Could you tell me if this is real?

I Like to think that im quite savvy but im really not sure if the email below is legit, ive searched for the company 'Gamma Asset Finance' on google and found that they are registered to an address in england through companies house but are not currently trading. Obviously this set off alarm bells!

Have you guys come across an email like this before? is it a total scam?

BTW - i added the ******'s all in myself, there is a actual bank account number and they have got my real name from somewhere too.

Dear Mr *****

Re: Gamma Asset Finance LLP

And: Mr ***** ******

Ref: *****

We are instructed by our clients’ Gamma Asset Finance LLP to write to you regarding the above matter.

They are mindful of your current situation and have asked us to offer you a one off settlement of 50% of the debt. This is a strictly without prejudice offer, designed to bring about the prompt settlement of this matter.

Our client will leave this offer open to you for 14 days from the date of this letter. Call our offices to discuss your arrangements. Internet payments should be made to the Lloyds TSB “Clients” account below.

Sorting Code: ******

Account No: *****

Account Name: - Town & Country Legal Services LLP – Clients Account

Your Ref: ***** (Must be quoted on all internet transaction for allocation of funds)

Alternatively you can make a card payment by contacting us on 020 3358 0050 Our offices are open Monday - Friday 8.30am - 5.30pm

If a settlement offer is not an option for you then we can offer a discount on the debt if it is paid by monthly installments, depending on the length of the arrangement and how much is paid every month.

Yours faithfully

Thanks in advance for your help.

Looks like a debt collection scam. Could you please post the email address and the header for the email you received? As for having your name, the scammer most likely purchased a mailing list and your email address and name were on it.

Disclaimer: I am by no means suggesting the debt mentioned is real or should be paid and personally I would do some serious investigation into its origins before parting with anything. All I am offering here is the information I found I am offering no legal advice whatsoever.

Checking out the company in charge of the recovery Town & Legal Country Services LLP - the phone number given for card payment in their Email matches the number on their website http://www.tclsllp.com/contact.html They have a general enquiries number too 01883 212121 but their number for collections is 0203 358 0050. The physical address given seems to be verified by other sources that this company actually exists at this location i.e. http://www.thelawpages.com/legal-direct ... 1651-8.law Their website was registered over 4 years ago which would suggest it is legitimate as fake sites don't usually have that life span.

Domain Name: TCLSLLP.COM
Registrar: TUCOWS DOMAINS INC.
Whois Server: whois.tucows.com
Referral URL: http://domainhelp.opensrs.net
Name Server: NS1.LIVEDNS.CO.UK
Name Server: NS2.LIVEDNS.CO.UK
Name Server: NS3.LIVEDNS.CO.UK
Status: clientTransferProhibited
Status: clientUpdateProhibited
Updated Date: 09-feb-2013
Creation Date: 11-mar-2009
Expiration Date: 11-mar-2015

The recovery company itself seems like a legitimate legal entity.

Sometimes, however, scammers do piggyback on legitimate companies though so it would be useful if you could post the headers of the Email as already requested so we can see the country of origin of the Email.

Scammers do sometimes ask for payments through bank accounts but usually only if they are going for a huge amount of money which is rare on initial contact, a lot of the time they ask for payment via less traceable means such as Western Union or Moneygram.

The main focus appears to be on the company saying you owe them money and although I am not qualified to give legal advice I would investigate that claim thoroughly.

Following link might be of interest to you too http://www.gback.co.uk/2012/09/20/debt- ... stop-them/

Thanks guys, below is the header.

I have had a couple of experiences with debt collectors before (in my foolish youth!) but by phone and ive never just been given a bank account and asked to send money, also this is the first ive heard of this company and im unsure as to what the debt could be as im relatively stable now.

Let me know if this looks legit or not.

x-store-info:J++/JTCzmObr++wNraA4Pa4f5Xd6uensydyekesGC2M=
Authentication-Results: hotmail.com; spf=none (sender IP is 213.171.216.60) [email protected]; dkim=none header.d=tclsllp.com; x-hmca=none
X-SID-PRA: [email protected]
X-AUTH-Result: NONE
X-SID-Result: NONE
X-Message-Status: sF:n
X-Message-Delivery: Vj0xLjE7dXM9MDtsPTE7YT0wO0Q9MTtHRD0xO1NDTD0x
X-Message-Info: Q4vvGj5H5eUK+YJ6V2tGfpWvDcnt/yuvtDbxqzFCAFt0aYxGEPjOw916lIAwGHJHq/iZG+m+GORkJ0LZVc8X915O58s7GVi18aiTUddIbFBkF/zJBHYWz0Vu4wGkNnYHGioa5wK7Vsftn2+3A2Hpfwvt4El+wuyw
Received: from cust-smtp-195.fasthosts.co.uk ([213.171.216.60]) by SNT0-MC2-F26.Snt0.hotmail.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.4900);
Thu, 21 Mar 2013 09:46:08 -0700
Received: from dellbc9dab1785 (unknown [84.45.215.236])
by cust-smtp-195.fasthosts.co.uk (Postfix) with ESMTP id 3D33D19C12E
for <*****>; Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:46:07 +0000 (GMT)
From: "Daniel Bishop" <[email protected]>
To: <*****>
Subject: Re Mr ***** Your Ref *****
Date: Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:46:22 -0000
Message-ID: <0be801ce2653$9f31dfb0$dd959f10$@com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/related;
boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0BE9_01CE2653.9F31DFB0"
X-Mailer: Microsoft Office Outlook 12.0
Content-Language: en-gb
Return-Path: [email protected]
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 21 Mar 2013 16:46:08.0811 (UTC) FILETIME=[966BC7B0:01CE2653]

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_0BE9_01CE2653.9F31DFB0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
boundary="----=_NextPart_001_0BEA_01CE2653.9F31DFB0"


------=_NextPart_001_0BEA_01CE2653.9F31DFB0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

The IP checks London. However it is most likely a dynamic IP and so the sender location will wander around the area a litte according to which part of the IP block you are assigned to and which changes each time you log in or alter the connection to internet.

84.45.215.(215 etc.) ENTANET International Ltd. Telford, Telford and Wrekin, United Kingdom User/Unknown

Email header shows
IP Address: 84.45.215.236
Hostname: 84-45-215-236.static.enta.net
IP Address Country: United Kingdom
IP Continent: Europe
IP Address City Location: n/a
IP Address Region: n/a
IP Address Latitude: 51.5,
IP Address Longtitude: -0.13
Organization: Entanet
ISP: Entanet

The email header is looking sus. But having said that, the phone number is interesting, I came up with the name Kevin Bishop. Said company is out of Caterham Surrey UK. Perhaps look http://www.theabi.org.uk/member-profile/f1581
There is a Dan on the company website.
I would be making enquiries first. As for your original question on 'Gamma Asset Finance', perhaps ask your friendly accountant or bank manager? They maybe could advise you of said company? If not, they may point you in the right direction of someone who knows.

It's a SCAM ! They do not exist any longer.

http://companycheck.co.uk/company/OC354309

Gamma Asset Finance Llp is an Active, non trading business incorporated in England & Wales on 21st April 2010. Their business activity has not been recorded. Gamma Asset Finance Llp is run by 4 current members. It has no share capital. It is not part of a group. The latest Annual Accounts submitted to Companies House for the year up to 31/03/2012 reported 'cash at bank' of £0, 'liabilities' worth £0, 'net worth' of £0 and 'assets' worth £0. Gamma Asset Finance Llp's risk score was amended on 13/04/2012.

https://www.duedil.com/company/OC354309 ... inance-llp

Gamma Asset Finance LLP
Company Number: OC354309
Company Type: Other
SIC Code: —
Inc. Date: 21 Apr 2010
Annual Returns: 21 Apr 2012
Annual Accounts: 31 Mar 2012
Last Updated: 06 Nov 2012
Add Add Add
Registered Address
6A Croydon Road
Caterham
Surrey
CR3 6QB
United Kingdom
Trading Address
Edit details
Beacon House
Pyrford Road
West Byfleet
Surrey
KT14 6LD
Trading Tel: Add Telephone number
About Gamma Asset Finance LLP
Gamma Asset Finance LLP was incorporated on 21 Apr 2010 and is located in Surrey. The company's status is 'Non-trading', with a team of 4 directors. They have no known group companies.
Filings
Showing all
Date Filing Details Flag
26 Oct 2012 Accounts Filed at Company Registration Office
21 Apr 2012 Annual Returns
07 Apr 2012 Compulsory strike off cancelled
03 Apr 2012 First Dissolution (Gazette)
31 Mar 2012 Accounts Filed at Company Registration Office

Report it here. http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud

Even if the company is legitimate and the debt exists the company has do just a little more than it has done so far to pursue any claim against you - a whole lot more.

Even 'legitimate' debt collection companies do a lot of fishing for money as they'll often pick up time-barred debt in the hope they can frighten people in to paying up. If it happens to be time barred you aren't even obliged to waste time telling them to "----- off" and, if they haven't bothered to write to you, or specify details of the claimed debt, this sounds much like a fishing expedition - especially with their generous offer of 50% off. Ask if you can have the 50% discount paid to you up front as a gesture of good will. - joking.

It is a characteristic of UK debt collection agencies to use non-trading/dormant entities which does have the strange legal effect of making them legally impotent and inert.

I am not legally trained and I don't offer this as legal advice but, In the circumstances, the best thing to do is ignore the e-mail. If they can't or won't give you any details, they can't do anything and it isn't your responsibility to give them guidance or assist them. By providing no details of the alleged loan their claim is self-evidently weak or invalid. Their e-mail has no legal significance and it could represent an attempt to confirm a means of communication with you, and by replying you give their contact legitimacy. If they can't be bothered to write, or afford a stamp. it tends to make the approach self-evidently worthless. They're dangling a hook to see if you bite. Until they put it in writing they can't do anything and, if they have to approach you by e-mail first, they don't appear very confident. If they write then you can reply as follows if they continue to demand payment of an unspecified debt.

"I owe you nothing, and until such time as a properly constituted functional entity justifies the existence of a debt that isn't time barred, I will treat any future mails as harassment and will report you to the appropriate authorities for your improper actions.

The cost to you of this response is £50 and future mails will be charged at a similar rate for which you will be invoiced at my convenience. I will require your VAT number to ensure that you are HMRC compliant."

Later you can ask for a copy of the signed agreement. You aren't obliged to tell them what they must do, or make life easy for them.

If a debt collector comes to your house, you don't have to speak to him and can order him off your property, and he has to leave.

In similar cases a DCA would buy up a debt book for 10p or 20p in the £1 that has been written off as un-collectable and/or worthless and they look to make money on it. It may be inaccurate, time barred, have incomplete details and no paperwork but, if they can offer massive discounts, they can make a killing without much effort.

Even if there is a debt, and it isn't time barred, very often they won't have a copy of the original debt agreement, which makes it un-collectable, but they won't tell you this.