IMFS debt collectors for mysterious bill from 2021

[Kez-23]

Hi, I have today received phone calls, emails and now text messages from IMFS debt collectors claiming I have unpaid bills from virgin media broadband dating back to may 2021. We moved house and I cancelled our package as VM couldn't provide a service at the new address. I thought I paid all bills and i also sent back our router. I received no correspondence from VM about unpaid bills, so v confused. I phoned VM today and they told me its probably a scam and to ignore, but having googled the companies name, it looks genuine. They are telling me virgin media have sold the debt to them & passed on all my personal info to them. VM are saying they can't email me confirmation that my closing account is cleared with no outstanding bills. 

Looking for a speedy resolution pls as v stressed and being hounded by the so called debt collectors 

[goslow · Accepted solution]

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@Kez-23 wrote:

Hi, I have today received phone calls, emails and now text messages from IMFS debt collectors claiming I have unpaid bills from virgin media broadband dating back to may 2021. We moved house and I cancelled our package as VM couldn't provide a service at the new address. I thought I paid all bills and i also sent back our router. I received no correspondence from VM about unpaid bills, so v confused. I phoned VM today and they told me its probably a scam and to ignore, but having googled the companies name, it looks genuine. They are telling me virgin media have sold the debt to them & passed on all my personal info to them. VM are saying they can't email me confirmation that my closing account is cleared with no outstanding bills. 

Looking for a speedy resolution pls as v stressed and being hounded by the so called debt collectors 

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Have you checked your credit report to see if VM logged a default against you?

[Kez-23]

How do I go about doing that? 

[goslow]

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@Kez-23 wrote:

How do I go about doing that? 

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See the section 'Getting your credit reports' from CAB below and links for the free statutory reports

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/help-with-debt/dealing-with-your-debts/collecting-i...

Depending on what you discover, you can also submit a data subject access request to VM (DSAR) using the form below to get all the necessary info regarding the closure of your account (given the time that has elapsed some info may not be available, such as call recordings)

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/dsar

VM has been inadequate in processing these DSAR's in the past and, if they do not respond within one month, they are failing in their duty under DSAR. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is 'monitoring' VM at the moment because of past non-compliance.

You can also speak direct to Citizens Advice who will give you detailed advice on the legalities involved in all of the above.

VM has plenty of form on here for processing defaults against customers who (if the customer posts are taken at face value) genuinely have no knowledge of the monies owed before the default is processed by VM.

[jem101]

Now, you know, I’m going to hazard a guess here that possibly VM never actually properly cancelled the account, or if they did, it was sufficiently delayed that another monthly bill was generated. I further suspect that VM’s legendary broken and dysfunctional system has indeed decided to farm this supposed debt out to a collection agency and they are probably genuine. Now the fact that VM were seemingly negligent in not informing you of extra charges, plus the obviously bad advice that the sorry excuse for customer services provided, oh and not to mention ‘they aren’t able to send you details of any monies apparently owed’? Not a good look is it?

Now this is probably one for the forum team to investigate and offer to contact you to take details, sort it all out and make a fair offer of restitution for the stress and inconvenience you have suffered, oh £100, I don’t think is out of the question. What I would say for the benefit of any member of said forum team who wants to take this on, there is a very, very good chance, assuming that the OP’s statement is correct, that VM are in breach of OFCOM regulations regarding cancellation, possibly more seriously, in breach of regulations regarding transfer of personal data, the ICO might like a word, and finally, and probably even more seriously, as this regards payments, you never know, the FCA might want to wade in? Stranger things have happened!

Because the alternative is that this goes, you-know-where, and it really, really won’t end well, will it?

[Kez-23]

Thank you for your helpful replies. I imagine you might be correct in that VM didn't properly close my account. What's very bizarre is that I didn't receive any emails or letters chasing up unpaid bills. And they have apparently passed this directly to an external debt collector. 

As my account is closed, I also can't login the usual way. But I will follow-up using the forms mentioned above. 

How do u go about getting a forum team to investigate? Is there a way to request this, or do I just wait.... and keep fingers crossed?

Thanks again 

[goslow]

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@Kez-23 wrote:

Thank you for your helpful replies. I imagine you might be correct in that VM didn't properly close my account. What's very bizarre is that I didn't receive any emails or letters chasing up unpaid bills. And they have apparently passed this directly to an external debt collector. 

As my account is closed, I also can't login the usual way. But I will follow-up using the forms mentioned above. 

How do u go about getting a forum team to investigate? Is there a way to request this, or do I just wait.... and keep fingers crossed?

Thanks again 

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When you left VM, and after your disconnection, you should have received a 'final bill'. This would have shown a credit or debit on the account when you left VM. If in debit you would pay that final bill amount off and leave VM. If in credit you would have received a refund from VM. Equipment returns (or non-returns) are also factored into the final bill. So you could track back through your leaving paperwork and see what the parting payment(s) were that you made to VM and match against your final bill. There are umpteen ways in which VM could have made errors, so consider all possibilities.

You should probably get your credit report(s) first to find out what the alleged debt is, then the usual advice is to email creditfileamendments@virginmedia.co.uk providing details of the charge you are disputing.

They are supposed to respond within 28 days but many on here have reported the email address to be less than responsive.

The VM forum team will reply here eventually. They may offer to help but they may well just refer you to the above department.

[Reece_MH]

Hi Kez-23,

Thanks for your post, and a warm welcome to our Community Forums.

I'm sorry to hear there have been some confusing bits of information in regard to this problem. If our team, or the agency that has been contacting you, has been informed that your debt has been sold to them, we are unable to assist with this via our Community Forums as the debt would be no longer recognised on our systems.

If you wish to dispute the amount being advised by this 3rd-party, it would be best to speak to them using the contact details provided in any letters or correspondence and they will be able to discuss this further with you directly.

Thanks,

[goslow]

@Kez-23 It seems IMO you have two simultaneous issues to deal with here: Firstly the matter of the IMFS debt collectors requesting payment and secondly whatever stains VM might have left on your credit history, both of which will need clearing up.

Suggest you get get hold of your free statutory credit reports to see what is recorded there and your DSAR info from VM about your past payments, past communications from VM about the alleged debt and account info, billing etc. etc.

Then speak to Citizens Advice for detailed legal advice and info on how to proceed on both tracks. The suggestion that VM does not have any further responsibility in this overall issue anymore, and will have no record of the alleged debt, does not seem credible to me so speak to Citizens Advice.

[Kez-23]

Reece, I would like to discuss this matter DIRECTLY with Virgin Media. Even if IMFS is claiming that a debt has been sold to them, I would like to understand how this is even possible when Virgin media never once contacted me to request any further payment after I cancelled our services. 

I'm incredibly disappointed with how matters have been dealt.  Please can I have an email address so I can contact Virgin Media directly (i would also like to raise a formal complaint). Phoning customer services on +44-345-454-1111 has been absolutely useless, they are telling me "its a scam and please ignore them". They seem to think there is no issue and all monies paid, but can't send me my closing bill to confirm.