Advantis are a debt collection and tracing company who look after accounts for people like HMRC ( tax credit overpayment, late filing penalties etc), DVLA, some water companies, DWP benefit overpayments etc.
If you receive a letter from them the first thing to do is to try and find out what the original 'debt' is.
If you need help dealing with ADVANTIS please make a thread on the forum -> MAKE NEW THREAD
If you receive a call from them you are under no obligation to speak to them or go through their data protection.
Ask them to put anything in writing and end the call.
Once you have details in writing you will be able to deal with it, whether to challenge it or sort out payments. Post on the forum if you need some guidance and support, or contact Citizens Advice if you need formal advice.
An example call:
You can visit their website www.advantiscredit.com
LegalBeagles.info was founded in May 2007. We are a free forum offering support, discussion & advice to consumers from their peers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello,
If anyone is able to offer advice on this I'd be most grateful.
Last week while abroad I received a phone call to my mobile from somebody identifying themselves only as 'Advantis' and claming they need to speak to me on a 'personal business matter'.
They then asked me to confirm my address and date of birth 'under the Data Protection Act'.
I'd never heard of Advantis and assuming it was some kind of phishing scam told them that I wasn't interested in whatever they were selling, that if they had a legitimate reason for contacting me then they presumably would know my address and could write to me and that I wasn't confirming anything to anyone i'd never heard of or who was unable to tell me why they were calling and that my phone was registered with the TPS and that they were never to call me again.
The next day I got a text asking me to contact them. I ignored it.
When i got home, I found a letter from Advantis addressed to me, stating a former address and asking me to verify my current whereabouts.
From what I've now read read on this forum I now understand who they are - a debt collection agency - and what they are up to. The thing is, I've no idea what they want as I have not been notified by anyone of any debts and don't believe I have any.
My instinct is to write to them by recorded delivery asking who they are and to state why they are asking for this information - while making it clear that I will only deal with them in written correspondence.
Is this the right course of action?
Many thanks.
If you receive a letter from them the first thing to do is to try and find out what the original 'debt' is.
If you need help dealing with ADVANTIS please make a thread on the forum -> MAKE NEW THREAD
If you receive a call from them you are under no obligation to speak to them or go through their data protection.
Ask them to put anything in writing and end the call.
Once you have details in writing you will be able to deal with it, whether to challenge it or sort out payments. Post on the forum if you need some guidance and support, or contact Citizens Advice if you need formal advice.
An example call:
You: Hello
Advantis: Can I speak to Mr xxxx
You: Speaking
Advantis: My name is 'xxxxx' from Advantis. To confirm you are Mr xxxx for data protection can you please tell me the first line of your address and postcode?
You: Im sorry but I dont give out my details to anyone that just calls. I have no idea who your company is. If there is any issue can you please put it in writing and send it to the address you have.
Advantis:: We have already sent you letters on (he gives me three dates during last year).
You: Right, can say that without going through data protection?
Advantis:: If you dont confirm your address we will take you to court!
You: Can you put that in writing?
Advantis: Hangs up.
Advantis: Can I speak to Mr xxxx
You: Speaking
Advantis: My name is 'xxxxx' from Advantis. To confirm you are Mr xxxx for data protection can you please tell me the first line of your address and postcode?
You: Im sorry but I dont give out my details to anyone that just calls. I have no idea who your company is. If there is any issue can you please put it in writing and send it to the address you have.
Advantis:: We have already sent you letters on (he gives me three dates during last year).
You: Right, can say that without going through data protection?
Advantis:: If you dont confirm your address we will take you to court!
You: Can you put that in writing?
Advantis: Hangs up.
LegalBeagles.info was founded in May 2007. We are a free forum offering support, discussion & advice to consumers from their peers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello,
If anyone is able to offer advice on this I'd be most grateful.
Last week while abroad I received a phone call to my mobile from somebody identifying themselves only as 'Advantis' and claming they need to speak to me on a 'personal business matter'.
They then asked me to confirm my address and date of birth 'under the Data Protection Act'.
I'd never heard of Advantis and assuming it was some kind of phishing scam told them that I wasn't interested in whatever they were selling, that if they had a legitimate reason for contacting me then they presumably would know my address and could write to me and that I wasn't confirming anything to anyone i'd never heard of or who was unable to tell me why they were calling and that my phone was registered with the TPS and that they were never to call me again.
The next day I got a text asking me to contact them. I ignored it.
When i got home, I found a letter from Advantis addressed to me, stating a former address and asking me to verify my current whereabouts.
From what I've now read read on this forum I now understand who they are - a debt collection agency - and what they are up to. The thing is, I've no idea what they want as I have not been notified by anyone of any debts and don't believe I have any.
My instinct is to write to them by recorded delivery asking who they are and to state why they are asking for this information - while making it clear that I will only deal with them in written correspondence.
Is this the right course of action?
Many thanks.
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