Questionable Vodafone Conduct

[tickmatrix]

28th Jan 2021 around 2pm a very rude lady from a debt collection agency apparently representing vodafone banged on my neighbours door demanding her details. With a young baby she was very frightened and was told she was tracking down an old vodafone debt belonging to someone who once lived there. She then walked up and down the street recording all our car registration numbers. Who does she think she is, the Gestapo?

Clearly ignoring any lockdown rules, is this acceptable behaviour on behalf of Vodafone???  

I would appreciate your response before moving this to social media.

[tickmatrix]

ok thanks, yes definitely not her debt.

We're more concerned about this lady going about here business (in our area and presumably others), breaching lockdown rules and spreading coronavirus.

It shouldn't be too difficult for Vodafone to remind all their agencies that this is unacceptable, especially if they are stating that they are representing vodafone? 

** Currently under review by Vodafone Customer Relations  "... this behaviour is unacceptable, and Vodafone do not agree with the blatant disregard of lockdown protocols, the use of intimidation tactics or attempts to obtain private citizen information without prior consent"

[Anonymous]

Thank you for bringing this to our attention @tickmatrix, this is certainly not what we expect from any staff member whether they be Vodafone, or companies affiliated to or working in conjunction with us. I would strongly recommend reaching our to our Social Media team here, and requesting to speak to Shell to ensure that this is escalated correctly to the relevant parties. 

[hrym]

Sadly, debt collectors have to be quite robust.   Some people are determined not to pay what they owe (rather than simply being unable) and the excuses can be quite ingenious - but they'll have heard them all.

If the person in question was breaching coronavirus regulations, that's serious but, if they simply came to the door and maintained distance, that's probably acceptable (delivery drivers do much the same).   Taking car registration numbers was probably so that they could check the owners' names with DVLA - simply asking somone "are you X?" is always going to produce the answer "no" - either because it's true or - well - because it isn't!

The debt amount must be quite large if the agency has resorted to a personal visit.   A few years back, I added a number to my account and it immediately started getting debt collection phone calls, but that was all.   Once I'd explained I wasn't the person they wanted, the calls ended.   I suspect much the same will happen with you - they'll establish that the debtor is no longer at the address and that'll be the end of it.

[tickmatrix]

I appreciate your comments, my father was a debt collector and it was a tough job. I hope you're right and that will be the end of it. Although I don't have any details about the debt and how significant it is, I suspect it will be a lot less than the fine for breaching the lockdown.

I salute all those who are abiding by the lockdown despite financial hardship to stop the virus spreading and killing our loved ones.  

[RMurphy195]

The "debt collector" of course may not have had anything to do with debt collection at all, or Vodafone or anyone else for that matter, just a criminal "chancing it". Maybe something to report to your local police? (I've done this with fake roof repairers, resurface-your-drive-with-"spare"-tarmac, and other merchants, scrappies crossing the line etc some of which have walked away when I stated my intention, others have become quite threatening which to me = something to hide)

[futurenets]

next time I'll make sure I see some ID, thank you