Theyll sometimes call you on different numbers every single day. Now we know its not ideal to have a bad credit rating. Find out more about fact-checking at CHOICE. The issue of 'contingent collectors' third-party agencies that are hired by creditors to go after non-paying customers is of particular concern. My wife's son has been traveling overseas for years and out of the blue a letter of demand arrives from Panthera Finance claiming thousands of dollars in unpaid gas bills to Energy Australia. She thinks an overhaul of the system is in order: "What we need is specific legislation covering the debt collection industry as a whole," she says. One day in 2016 I came home to discover my gas had been disconnected. Copyright 2006-2023 OzBargain ABN: 26 144 073 772, Mysterious Outstanding Bill Notification From Panthera Finance, numerous complaints about them on the net. This includes those in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. Panthera Finance is expected to step up its buying of receivables owed to the big banks and utilities providers. Here she gained vast experience in working with high net worth and ultra high net worth clients to assist in delivering for their mortgage and structured finance needs. Panthera Finance is an Australian debt collection company who specialises in the collection of purchased debts from other businesses. As far as I remember, I haven't used Energy Australia since 2014, and I've moved places several times since then. So, this morning a mail has come to me from Panthera Finance asking me to pay $570 on to them for Energy Australia. Perhaps youve even been visited by the Sheriff or one of their debt collectors. I'd say your first plan of attack should be to discuss this with Energy Australia - find out if you really do owe them anything, and the details thereof. Suddenly, I had become one of thousands of Australians each year who are faced with a disputed debt. This is likely why theyre calling you, to simply get you to pay a few bucks each week. Currently, the consumer has very little to no power. Those letters, text messages and phone calls can be stopped within days. It is also claimed in the alternative that Panthera breached the Australian Securities and Investment Commission Act by engaging in the same conduct. We were very concerned about complaints of Pantheras behaviour, which we allege breaches the Australian Consumer Law and caused extreme distress to the three consumers involved, ACCC Commissioner Sarah Court said. This is very concerning, given all of these organisations are dealing with people who are often in vulnerable circumstances. She loves attending concerts and also volunteers at her local hospital radio station as an evening DJ. Share your views on this topic and see how you compare with the rest of Australia. Paying off a debt is a great achievement! How to Avoid Debt Collectors in Australia [2021 Guide], What is Personal Insolvency? CHOICE supports the First Nations people's Uluru Statement from the Heart. Common companies which will onsell bad debts owed by customers include Telcos (such as Telstra, Vodafone, Optus etc) and utilities providers (such as Origin, Energy Australia and AGL). Recently I have received another letter about the same account, I rang them this time at first with some choice words and demanding that I never had this account. During weekdays, debt collectors can only contact you via the phone between 7:30am-9pm. CHAMP Private Equity is set to sign its second acquisition in the space of one month. It's really great. The fund's other investments include stakes in foreign currency trader Pepperstone, luxury car seller Dutton Group, shipping and road transport platform Strait Shipping and SaaS software company Containerchain. The ACCC alleges that Panthera Finance repeatedly contacted the three consumers for the payment of the disputed debts despite being advised that they were not liable for the debts, and in two cases placed an incorrect default listing on the consumers credit rating files. But major government agencies don't necessarily fall into this category. Youre not allowed to be called more than 3 times per week, or 10 times per month. In her spare time, she is a keen Formula 1 and music fan. Every payment is a win and guiding you to a debt-free life. After a long and middling rugby playing career, Jamie now prefers to watch others playing the game from the comfort of the sofa, and is an avid pub quizzer. Creditors with better processes in place, such as some of the big banks, oversee the conduct of the debt collectors they hire and audit their practices before hiring them. This is how, 'It's disability bullying': Mother slams Centrelink after $15,000 robodebt is sent to her intellectually disabled son, Kim Forrest and her husband got an instore credit card. Salary information comes from 42 data points collected directly from employees, users, and past and present job advertisements on Indeed in the past 36 months. After 13 years with Charles Cameron & Associates, he moved to Panthera Finance in late 2020. We are extremely disappointed that parts of the debt collection industry continue to disrespect consumers.. "Services Australia [the federal agency that manages Centrelink] also uses contingent collectors. I plan on calling them tomorrow and finding out whats what, because I'm 95% certain I owe nothing. Hi all, I just got a messaged today from Panthera Finance that I owe them over $1k but they mentioned a different name so technically I don't really owe them anything. Panthera Finance is a debt collection company which buys debts off other businesses who are owed money. Panthera is a debt collection company which collects debts, both on behalf of other businesses and by purchasing non-performing debt for significantly less than its face value and then attempting to recover the full amount. Some of the nicer ones wont call you on Sundays. In addition, he has oversight offinancial, IT and security matters on behalf ofthe Board.Robin has held his current role for 7 years andpreviously worked at St. Jamess Place in abusiness management and paraplanningfunction for 10 years, becoming well versed inthe retail advice process and regulatoryrequirements. The Panthera case is just one example. Panthera issued a default credit listing against my name, even though they were aware the debt was disputed. But a few weeks later I received a bill for about $1,900. Panthera's parent company, PF Australia Pty Ltd, reported $58.4 million revenue and $22.4 million profit in the year to June 30 according to accounts filed with the corporate regulator, and $51.5 million revenue and $23.8 million profit one year earlier. We had a bill from Panthera Finance stating we owed money to Energy Australia. Perhaps unpaid credit card repayments, loan arrears and bills which are well past their due dates. Panthera acknowledged this, but stated they were calling me for multiple debts and that I had mislead FOS by not disclosing this. CrediBot enables businesses to give their customers the digital experience they deserve. If the debt is in relation to a specific debt that youre aware of that is outstanding and it has been sold or now being managed by Panthera Finance, you should make contact to discuss the options. I rang Energy Australia to find out why. Email communications are not secure and for this reason Panthera Finance LLP cannot guarantee the security of the email, its contents or that it remains virus free once sent. and they looked into the "debt" and found it was in fact paid, they instructed Panthera to cease collections activities and ever since they have left me alone. Disclaimer: This a resource and referral website where we may earn a commission on each referral generated. It turned out that when I moved into my new apartment six months earlier, the wrong address had been added to my account. He is CeMAP qualified. Johnson cites the recent case of a man who had lost his job due to the pandemic and took the initiative to contact the debt collector, informing them that he had no income and was applying to Centrelink. Help using this website - Accessibility statement. The company had $144.9 million assets and $77.6 million liabilities as at June 30. ", (The tactic is known as 'skip tracing', where debt collectors call anyone who might know the person they're after, including neighbours and employers or Facebook connections. It's been making headlines for a while now, but how does Centrelink's controversial debt-recovery system actually work? Over an 18-month period, Panthera at first refused to communicate in writing, and instead called me up to three times a day for weeks on end. This way you can deal with debt collectors like Panthera Finance. Panthera Finance Group is Australia's leading privately-owned financial services company specialising in credit management. Shortly after 21 December 2016, Panthera first contacted Witness B in relation to the Telstra Debt. ", She added: "We are extremely disappointed that parts of the debt collection industry continue to disrespect consumers. "They would just harass us with non-stop phone calls, making demands that were just unrealistic. For example, a further advance from your existing lender or an unsecured loan (e.g., a personal loan). Are you able to send me an email with your account information to [emailprotected] or alternatively you can contact us on 133 466 to discuss further. There are no consequences for selling debt that remains in dispute. Continue Reading More by The Debt-Free Community, Read this to STOP debt collectors in Australia from contacting you now! It is of concern as it looks like it is either a scam or identity theft. Are you able to send me an email with your account information to help@energyaustralia.com.au or alternatively you can contact us on 133 466 to discuss further. They hope that youll pick up the phone. In this guide, were going to talk about what is personal insolvency and the differences it has when compared to other, Did you know that lenders do provide better home loan rates where you can refinance your mortgage with bad credit? Go and reward yourself. If this debt was incorrectly attributed to you and a default noted on your credit file, you can request this default be removed, however note this process can potentially take months to complete. Purchasing a debt means the ownership, and legal right and interest of the debt, is transferred to Panthera. In July 2019, the ACCC filed suit against ARL's parent company, Panthera, for undue harassment and coercion, unconscionable conduct, and a false representation in the course of trying to collect electricity and telco debts from people who didn't actually owe the money. Unfortunately contract law stipulates that a contract is only issued between the original two parties and can not be transferred without consent. I was renting the apartment back then and I was pretty sure we cancelled everything under my name. Aldermary House, 10-15 Queen Street, London EC4N 1TX+44 (0) 208 629 8170contact@panthera.co.uk. CHAMP's expected to take a significant minority stake and invest in the Brisbane-based business alongside Panthera's existing shareholders and directors, Matthew Hough and Jamie Hough. I feel like I have been harassed and coerced into paying whether I owe anything or not and I am not the first one to feel like this. Instead they sold my "debt" to Panthera Finance. This was the first time we used a virtual . Panthera Finance has an exponential growth story and has established itself as the second largest PDL acquirer in the Australian market. Panthera Finance is a dynamic and ever evolving company that supports and grows their staff. The investment is expected to fund Panthera's growth. ), Media Team - 1300 138 917, media@accc.gov.au, Debt collection company in court over alleged harassment, Not receiving products or services that are paid for, Receiving unrequested products or services, Problem with a product or service you bought, Unauthorised transfer of phone or internet services, Supplying products or services that are paid for, Supplying unrequested products or services, Problem with a product or service you sold, Competing fairly in professional services, Competition and anti-competitive behaviour, Collective bargaining and collective boycotts, Implementing a business compliance program, Electricity market monitoring inquiry 2018-25, Postal services price notification and monitoring, Interstate rail network access undertaking, Hunter Valley rail network access undertaking, International liner cargo shipping regulation, Telecommunications industry record keeping and reporting rules, National Broadband Network (NBN) access regulation, Non-NBN fixed line services access regulation, Superfast fixed line broadband networks regulation, Transmission services and facility access regulation, Telstra's migration of fixed line services, Regional mobile infrastructure inquiry 2022-23, Exemption from parts of the wheat port code, The development of bulk wheat exports regulation, Digital platform services inquiry 2020-2025, Retail electricity pricing inquiry 2017-2018, Feminine hygiene products price monitoring, Foreign currency conversion services inquiry, Murray-Darling Basin water markets inquiry, Residential mortgage products price inquiry, Digital platform services inquiry 2020-25, Digital advertising services inquiry report, MVIS information for data providers, repairers and RTOs, Authorisations and notifications registers, Collective bargaining notifications register, Resale price maintenance notifications register, Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, UniSA & ACCC Competition Law & Economics Workshop, Mergers & Competition Exemptions consultations, Cookies, website analytics & other website information, Industry ombudsmen and dispute resolution, ACM Group Ltd, to pay $750,000 in penalties, Equifax Australia Information Services and Solutions Pty Ltd to pay $3.5m in penalties. Witness B and his financial advisor, informed Panthera on at least three occasions in the period 20 January 2017 to 4 April 2017 that Witness B was not liable for the Telstra Debt, and that Witness B believed the Telstra account was created In most cases debt collection agencies will be willing to discuss payment terms to manage your cash flow, or even provide a discount for upfront payment of debt. If youve received a notice for a debt that you should have not received, you can alert Panthera Finance to this. Debt collector Panthera Finance will face Federal Court over claims it harassed customers for debts they never had. Angela joined Panthera Finance after over 14 years working in Private Banking where she acquired her CeMAP qualification and was involved with all stages of lending requirements, from drafting bespoke offer letters to final release of funds. It also allegedly imposed onerous requirements on these consumers to prove they didnt owe the debts which Panthera was trying to collect. These regulations cover what times of communication is allowed, the times debt collectors can call you as well as the frequency of times you can be contacted per month by a debt collector. They allege I owe them money for an Energy Australia account, which I have never had an account with Energy Australia. Fiona Guthrie, chief executive of Financial Counselling Australia, says the debt collection industry "has some good players and, sadly, some not so good players". Energy Australia refuse to provide any information - they cannot even find someone to press a button and print out details of the supposed account. When do debt collectors give up? they are a real company , had to deal with them before ( someone opened a telstra home line under my name fraudulently ) , they made things super difficult, if i was you i would find out from agl whats going on , and deal with panthera via email/written form only, when i dealt with them , they lied , made things up , failed to deliver any evidence of what was owed and refused to contact telstra after i called telstra and cleared it up with them and provided panthera with reference numbers to interactions with telstra, this was over a 4 month period where i was told multiple times it was sorted. Skipadee2 3 yr. ago. What never-ending credit card debt is doing to Australians. They told him to contact Panthera. (Debt buyers, on the other hand, buy debt from creditors at a significant discount and attempt to recover the full amount. How has Panthera Finance responded to the COVID-19 outbreak? ]!h!gF?!7fhg44H.$s5("Opz2FAH[MV?*Auo IE`f\HIy*= b$TD>*?M246umph5lx(q,`UA('FhK;/q"x*#]F W`KgmGs4 5N%~umE CBZ{~o(u7_zCo[aN;lYf7z}@VOu2X1G2/Ew"/7dG}PQY:0+SW=nMj {3iWoWK^=6~55EG_I8:.L;IU>g_CE:p3if ?' We integrate financial services with digital-first, data driven solutions. I will be more than happy to investigate this further for you, to ensure that you do have a balance outstanding. What if I am impacted by COVID- 19? Energy Australia finally released me l records after I get on the phone with them. Enter a valid email address (e.g. ARL Collect is a credit recovery solutions provider, offering a range of collections options for organisations and government agencies. There are no promises of success nor is there a magic bullet that will instantly get you out of debt. "But that isn't adequate.". As a case in point, the Department of Human Services hired the debt collection firm ARL Group to recover money from welfare recipients in 201920. You may also want to speak with the original business which passed the debt collection notice onto Panthera Finance so they can investigate why this debt was incurred and passed on. And, there seems to be no reason for them to change their ways. I'll skip steps 2 and 3 here, 'cause it ain't your debt. To share your thoughts or ask a question, visit the CHOICE Community forum. Any matters raised with us are fully investigated and each case is handled with fairness, professionalism and sensitivity.". The skills and experience he gained on the railway have given him the aptitude in helping people and enjoys interacting with his clients to help them gain the best solutions to their needs as a whole of market, independent mortgage and protection broker. Harassment of consumers about debts is always unacceptable. 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