DWF

[lain929]

Hello.
Currently in a really bad place mental health wise and financially.
I was caught not paying for some items from M&S(absolutely stupid ) and very, very ashamed of myself.I was taken to the back room. Details taken etc. I was given a lifetime ban, and informed I'd receive a letter and fine from DWF. Does anyone know how much the fine is and will they also charge for the good that wasn't paid for.
I'd appreciate any advice as I'm am beside myself with worry.

[PallasAthena]

Don't worry. Our advice is to ignore them. DWF have no legal powers and they cannot issue you with a "fine" nor give you a criminal record (only a magistrates court could do that, after a court hearing and conviction).

DWF will send you a speculative invoice which claims to be for M&S's administration and security costs in dealing with the matter. These invoices have no legal basis and you don't have to pay them. If the items were taken off you and M&S could put them back on the shelf then M&S have lost nothing.

Search for 'DWF' in the search box here and read the many other threads from people in a similar situation. None of them have reported any consequences from ignoring DWF.

[lain929]

Thank you for that reply and pointing me kn the right direction

[PallasAthena]

You will see from other threads that it's usually a few weeks before you get the first letter from DWF, which will be written in a threatening legalese style to try to get you to pay. Ignore it and you will probably get another 3 or 4 letters over the next few months, all written in a similarly legalistic way. If you ignore them all eventually they stop coming and you hear no more about it.

The only letters that should never be ignored are a formal "Letter of Claim under the Pre-action Protocols" or anything issued by a court. Although it's not impossible for those to be sent it's many years since I've seen anyone here, or on other advice forums, reporting actually receiving either of them.

If you have concerns about anything you receive from DWF upload a copy of it here (after covering up all information and DWF reference numbers that could ID you).

[des8]

You can read the "scary letters" these companies send here https://legalbeagles.info/forums/for...rs-rlp-and-dwf
and a link to that section of Legalbeagles is here: https://legalbeagles.info/forums/for...oss-prevention