Advantis text then call

[pistonhead]

Hi all, my first post so go easy.*

I am generally good with money, have never had any bad personal debts and until quite recently never even had a loan apart from my mortgage. I am reasonably well off. I do worry about money so am usually very careful. I have run several business's and am currently the director of 3 different small companies.*

In the past I have been the director of other companies which were sold on.*

I got a text on Monday 30th from Advantis saying: "hello, we need to speak with you about a personal business matter. To learn more about Advantis, visit: "link to their website" or call "their number" with ref: ........

Initially I called them number and got put in a queue, so I hung up, I googled them and read they like fishing for information, so I forgot about it all.*

They called me today, they wanted me to confirm my details over the phone. I refused to do this. They then said "have you not received a letter" to which I said no. They asked me to confirm my address, to which I refused. They would not give me any details until I confirmed my details. I pointed out I am a member of the TPS and under GDPR I had not given permission for my details to be passed on by anyone. They said their "client" had permission. I asked who their client was and they again said I would have to go through security confirming my details. So I ended the phone call saying "tell your client to take me to court" then I might have some idea what this is all about.*

I have checked my companies HMRC online account and we don't owe them anything. I have also checked my own HMRC account and owe them nothing. I checked my Experian account and my credit score is 999 the highest you can get with nothing about any debt. I have no kids so have never claimed any tax credits etc....*

It's all very strange. I can only think maybe its do do with one of my previous business's. I resigned as I director and sold my shares for the most recent one in March 2019.

I have had no letters to my house from anyone.*

This sort of thing does worry me, I have a lot of stress with my job and my doctor has said I need to take things easy as my health is suffering, obviously this sort of thing has the opposite effect. I have worked really really hard to get into a comfortable financial situation, I am working out of the country a lot in the next 6 months and don't want my wife to have to deal with this. I certainly don't want to be trying to deal with this from half way across the world.*

Any advise would be welcome.*

Thanks

PH

[R0b]

Hello

Clearly someone must have instructed them to contact you for a particular debt so if you aren't willing to give them any shred of information then you are in a catch 22 situation. Either you wait it out and the person or company who instructed Advantis will either issue legal proceedings against you and if they don't have your current address then you could end up with a County Court Judgment or, on the other hand, nothing will happen and it all goes away.

Is there any reason why you are not willing to give them your name and address? If it doesn't match with their information then they will tell you in which case if the alleged debt is really yours you can explain they have out of date information and therefore they need to update it for GDPR purposes. They can then discuss the matter and/or send a letter to your current address.

Also, your argument about not giving permission for details to be passed on is irrelevant where a debt is concerned, because there is a legitimate interest in processing your personal data for the to collect the debt. Can you imagine if the GDPR prevented companies and individuals from passing on information to a third party to recover a debt, the whole industry would come to a complete standstill.

Like I mentioned above, it will go one way or the other and getting a CCJ is likely to be more stressful than trying to deal with the matter head on, especially if you don't believe you owe any money.

You do have the right to tell Advantis that all forms of communication should be in writing (or even by email since your overseas) and they should not contact you by telephone anymore. Continuing to do so will constitute harrassment on their part.

*

[pistonhead]

Hi Rob,*

Thanks for your reply. This gets stranger and stranger. Advantis sent me a text today. It had a link in it which says:

"Our client, SSE, believe that you owe them some money. This is in relation to unpaid energy charges."

So I called SSE who I had an account with in 2013, I spoke to aged accounts. They say I don't owe them anything. I then suspected maybe its something to do with one of my other properties as I am a landlord. They checked all of them for me, and say I owe nothing on any of those either. They did confirm they use Advantis to collect debts.*

So this very much sounds like some sort of scam? or a mistake.*

Do I want to give Advantis my details over the phone to find out more? that is the dilemma.*

*

[beaconsman]

Good Evening, my wife and I have had letters from Advantis, checked HMRC as I am registered disabled and in receipt of standard rate PIP, which is not classed as income I believe, then I cant see how we owe HMRC any money. I will send HMRC an SAR to see what they say and also a full statement of accounts to see if there are any errors, obviously not in the same financial position as the op but I still worry about money as a virgo! When I was in the forces, a lot of young lads got into contracts with cars etc and they lumbered with it as it is also a military offence to be in any financial difficulty. I suggest you follow the same course of action, send HMRC an SAR and also rewuest a full up tp date statement of accounts, also send Advantis a letter stating @ I do not owe any money etc"..basically a prove it letter...Ive filed a defence for my wife last week and got a Notice of discontinuance yesterday from lowlifes...(lowells, one of the most nastiest companies out there! ) Good luck and this forum has great peeps and have helped me out a few years ago in fighting CCJ's which were unproven in court*

I am unsure about the advice previous as I am sure the companies are indeed not allowed to pass on information or to search your credit file?.* I have actually contacted lowlifes as they were showing searches on my own which is very clear and in heatly situation so sent a letter politely asking them to cease.* I believe they done this as a link to my wife.* However an account in dispute is in her name not jointly.* Only thing we have is a mortgage. I am unsure of the legal act about DCAs doing unwarranted searches on CF's.* I will look it up tomorrow.