GOODF have a new help line, with the phone number 0800 246 5285. Google Search indicates that this was the former phone number of Council Tax Advisors Scotland, a legitimate-looking debt counseling organization. We are unclear as to what ties, if any, exist between GOODF and this outfit.
Prior discussion starts here: viewtopic.php?f=52&t=11141&start=280#p236034 and appears on page 15 and 16 of that thread.
As an aside, GOODF had a prior, short-lived attempt at a helpline, under a different phone number. It is documented here: viewtopic.php?f=52&t=11060
Picking up the story, we have our first documented instance of someone using the help line, as provided by aesmith on the previous thread:
That whole thread is interesting. "Terrydebtfree" is a new poster who seems to be seeking legit advice:aesmith wrote:Someone here dealing with their helpline, and it sounds as if it's still a Scottish operation .. http://www.getoutofdebtfree.org/forum/v ... CGQhbRS1zI
This afternoon I got a call back from your independent partner who continually refered to me being 'South of the Border'
This is a reasonable thing to be confused about. Tiggy responds:My Credit card balance with RBS was £9000.
I have for the past four years paid only £20 per month. I have never missed a payment.
Two months ago or so RBS sent me a letter stating they had appointed Westcott Credit services to handle all administrative aspects of my account and any correspondance should be through them but that I should continue paying RBS as normal. I then received the same from Westcott. Apparently I should not deal with RBS any more.
Last week Westcott sent me a letter stating the 'hand over was now complete' and that I should now pay them direct and not pay RBS. There was no mention of this in the previous letter.
It seems to me that RBS have sold my debt to Westcott.
This appears to be correct, at least the part about Wescot not owning the debt. Wescot's website says:Wescot only ever act as agents, they're not debt purchasers. Wescot are only administrating the account they haven't purchased it, they can't 'legally demand' anything. If you refuse to pay Wescot, I suspect they'll simply pass the account back to NatWest who will then try another agency (probably Moorcroft) before eventually selling it onto a Debt Purchaser.
Terry then says:Has Wescot bought my debt?
No, Wescot no longer purchases or owns debts. If an account is being managed by Wescot this does not mean we have bought the debt, it means we are managing recovery of the debt on behalf of the bank/utility company. Once the debt is repaid the account will return to the original company.
https://www.wescot.co.uk/faq/
This afternoon I got a call back from your independent partner who continually referred to me being 'South of the Border' and stated several times that agencies that buy debt have every legal right to recovery the money. I challenged him on this refering to the absence of any contract between us but he was adamant the buying up of the debt formed a contract to which I was duty bound and suggested my only recourse was to apply for bankruptcy.
It was your helpline partner that suggested to me Westcott had bought the debt.
This is why I was concerned about GOODF having the former phone number of a legit debt counseling firm. Someone who seems to be seeking legitimate debt counseling advice is now getting mixed messages from FMOTL and non-FMOTL sources. He makes references to "contracting with Wescot" and "the three letters", but these appears to be from his attempts to apply the information he was given, rather than being subscribed to these stupid theories already.
His story does raise questions, such as why would RBS employ Wescott (however you spell it) to manage his account if he has been making regular payments.
At this point, I think we should contact Council Tax Advisors Scotland and ask if there is any connection between them and getoutofdebtfree.org. Thoughts?
