debt collection agency BUT debt already paid

[ChimpMaster]

About a year ago I stupidly left my final Carphone Warehouse bill unpaid (about £35) which caused a debt collection agency to start chasing me. I eventually paid them off and considered the matter closed.

Then a few months later, another debt collection agency contacted me to collect the same debt. I told them that the debt had been paid and they asked me to write in with proof, which I did. The woman at the end of the phone was so stupid that even then she offered me a "reduced amount" that I could pay them! Thick as tulipe these people are.

Now, a THIRD collection agency has requested the SAME debt from me!! I've had enough of this rubbish. What is wrong with these people? As far as I understand it, they are just being sold debts but they should at least realise which ones have been settled.

Has anyone got any experience/ideas on how I can stop this continuous loop?

[NotAllThere]

...
Has anyone got any experience/ideas on how I can stop this continuous loop?

Every time they come round, give them the money.

IGMC.

[Menelaus]

About a year ago I stupidly left my final Carphone Warehouse bill unpaid (about £35) which caused a debt collection agency to start chasing me. I eventually paid them off and considered the matter closed.

Then a few months later, another debt collection agency contacted me to collect the same debt. I told them that the debt had been paid and they asked me to write in with proof, which I did. The woman at the end of the phone was so stupid that even then she offered me a "reduced amount" that I could pay them! Thick as tulipe these people are.

Now, a THIRD collection agency has requested the SAME debt from me!! I've had enough of this rubbish. What is wrong with these people? As far as I understand it, they are just being sold debts but they should at least realise which ones have been settled.

Has anyone got any experience/ideas on how I can stop this continuous loop?

Threaten them and their clients with media exposure unless they stop hassling you, especially as you've got proof that it was paid.

[pzz76077]

About a year ago I stupidly left my final Carphone Warehouse bill unpaid (about £35) which caused a debt collection agency to start chasing me. I eventually paid them off and considered the matter closed.

Then a few months later, another debt collection agency contacted me to collect the same debt. I told them that the debt had been paid and they asked me to write in with proof, which I did. The woman at the end of the phone was so stupid that even then she offered me a "reduced amount" that I could pay them! Thick as tulipe these people are.

Now, a THIRD collection agency has requested the SAME debt from me!! I've had enough of this rubbish. What is wrong with these people? As far as I understand it, they are just being sold debts but they should at least realise which ones have been settled.

Has anyone got any experience/ideas on how I can stop this continuous loop?

Debt collectors are much like agents- they all feed off of each other. Your 'debt' has probably been sold on to a second tier collector and has no relation to C Ph Wh.
Ask them who their client is and then to check with then that they are not wasting their time and money by asking you the same questions.
You could also try telling them that you will not pay this debt under any circumstances causing them to either stop calling or it will prompt them to verify if they have a valid claim before taking you to small claims court. Hopefully they will go away if it is clear there is no money in it for them.

You should also check your Experian credit record to see if this debt has been resgistered there and effect any job applications, credit requests etc.

PZZ

[VectraMan]

I had this from Pipex, except it was entirely Pipex's fault as they neglected to charge my card as arranged for 6 months. It seemed they both sold the debt, and phoned me to collect the debt (I paid the arrears direct to them as soon as they did). This debt collection agency kept threatening me with visits and court action, but nobody ever showed up unfortunately as I was hoping I'd get to waste their time (and maybe even go to court, make them look stupid and hit them for costs).

In the end I got bored and phoned Pipex who sorted it out. It did annoy me that I never received any kind of apology, or even a confirmation that they were no longer chasing me.

Pipex were bought out by Tiscali (rumoured to have even worse customer service), who I think have just been bought by... Carphone Warehouse.