i really need some help here, i have been informed by a debt coll agency that because i have let my d.d. lapse i should make an offer and then if accepted it would be better for me if i set another direct debit up by using my debit card i am completely thick with regards to banking and anything to do with finances but i have NEVER heard of this before and am worried he may be tricking me into locking myself into something i will be unable to get out of or even taking more money from me than needs be, please is there anyone out there that can help me, i am pulling my hair out here and i HAVE to phone him tomorrow, to let him know about my incomings and outgoings, i am disabled and have not worked since 2000 since the start of heart trouble, so there is no chance of getting more finances from anywhere plus i am nearly 60 so even if i were fit i am well over the hill in the job prospects but i do feel like i am being bullied even tho this guy spoke nicely top me and apologised for the way a female colleague spoke to me 2 weeks ago, not trying to offer me help and just telling me i should get it sorted out and it was my problem and she didnt have to do anything to help me, i did tell her how thick i am regarding money and that i didn't have the first idea as to how about getting help on my side, all i got was '' tough ''

so please i would appreciate any help that may be offered, regards - peewee59

peewee - Do not under any circumstance pass this debt agency any details of your debit card, once given they can subtract money at their leisure and amounts to suit themselves, they would probably clear out the money you need to live on (they will take all the arrears for starters), there is nothing you can do about it once card details have been given voluntarily, except cancel the card altogether with your bank....too late once they've got your money. !

Instead if you must pay, write them a cheque or even get a friend to do this and pay the friend in cash instead...or set up a standing order S/O on your account, that will still let you maintain full control over the amount and the frequency of payments.

Could I ask who the bullying debt agency is and what the debt is for that they are chasing you over and any other details you would care to supply.?

There may be other alternative methods to deal with this, that could possibly be to your advantage. !

they are called global debt recovery, it has to do with a bank overdraft or some such thing going back to 95, but they have been in touch before, well i say they it was actually some other firm, i honestly can't remember but it all falls in with me getting a mortgage for a house in 95 and i had to i think get a overdraft from tsb, anyway i asked for all the loan and this other £3,300 to please be put together and i would gladly pay my debt as best as i could being as i had handed back my house due to losing my job thru illness and my HGV licence was also taken from me, as such i have been out of work since 99-2000 but i have been making payments till suddenly i get from this company a letter asking me to fill in a means test sheet and make an offer to pay the 3 grand back, i always thought that £2 of the money i was paying in was for the same loan, due to the fact that it was agreed that they would take £2 from me a month no trouble, but i am now told that it hasn't been paid for a while and they are on my back for the money, so it was them that (niceley) suggested to me the direct debit thru my debit card, which as i say until now i have not heard of, the thing is i am afraid they will try for taking my goods from me including my car which i need as i can not walk further than 15-20 yards without chest pain, i also need this for hospital appointments at 4 different hospitals up to now, and for shopping for my wife and i and unfortunately i have no idea how to sort it i did offer them the £2 as before but he says if he goes back to my debtors??? and they don't accept this then well he just didn't say leaving me to guess might it be the courts or bailiffs which i don't really want, i am very limited as to knowing just what to do but not knowing is really getting to me now, i am trying to convince my wife that i have it all in hand but in reality i am no where near!!!

peewee -- I was hoping it was some form of loan you owed in which case we may have been able to challenge the validity, but overdrafts are not included in what I had in mind unfortunately.

However, you should really ask that a free licenced debt counsellor pays you a home visit due to your health and mobility problems. They need to go through all the circumstances surrounding what has happened here and help you to organise offers of payments on your behalf to your creditors or bring the matter to a final conclusion, you don't need the pressure of this on top of struggling to cope with your health. If you click the link and put in your postcode the nearest CAB offices contact details will appear, tell them about your mobility problems and ask would a home advisor please be prepared to call out & visit you under your circumstances.

http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/cabdir.ihtml

Back to the initial problem, when this debt agency call, tell them you cannot find your debit card.... but you will forward a cheque instead.

Separate query - Is there a gap of Six years (Five in Scotland) where you did not make any payment to this debt.?

many thanks for your advice i will get to it first thing, and let you know how it goes, unfortunately the only gap was 2 - 3 years so no joy there i am very thankful for your help i feel like i have been thrown a lifeline here and will get in touch with the nearest c.a.b. as soon as possible, and i will keep the debt agency at bay for as long as i can until at least i get as you say some ti,e with a councillor, many thanks for all your help, i am very very grateful, regards - peewee59