Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

[righty]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

Wonderful comments there, but have you ever had to deal with baseless and unlawful threats and harassment from these so called "professional" companies ?
Or are you one of the many commission based operators that takes great pleasure in misleading and generally haranguing members of the general public ??

Yes, there is a moral obligation to repay debts, but there are lawful ways of achieving that goal.

The troll probably is an unlawful, harrasing, bullying debt collector

[LuggerBugs]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

Stand up Marlin Financial. A new name to me. But I particularly like this quote from their head, Martin Dunphy...

"We don’t see this as an attack on Marlin, but the industry as a whole. He just happened to get through our door," he said.

SOunds as close to an admission as anything else, that the whole industry is tainted.

Agency prepares for television ‘exposé’ - 13/07/2009

The debt collection agency targeted by a forthcoming undercover Dispatches programme is Marlin Financial Services, Credit Today can reveal.

An undercover reporter secured a job at Marlin in May this year and spent six weeks secretly filming staff in the collections centre. The programme makers have now sent a list of allegations to the agency about the way Marlin communicates with debtors including claims collectors have harassed individuals. Marlin has until tomorrow to respond before the programme is aired next week.

It is believed that Dispatches is also looking at a second debt collection agency though its identity is not known.

Dispatches said: "In recession-hit Britain some of the biggest high street businesses are cutting their losses and selling on their bad debts to agencies for as little as sixteen pence in the pound. Agencies who buy up these debts are entitled to pursue debtors for the full amount. In this multi billion pound industry the stakes are high and Dispatches reveals the lengths collectors will go to recover their debts."

Dispatches has taken information from consumer web forum the Consumer Action Group. It is also being advised by a debt charity.

Marlin president and executive chairman Martin Dunphy said it was difficult to ascertain the context of some of the events from the letter alone, but that two members of staff named had been moved to administrative duties as a precautionary measure. "We have been through the allegations and are looking forward to getting proof of the alleged behaviour of specific individuals so that we can assess the situation. Our initial conversations with those members of staff indicate that the quotes have been taken out of context," he said.

One of the allegations relates to the way collections staff manage people in vulnerable situations. Dunphy said collectors have to deal with people making false claims and endeavour to engage with people to understand their situations and manage them sensitively.

Dunphy said members of the team who worked with the journalist felt violated and were upset at the situation. What about their victims, who ALSO no doubt feel violated, worthless and upset???? "We’ve explained to the staff that it is business as usual. We’re going to address the allegations and we have every confidence that our business will stand up. We are not perfect – there will always be one-off cases – but we do pursue a vigorous compliance culture," he said.

The makers of the programme have said they will not breach debtor or client confidentiality. However, Dunphy expressed concern over the welfare of staff and said the company is working with Dispatches to ensure none of them are put in danger by the programme. "It is a sensitive business and there are safety issues. We don’t want any of our people made vulnerable."

"We don’t see this as an attack on Marlin, but the industry as a whole. He just happened to get through our door," he said. "There can be no credit without a corresponding mechanism to ensure that when people take it out they honour their obligations."

Dunphy said he believed a second undercover reporter applied to the firm but did not take up the position offered.

[Tools]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

Ahaaa, the wonderful Marlins, I am dishing out my own payback on them at the moment Yorkshire Bank v Tools

[LuggerBugs]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

Hmm. I appear to have insufficient privileges to access your battle. Methinks I need to dip my hand in my pocket and contribute to the coffers once more.

[righty]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

A couple of months ago I spoke at some length to the researcher of this programme I understand it's the same production company that did the expose on hate preachers

[Maxwall]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

Undercover Debt Collector

A Dispatches Investigation for C4

First Broadcast: Monday July 20th 2009, 8pm

Made by Hardcash Productions :

http://www.hardcashproductions.com/recent-top.html

Should be good for our cause.

[Tools]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

I spoke to one of the researchers for this programme a few months ago too, she has also spoken with one of our resident DCA nemesis'....................will he come forward and reveal himself ?

UNDERCOVER DEBT COLLECTOR

Dispatches goes undercover to investigate one of Britain’s least loved but booming industries - the debt collection business. Presented by Jane Moore, the programme reveals some of the tactics deployed to get debtors to pay up, and talks to those unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of this treatment. Dispatches reporter Tom Randall gets a job as a debt collector inside one of the UK’s fastest growing agencies. He discovers that in recession-hit Britain some of the biggest high street businesses are cutting their losses and selling on their bad debts to agencies for as little as sixteen pence in the pound. Agencies who buy up these debts are entitled to pursue debtors for the full amount. In this multi billion pound industry the stakes are high and Dispatches reveals the lengths collectors will go to, to recover their debts.

Hardcash Productions | Undercover Debt Collector

[Tools]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

Coincidentally, I have just come off the phone to Caroline who has asked me to pass on her thanks to Curly who has helped hugely with the research of this programme. It focuses mainly on Marlins but also touches the issue of Stat Demands and 1st Credit. She has asked if Beagles has any members who have had problems with 1st Credit in the past few years to let her know.............anyone interested?

Have also just received this email.

Hi Julian,
Here's the promised link and article copied in.
Thanks again for all your help,
Caroline


http://www.credittoday.co.uk/news/ne....cfm?news=1237

News

Agency prepares for television ‘exposé’ - 13/07/2009

The debt collection agency targeted by a forthcoming undercover Dispatches programme is Marlin Financial Services, Credit Today can reveal.

An undercover reporter secured a job at Marlin in May this year and spent six weeks secretly filming staff in the collections centre. The programme makers have now sent a list of allegations to the agency about the way Marlin communicates with debtors including claims collectors have harassed individuals. Marlin has until tomorrow to respond before the programme is aired next week.

It is believed that Dispatches is also looking at a second debt collection agency though its identity is not known.

Dispatches said: "In recession-hit Britain some of the biggest high street businesses are cutting their losses and selling on their bad debts to agencies for as little as sixteen pence in the pound. Agencies who buy up these debts are entitled to pursue debtors for the full amount. In this multi billion pound industry the stakes are high and Dispatches reveals the lengths collectors will go to recover their debts."

Dispatches has taken information from consumer web forum the Consumer Action Group. It is also being advised by a debt charity.

Marlin president and executive chairman Martin Dunphy said it was difficult to ascertain the context of some of the events from the letter alone, but that two members of staff named had been moved to administrative duties as a precautionary measure. "We have been through the allegations and are looking forward to getting proof of the alleged behaviour of specific individuals so that we can assess the situation. Our initial conversations with those members of staff indicate that the quotes have been taken out of context," he said.

One of the allegations relates to the way collections staff manage people in vulnerable situations. Dunphy said collectors have to deal with people making false claims and endeavour to engage with people to understand their situations and manage them sensitively.

Dunphy said members of the team who worked with the journalist felt violated and were upset at the situation. "We’ve explained to the staff that it is business as usual. We’re going to address the allegations and we have every confidence that our business will stand up. We are not perfect – there will always be one-off cases – but we do pursue a vigorous compliance culture," he said.

The makers of the programme have said they will not breach debtor or client confidentiality. However, Dunphy expressed concern over the welfare of staff and said the company is working with Dispatches to ensure none of them are put in danger by the programme. "It is a sensitive business and there are safety issues. We don’t want any of our people made vulnerable."

"We don’t see this as an attack on Marlin, but the industry as a whole. He just happened to get through our door," he said. "There can be no credit without a corresponding mechanism to ensure that when people take it out they honour their obligations."

Dunphy said he believed a second undercover reporter applied to the firm but did not take up the position offered.

[Luminol]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

Well Im glad that this issue is gonna get some air time definetly current affairs! x thx to all who helped get this out there.. Lumi x

[LuggerBugs]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

I spoke to one of the researchers for this programme a few months ago too, she has also spoken with one of our resident DCA nemesis'....................will he come forward and reveal himself ?

Nope.

Looks like you have done it for him.

[enaid]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

pmsl

[Tools]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

Well...............he deserves a lot of credit for the research and content of this programme.

[enaid]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

Well...............he deserves a lot of credit for the research and content of this programme.

Congratulations from me then

[LuggerBugs]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

In that case, it really IS a must see. Can't wait.

[Amethyst]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

Lets hope it goes a bit deeper than an errant employee going for retraining and peoples details left on desks - some inside filming of training sessions would be interesting, and a nice look at their storage systems lol how boring am I getting.

Hopefully this 1st cred SD stuff will come to something too. That area needs a serious kick up the whatsits.