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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to think that I can just ignore this?

41 replies

goldrobin24 · 07/11/2018 00:55

Hi there,

I’m really sorry to post in aibu but I truly genuinely am so desperate for help, it’s making me unwell. If there’s somewhere better to post HQ please can you help me & move the thread? Thank you!

I’ve recently been away from work for a few weeks and have come back to many voicemails from this company. An electronic voice stating it is Cabot financial. As of yet I haven’t been at my desk when they have called.

I have since googled this & I have no debt that I am aware of at all.

Ive checked my credit score & it is fine, nothing out standings

I have a credit card with one bank which is all up to date, and then a current account (with overdraft) and credit card with another bank that I’ve had for approx 6 months. Again all up to date I do have minimal debts on there but am paying off more than the minimum payment so can’t be from that.

I don’t want to answer them or get into conversation with them at all following on from what I’ve read but I’m heavily concerned about why they would be calling me. With my work number, it’s not something that’s in the public domain, nor have I ever given it out to anyone or used it at all online so I don’t understand why they would be contacting it.

I am too too scared to answer the phone if they call as I’m aware they will then be able to confirm I am me if I am somehow the person they are looking for & it’s possible that I could face disciplinary action as my work place will think I’ve given my number out for personal use.

I still live at home with my parents after uni so haven’t ever had a loan or anything like that. All I can think is that maybe somehow the bills for electricity or water etc at uni went wrong but I know we paid everything Off when we left, and triple checked it. and as all those companies have my email address I’m sure they’d have contacted me? Trying to think of anything else it could possibly be but I truly cannot recall anything that this could be about.

But if I speak to them I feel I’m opening a whole huge can of worms...

What do I do in this situation?

aibu to be terrified about what this could be?
Please help me!!!

Thanks so so much in advance.

OP posts:

GloomyMonday · 07/11/2018 02:28

You are obviously very anxious about this so, assuming it is a genuine company, speak to them. There is nothing to be gained from ignoring them. I used to work in debt collection and it will be one of these scenarios :

You genuinely have a forgotten debt. If this is the case they will add costs to the debt every time they make a phone call or send a letter. Speaking to them will allow you to set up a payment plan and halt admin charges.

They are not looking for you - they have a wrong number for someone else, or you have a similar name to a debtor. Speaking to them will get them off your back and put your mind at ease.

They are chasing a debtor and think you may be able to help them. Again, speaking to them will put your mind at rest and you'll be able to tell them that (a) you don't know the debtor they're chasing, or (b) you do and can give them their contact details (up to you).

I personally think they've got a wrong number, from what you've described. You're wasting hours making phone calls, looking up old debts, racking your brain for what it could all be about, worrying, dreading the phone ringing, posting here. When answering their call could just sort it all out. Ignoring it is the worst thing you can do. The debt collection business doesn't just give up if you don't answer the phone. They ring, they write, they turn up in person - all adding costs to the original (maybe small) debt.

GloomyMonday · 07/11/2018 02:35

Just to add - Cabot are known for trying to embarrass debtors into paying, by calling you at work, and using social media. It's a room full of people who are trying to hit collection targets to earn bonuses. Phone calls will only step up.

GloomyMonday · 07/11/2018 02:36

If you decide to ring them check it's not a premium rate number first. Otherwise just answer next time they ring you.

thegreatbeyond · 07/11/2018 02:55

Here, OP. Seriously, even if there was a real debt, nothing will happen. They have to put it in writing.

www.saga.co.uk/magazine/money/spending/consumer-rights/scams/how-to-avoid-the-fake-debt-collector-scam

ImNotReallyAWaitress · 07/11/2018 03:57

If you have put your work number down as a contact number for any company you have an agreement with, it can then be passed on to other companies you have debt with. It’s a thing that Experian do called Autotrace.

The reason they wouldn’t ask for you by name is that it’s an autodialler that would connect you to a collector once you answered, plus data protection so they can’t call you and leave a message with someone else saying it’s about a debt, they’d usually just say ‘personal business’

As pp has said, Cabot are a company that buy up old debts and chase payment on them. The rules are different between Scotland and England so can’t give precise advice but check on moneysavingexpert forums as they’re good with these types of things.

Rachelover40 · 07/11/2018 03:58

I have had similar from the same people and another company which I think is called PBS or something like. Phone calls and letters. I return the letters to sender and ignore the phone messages. They eventually stopped.

Like yourself, I have no idea what any of it is about but there is more than one person in this country with my name and I expect you can say the same; they are probably looking for our namesakes and send out letters to everyone they find with the names (or phone).

flumpybear · 07/11/2018 04:48

Have you ever given your work phone number out as contact for anything related? I'm wondering if it's a wrong number and they're after someone else? Or even a company scamming using a similar name

brizzledrizzle · 07/11/2018 05:07

OP, read this - dontpaywonga.co.uk/cabot-financial-pay-back-read/

www.bankruptcyadvice-online.co.uk/debt-collectors/Cabot-Financial.shtml

I am no legal expert and can't say that any of the advice is worth following or not but it is interesting reading. Maybe get advice from Citizens Advice or somewhere similar?

Whiskeyjar · 07/11/2018 05:44

I used to work for Cabot financial. There's a good chance that the call is not meant for you and they simply have your work number for another debtor. I would call them back ASAP to clarify

ifeelsoextraordinary · 07/11/2018 06:01

I used to get text messages and voicemails from the same company...vaguely threatening in tone, often addressed to ‘debbie’ which is not my name. I just ignored as I didn’t want to interact with them at all. The bombarding stopped after a while. I now get the odd message once every few months but just treat it as spam and ignore.

AConvivialHost · 07/11/2018 06:39

I was in the same situation - voicemails left on my work number from a debt recovery company. When they did catch me at my desk, it ended up being related to the previous post holder. Hopefully it is the same for you, and nothing concerning.

Cleojinx · 07/11/2018 07:12

I've heard a few people mention that they have had their student loans sold to Cabot and various other companies of the same category. You say you were at university so that would make sense. Also, if you provided the student loan company with a work telephone number then that would be why they have it.

Not saying definitively that is what this is, it could be a scam but just to be aware that the old student loans are being sold off to Cabot and other companies to chase. Not sure why and the companies don't sound the most ethical!

Good luck x

PositiveAttitude · 07/11/2018 07:38

If you are getting anxious about this it would be better, surely, to find out what the problem is, then sort the problem out. It could be a mistake and all this worry is just not worth it. Are they asking for you by name at your work number? Are you in hte finance department at work? Is it a work debt and not a private one?
In my experience of dealing with debt for DD the companies are quite human if you speak to them and will help you sort any issues out, or will tell you who to contact to sort it out.

Don't allow this to stress you out unecessarily. speak to them and find out what they think is owed, where the debt is from and then you can sort the issue out by either saying - you have made a mistake and here is the proof, or by tackling the issue.

SLL · 07/11/2018 07:39

If you know you don't owe any money and you haven't given your work number out to anyone then why on earth are you worrying that it is for you? It is probably just a wrong number and since they aren't getting a reply they are just repeatedly trying the automatic callback.

OP, please don't stress anymore. Let your manager know you keep getting annoying calls from the same number that are nothing to do with you and when they ring back again, answer and tell them they have a wrong number.

Oliversmumsarmy · 07/11/2018 14:21

I would go to Cabot’s website and use the telephone number from there rather than what they say in the voicemail

Auntpetunia2015 · 07/11/2018 14:27

I wouldn’t worry I got 100s of similar once when someone put the wrong mobile number into a system. Answer the phone. They’ll ask for whoever and you can say it’s not you. If it’s you don’t admit that just ask what it regarding and then take it from there. My money is on a genuine error

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