[Question] Help Any info would Help

[eclipsedx]

Hi there

I was in the UK 3 years ago where i got a debt card. In 2006 I was back in SA working. And forgot about that debt account as it was a debt card and not a credit card. Under the imppression that they would just stop the account i left it.

Today More than 2 and a half years since last using the account i get a call from a local company saying that I am R6200 in debt with this card. Yes it did have a over draft but i never used it. I guess it must have been the bank costs that had pushed it into debt and they have just kept on adding to it.

What should i do? Is this fair in anyway? I just told the people that phoned me i dont know of such an account and i would like to know more before i supply them with any info at all.

Regards

Phill

[Dave A]

I thought UK banks only raised charges on transactions

[eclipsedx]

Yeah so did i but for some reason i owe them alot of money that i dont have now. And it looks like its a common thing for HSBC

http://www.fairinvestment.co.uk/hsbc_bank_charges.aspx

[Dave A]

Interesting link.

I've just noticed this is in the NCA section. I should think UK law will govern this, which overall might not be such a bad thing.

You're perfectly entitled to insist on details as to how the "balance due" has been arrived at.

[duncan drennan]

You're perfectly entitled to insist on details as to how the "balance due" has been arrived at.

I think that is the first step. Request account a statement for the past 3 years and figure out what has happen that the account has landed in this condition. Who knows, there could even be fraudulent charges - you'll only find out once you have all the info.

I just reread your post. You got a call from an SA company about a UK account? Who in SA cares about your UK accounts? Why would the UK bank not contact you directly? Have you contacted the UK bank with regards to this? Phone calls to the UK are cheap - get dialling.

[Martinco]

Has this one turned into a "Cold case" ?

It would be nice ( handy) to know what has happened !

[3x-a-d3-u5]

Good point raised Duncan. Unless the UK bank sold off their bad debts (Which i believe is happening alot nowdays, for obvious reasons), they should have contacted you directly.

[eclipsedx]

Thanks to all the tips. I have contacted this company in SA and told them i want a full statement to how they go to that amount before I would go a head. Im not going to phone HSBC if a company in SA wants to claim money from me they should and would at least state what it if for. Its been more than a month since i have heard from them. I would rekon R6200 isnt the biggest concren for banks at this point in time till next time they phone and it would most likely be something like R12400....

Well im still waiting for them to get back to me untill then its all on hold.

Thank you all

[duncan drennan]

Just be careful about ignoring this totally. If the debt is valid, and they serve a summons to your domicilium (as per their records) which is not the same as your current address and you don't appear in court to defend yourself they can get a default judgement against you.

Follow up with HSBC, this is probably in your best interest.