Debt Collection SMSes?

A

Ancalagon

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Hi everyone,

Over the past month or so, I have received 3 SMSes from what I presume is a legal firm in relation to debt collection. The debt relates to a Price and Pride account - I have never visited a price and pride shop in my life.

The SMSes do not specify a name or id number. So, they dont have any personally identifiable information, just a phone number. And they have never phoned. They just say, call this number regarding your account urgently.

Should I do anything about it? I'm thinking of contacting them to let them know that they have the wrong number, but I almost would rather not get involved. I dont know if it is a case of stolen identity - since my home loan got approved recently, my credit rating cant be too bad.
 
Had similar situation. Phoned them...they dropped it pretty fast when they realized I don't sound like a Mr Ndlovu.
 
Yeah..

give them a call, don't admit to any debt even if they press you on it.

Find out the details, I'm almost 100% sure you're dealing with someone who has put down the incorrect details.
 
Had SMSs like this before. Some to the effect of "You need to pay Rxxx into your ABSA account today to avoid legal action" - I don't have an ABSA account, so I just deleted it and that was that.
 
What will happen if I do nothing about it? Or could I just reply to the SMS?
 
ToxicBunny said:
Find out the details, I'm almost 100% sure you're dealing with someone who has put down the incorrect details.
Click to expand...
Not necessarily. These debt collecting muppets are so used to being a law unto themselves that their data is regularly a complete mess.
 
I get the same type of sms' s every week. Its about a Mr Ndlovu who owes R600 for some books he bought. I'm not Mr Ndlovu so I phoned them to tell them I'm not him. They insisted I verify who I am and I insisted that I won't. I just told them they have the wrong person and they should get the right info. Needless to say, the sms' are still coming and each sms gets charged to Ndlovu's account.
 
I think I'll just leave it then. They havent mentioned any names - mine or anyone else's. Maybe it is a fishing exercise? Maybe they hope I will phone back so that they can bill me?
 
If the debt is valid they will have to call you to inform you and have on record (audio recording) that you acknowledge the debt. There is no proof that the SMSes are going to the correct numbers and therefore does not constitute a valid communication/confirmation of the debt.

SUMMARY: delete SMS and carry on with life.
 
I get sms and actual phone calls all the time from debt collectors. One of them has my first and surname right but not my middle name. At one point I was getting about 2-3 calls a week.
 
Ignore it. Don't get pulled into the fishing exercise.

Let the so called debt collectors actually do proper work in contacting the right person if they want to collect the debt, instead of just sending out a spam sms.
 
I also get an SMS regarding to a speeding offence in some municipality in the Northern Cape, its just a pity I have never been to the Northern Cape or else they might have a leg to stand on.
 
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