Debt industry is a scandal

LETTER: G Griffiths is right to be concerned about receiving unwarranted and intimidating mail from a debt collector. The UK debt recovery industry has never had it so good.

There has been an explosion of shabby little businesses. They're in a feeding frenzy and they're perpetrating the traditional menaces, but in a 21st century fashion.

Worse, they pay lip service to regulation because they know that they have so little to fear.

Potential leads to debtors who have changed address are sold on, which often results in innocent people receiving menacing calls or mail.

Banks have automated call systems which can only be stopped by ringing them back, and their information can be years out of date, leaving innocent people to pay for the cost of a call to clarify the situation.

Power firms can make mistakes which go back a decade and then set their agents to coerce payment from customers. Legally they can claw back one year, did the customer but know.

It is scandalous and the Government has left the public dreadfully exposed.

Robert Jenkins

Stirchley