies house at the same UK address and had previously had the same managing director. The dormant company Debt Investigations was collecting money on behalf of Intrum Justitia.

Also, as Intrum Justitia  had purchased the debt, it was theirs and being dormant their front company could not take payment without breaking the law.

Of course the debt being purchased  belonged to Intrum Justitia and it was now their debt. If you purchase a debt the debt belongs to you. It longer had anything to do with the original "debtor" they were writing to.

Intrum Justitia,  a company operating all over Europe and originally started in 1923 in Stockholm describe themselves as "Credit management services" and "Collection of written off recievables and purchased debt". Which implies that  they buy debt nobody wants and pretty much any other debt.

Which also means the dormant company is collecting the debt on behalf of its "client" which is in effect the same company. However the dormant company Debt Investigations (uk) ltd cannot lawfully do this as they are not trading! Well it appears that they are.

When land of the free looked at the demand sent to our contributor it stated:

"Unless you make arrangements to settle the account with us within 72 hours of receipt of this letter , a field collections agent may be instructed to attend your home address to establish residency and reason for non payment"

Upon receipt of an agents report , solicitors will be writing to you and preparing a proposed litigation file for the above named client to consider our reccommendations.

Do not underestimate the seriousness of this matter and attend to this demand immediately as this will be your final opportunity to settle this outstanding amount"

This is hilarious as we now know they cannot collect the debt because they  are a dormant company! Well,  they are a front company for Intrum Justicia, the "creditor" who is also their "client" who sent  out the letter.

We also like the term "Field collections agent" , this is just someone who they say may turn up. In our experience they rarely do as they have no power or authority to demand anything, and especially your name. If you ever do get a visit from a debt collector and fancy a laugh use the "doorstep visitor" form sent in by the same contributor who sent in this information.

The second paragraph states that "solicitors will be writing to you".  Now they are involving a fourth party. A dormant company are about to appoint a solicitor for a debt that they are not lawfully allowed to recieve.

Paragraph three finally gets to the point, what they mean is it is their last opportunity to extract payment and this paragraph proves they know they have only the powers of bluff on their side.

Dormant company status seems to be very common with debt collectors, see HALL OF SHAME article on JBW Enforcement.

The" creditor" Intrum Justitia is also at the same registered address and guess what..., had the same managing director as Debt investigations. See also definition of a dormant company , they certainly should not be demanding money with threats and menaces!

These two companies could erase the debt  themselves as having purchased the debt they are both debtor and creditor!

Their listing on companies house states that Christopher Savage was terminated as director of both companies on 14 / 5 / 09. The registered UK address for both Intrum Justitia and Debt investigations (uk) ltd is 5th Floor, The Plaza 100 Old Hall street, Liverpool L39 9QJ. This information can be found on companies house. Intrum Justitia are a Swedish company with interests in Europe and of course Switzerland.

So if you get any demands from Debt Investigations (UK) ltd  then re direct  it back to Intrum Justitia at their Swiss address care of their current Managing Director Kari Juhani Kyllonen at Eschenstrasse 12, CH-8603 Schwerzenbach, Switzerland. Write on the envelope that you are aware they are demanding monies through a dormant company owned by themselves!

Go to their website for other addresses around Europe, in case you want to keep their other offices informed. They are worth 4.1 billion so they should be able to pay the redirected fee for postage!

Intrum Justitia are listed on wikipedia

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|