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 

[Kez-23]

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@Reece_MH wrote:

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,

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Reece, can you please provide an email address so I can contact Virgin Media DIRECTLY. I would like to understand how this has happened, why monies were not requested by virgin media in 2021 and how I can resolve it promptly. Phoning customer services is not an option because they seem to think its a scam, and wont provide me a closing statement to confirm that no monies were outstanding in 2021. 

I would also like to raise a formal complaint in writing and would appreciate an email address to do this. Once again, customer services have not responded to a complaint that I raised verbally over the telephone. 

Thanks

[Alex_RM]

Hi Kez-23,

So I can see if there's any information I can give regarding this I've popped you over a private message (purple envelope, top right hand corner)

Alex_Rm

[coops67]

Apologies for jumping on this but i too have been having this exact same issue. i cancelled my VM contract in April/May 2021. Never heard anything since and in last couple of weeks been inundated with texts supposedly from mycrs telling me to click link and pay 59 quid owed. Was apparently owed to VM but now later texts say i owe  ##SUNDRYALPHA10## who ive never heard of and today i got an email from mycrs saying i owe the money to their client JC international Acquisition. i have tried to speak to Virgin and got similar response that they couldn't check as my account is closed but that they wouldn't send out any texts if they were chasing money so assume its a scam? I would like someone at VM to contact me too please. 

[Robert_P]

Hello coops67

Sorry to hear of the correspondence received and the confusion caused around the overdue amount, we appreciate you raising this on the forums and welcome to the community.

We can confirm JC International Acquisitions is a company used by ourselves, they can be contacted on 0203 437 0310 or at JCIA@CARSUK.Org. they will be able to help with this and offer some insight into what this relates to.

Rob

[coops67]

I appreciate the reply Rob but a few questions: Why, if i owed VM money (which i don't) havent they contacted me at any time over the past 20 months since i cancelled? Thats what the people at VM i spoke to said would have happened. And why do VM claim complete ignorance and failure to help when they had the account? They must still hold the account records! Why is it impossible to get VM to discuss this with me and sort it out rather than me have to deal with dodgy debt collection agencies, which btw, the very first text i had from mycrs said 'your debt owed remains oustanding. Log in now to clear your balance.'.. and then a link was supplied. As if im going to click a link from somewhere ive never heard of in a random text. Is this how VM debt collection process works... just send out random texts after 18 months, demanding money for no reason and no proof other than they say so? 

[Kez-23]

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@coops67 wrote:

I appreciate the reply Rob but a few questions: Why, if i owed VM money (which i don't) havent they contacted me at any time over the past 20 months since i cancelled? Thats what the people at VM i spoke to said would have happened. And why do VM claim complete ignorance and failure to help when they had the account? They must still hold the account records! Why is it impossible to get VM to discuss this with me and sort it out rather than me have to deal with dodgy debt collection agencies, which btw, the very first text i had from mycrs said 'your debt owed remains oustanding. Log in now to clear your balance.'.. and then a link was supplied. As if im going to click a link from somewhere ive never heard of in a random text. Is this how VM debt collection process works... just send out random texts after 18 months, demanding money for no reason and no proof other than they say so? 

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@coops67 I'm really sorry to hear that this has also happened to you. Sounds like an identical story to mine, same time and same unhelpful response from VM customer services. I haven't resolved the issue at all, just been re-directed to the debt collectors (which i also thought was a scam and likewise vm customer services thought so too). I have raised a complaint with VM but as my account is closed its probably disappeared and not on record. I will have to use snail mail to write a letter of complaint [v convinient that there is no email to keep a written record of complaints] and escalate to ofcom or other external agency. I think this is unfortunately going to take a long time to resolve and clear up any mess created. Do keep me posted if you find a speedy resolution.

[John_GS]

Thanks for coming back to the thread

I appreciate what you're saying with the debt, if you do contact the company direct on those contact details given, they'll assist further

Best wishes,

[spell]

That is a shameful response - it is totally for VM to sort out this mess. There is no onus on the OP to do anything at all apart from sit back and consider a suitable amount that should be claimed for in compensation when  demanding compensation. Breaches of civil law are straying into criminal offences here. This must be referred to a manager who will appreciate the seriousness of the issue - if one actually exists

[Lee_R]

Hi coops67, thanks for getting back to us.

Sorry to hear of any concerns the billing and debt management company may be causing you.  I would like to take a closer look from our side, on your behalf. I am going to send you a private message.  Please look out for the purple envelope in the top right of your screen.

Regards

Lee_R

[problems1212]

Hi Lee,

I came across this post from a google search, I've received similar texts / emails from a debt collection agency called mycrs claiming I owe money to virgin media. I'm not sure what this pertains to and am very annoyed that Virgin has passed my details onto an agency without my consent / informing me that I might owe money.

Can you please also reach out to me?