Beware of debt collection companies demanding repayment of old debts

Firmy windykacyjne skupują przedawnione długi, licząc na naiwność dłużników. Część z nich płaci je dla świętego spokoju, inni nie reagują do czasu, aż komornik zapuka do drzwi. Jak się przed tym bronić? Firma PMR Restrukturyzacje przygotowała dla konsumentów praktyczny poradnik.

Debt trafficking is a very profitable business, with debt collection companies buying up time-barred claims for next to nothing and demanding that unsuspecting customers pay the debt in full with interest. It also happens that the claims are unsubstantiated and yet we get a letter demanding payment of a debt we never incurred.

1. not a debtor? Don't throw the letter in the bin

If you have never had any contact with a supposed creditor or are sure that you do not owe them anything, the natural reflex is to throw the letter in the bin. However, consumer rights specialists warn against this.

If it turns out that the signature under the contract does not match that of the debtor, the matter should be reported to the police, as this means that someone has unlawfully used our personal data to make a financial commitment.

2. debts are time-barred

If you were once a customer of a company with which you have an alleged debt, check whether the claim is time-barred. It is often the case that debt collectors want to collect a debt that can no longer legally be asserted in court.

Claims related to the running of a business are subject to a statute of limitations of three years, calculated from the dates on which they fall due (this refers to claims by businesses against their customers). This means, for example, that a claim for payment of a bill issued for telecommunications services (mobile phone or internet) is time-barred 3 years after the due date indicated on that bill.

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The material appeared on the Gazeta Ubezpieczeniowa website:

17 August 2017:
" Guide: Beware of debt collection companies demanding repayment of old debts