Are you confused about a sudden letter from Jefferson Capital International? You’ve come to the right place for answers. More than 170,000 people visit our website each month to get information on their debt problems.
In this article, we will answer your questions about:
Who Jefferson Capital International is and why they are contacting you.
How to check if the debt they claim you owe is real.
What you can do if you can’t afford to pay.
How to stop them from contacting you.
What legal actions they can take and how to respond.
Unfortunately, nearly half of the people who deal with debt collection agencies have experienced harassment or aggression1. So, our team understands your worries.
Some of us have also faced debt problems and we want to use our experience and knowledge to give you the best advice and make your options clearer.
Let’s find out more about Jefferson Capital International!
Why is Jefferson Capital International Contacting You?
As a debt collection agency 2, JCIA has purchased your consumer debt from a third-party lender.This is quite common, as they buy billions of debt annually at rock bottom prices Рat an average of 10p to £1! 3
JCIA are contacting you to retrieve the debt so they can make a profit.
This may be a credit card that you haven’t made payments on, financing you took out and fell behind on, or perhaps an old phone bill that went unpaid.
When contacting you, Jefferson Capital should state who the debt was originally owed to, the amount owed, and a timeframe for repayment.
What Should You Do If Jefferson Capital International Contacts You?
If you receive a letter or phone call from Jefferson Capital International UK, you should:
Respond Promptly
Check if the debt is legitimate
Ask for a letter proving the debt
Check if the debt is Statute Barred (Statute of Limitations on debt UK)
Know your rights
1. Respond promptly
We always recommend responding to debt collectors – even just to question the debt’s validity.
You have the right to request proof of the debt. They have to prove it or they can’t charge you.
Reply to the letter or answer the phone call and let the debt collector know that you’ve received their claim. Tell them you need time to check if it’s legitimate.
Don’t admit to owing any debt and don’t give them any personal information.
By responding to them as soon as possible, they are more likely to give you time to look at your options.
Also, they are less likely to escalate your account because they know they can reach you.
2. Check if the debt is legitimate
Never assume the debt they are chasing is legitimate.
They may have got your information wrong or they may be chasing a debt that is statute barred.
You can easily check if the debt is registered in your name by checking your credit report. If the debt is legitimate, it will be listed under your name and negatively affect your credit score.
If it’s not on your credit report, they likely don’t have any evidence that the debt is legitimate.
But if it is legit, you’ll find that a CCJ will appear on your credit file. That’s the credit score impact of getting a County Court Judgement.
3. Ask for a letter proving the debt
Write to Jefferson Capital and politely request they prove the debt they claim you owe. Add that you are contesting the debt and don’t believe you owe it if this is the case.
They should send you original copies of the credit or loan agreement that you signed.
If they can’t produce original documents proving you took out the loan or agreement, they have no legal basis to chase you for the debt.
One of the complaints they get most often is failing to produce evidence.
After you’ve asked for proof, they may continue to send you threatening-looking letters demanding payment ‚Äì but this is just a scare tactic.
Never pay a penny until they can prove that you owe the debt in question unless the information was in the original letter you were sent.
4. Check if the debt is Statute Barred
In England (regulations differ slightly in Scotland), lenders have six years from the last payment to recover the debt.
Once six years have passed, they have no legal backing to recover the debt from you.
When dealing with JCIA or any other debt collection company, it’s also crucial to understand your rights.
This way, you can prevent unfair treatment and help make the situation less stressful.
We’ve prepared this table that explains what debt collectors are allowed to do. If you’d like to learn more about your rights, make sure to check out our detailed guide.
Remember that even if you’ve missed a payment, JCIA is not allowed to harass you. If needed, you can make a complaint.
Should You Pay Jefferson Capital to Make This Go Away?
Before you pay, you should always get more information from any debt collection company chasing you for payment.
This is especially important for Jefferson Capital since they’ve got a history of chasing debts that are not enforceable.
Don’t make any payments until you are totally satisfied the debt is legitimate and doing so wouldn’t put you into further debt.
Should You Ignore Letters from Jefferson Capital International Debt Collection?
Even if you’re certain you don’t owe the debt, it is still best to respond to calls or letters from Jefferson Capital, you should never ignore their letters.
The longer you leave letters and calls unanswered, the more likely it is that the debt collectors will escalate the case further and involve the courts.
This doesn’t mean you should pay the amount in question. Instead, write to them letting them know you’ve received their letter and you’re looking into their claims.
This will stop them from escalating your case further or hounding you with calls.
What Legal Action Can Jefferson Capital Take?
We’ve listed the legal process Jefferson Capital will take in attempts to recover the debt:
1. Send letters and call your home
You’ll receive an initial letter stating that you owe the debt, original lender info, how much you owe, and when you need to pay it. They may also call you to give you this information.
After the initial letter, you may get follow-up letters and phone calls looking for an answer.
Some people online have complained about the persistent nature of the calls ‚Äì but don’t let this pressure you into making payments or admitting to owing the debt.
2. Send a default letter
If they don’t hear from you, they will send a default letter letting you know that your account is closing as no payments have been made.
You’ll have two weeks to settle the account before they escalate the case further.
3. Send a claims form
If you don’t get in touch within those two weeks, they’ll send a claims form letting you know that they are beginning the process of taking the case to court.
You’ll have a form to fill out and send back to them letting them know how you want to proceed.
4. Take you to court
Jefferson Capital International Acquisition can take you to court and get a County Court Judgement filed against you.
However, if they file for a county court judgement before taking the previous steps, you can apply to have the order cancelled or “set aside” to halt further action.
5. Attachment of Earnings Order Request
An Attachment of Earnings Order is sometimes requested after a CCJ which takes the debt owed directly from your paycheck every month until paid back (including any additional fees).
This cannot be applied for if you’re self-employed, retired or on disability benefits and not working.
Can’t Afford to Pay Jefferson Capital?
If you’ve completed all the checks above and it turns out you do owe the debt, Jefferson Capital International has sent proof, and the debt isn’t statute barred, you are responsible for paying the debt.
If you simply can’t afford to pay them back, here are your options:
1. Arrange a repayment plan
If you have the resources to pay the debt back in monthly instalments, contact Jefferson Capital International and try to come to an agreement on a repayment plan.
Ensure that the monthly payments are affordable and won’t put you into financial hardship down the line.
Also, make sure they don’t sneakily add fees or excessive interest on top of the amount owed.
This is a tactic many debt collectors use to make more money on monthly payments.
2. Consider a debt consolidation loan
There are two sorts of debt consolidation loan, which we’ve listed here:
Unsecured – the loan is not secured against a property or assets
Secured – the loan is secured against an asset or a property
3. Apply for an IVA
If your total debts are larger than £6,000, you could be eligible for an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA).
This is an option if your debts are below ¬£30,000 and you don’t own a home.
You can find out more about DROs and whether it’s the right move for you here.
Not sure whether an IVA or Debt Relief Order is best for you? Compare the two here.
How Do You Stop Jefferson Capital From Contacting You?
You cannot legally stop debt collectors from calling or writing to you. They have the right to make reasonable attempts to recover the debt you owe.
However, they are not allowed to harass you.
If you would prefer to only be contacted by post and not by phone, you can write to Jefferson Capital International Acquisition and state your contact preferences.
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