Has anyone out there had this company sending people round to offer assistance but really snooping on them as they try to collect on mortgage shortfall?

-- David (stitsevol@aol.com), July 25, 2002

Answers

I've not personally heard of them, but a search on Google brought up some results, and they appear to be in the category of 'loan shark'.

-- pendle (pendle_666@yahoo.co.uk), July 26, 2002.

Shopaheck are like the Provident. They offer vouchers for high street stores and other misc items such as bed linen that you pay for on a weekly basis. They also hand out cash loans once you have 'proved yourself' at paying back the money from the vouchers /bed linen. However, the interest they charge is absolutley staggering - as the other post says 'loan shark'. They are commonly seen on council estates , in the past year I think Provident and Shopacheck have been here to my house at least 6 times trying to get me to take their vouchers :-\

HTH!

Nicky

-- Nicky (nickyyy@blueyonder.co.uk), July 26, 2002.

Shopacheck are nothing but a "shark"company consisting of "agents" going round to peples houses and offering them voutchers of at the start they will offer you £50 in shopping vouchers but you have to pay back at about £100 at £5 per week and if you dont keep up with payments they will hastle you in the way a load shark would and there not suppose too.....is there a law that say's that hastling customers is wrong?.......They ask you when you want an agent to call round....They dont stick to their side of arrangements and i do know of people getting threatened by agents is such a way that it puts the company at seriouse threat from prosicution of HARASMENT and i'm going to make an official complaint to the police about this because this cannot continue.I will succeed in bringing the public to attention of the kind of harassment they use and i intened to take this as far as possible untill i acheive a common sense attitude from the company itself and a full appology for the kind of hasstle they have caused me....please contact the company at SHOPACHECK FINANCIAL SERVICES 125 SUMMERLEE STREET GLASGOW G33 4DB or phone them up @ 0141 774 6844

-- (markchapman401@hotmail.com), December 07, 2002.

I totally agree, they do fall into the 'shark' loans but on the other hand people who have had bad credit historys and need finacial assistacne at xmas time often these are the only kind of people you can turn to

-- Caroline (c.e.boydell@cefas.co.uk), December 19, 2002.

When I was unemployed I was taken in by both these so called companies I'm still paying now I implore anybody not to touch them with a barge pole these "companies" prey on people who need govenment assisted help not loan sharks I belive if the government set up a (bank /loan)company dealing with the unemployed and low payed worker with a low intest rate these loan sharks would be out of a job.

yours b mc caffrey

-- brenda.maccaffrey@ntlworld.comWh (BRENDA.MACCAFFREY@NTLWORLD.COM), January 16, 2003.

Shopacheck..check No2..from...U Know Who Jennifer. After matters were broght to attention there has been no form of an appoligy for certain issues that have arisen.No action had seemed to be taken..Therefore comsumer right are in seriouse breach,Hmmm Maybe so...maybe not,but,the key factor is "DID" the consumer have a right to get any explanation or a change in arrangement back to your original agreement "YES"..Did it happen .."NO" so they have broke the agreement yet again...There must be a law against companies that apply for a licence and then they brake the rules of a binnding agreement...So technically...you dont pay if they brake agreements..coz in a court of law(i aint no lawer)it wouldnt stand therefore thrown out of court..then what does the company do then....allegedly...Hee hee

-- Mark (markchapman401@hotmail.com), January 16, 2003.

it is true what you are all saying because i have had nothing but trouble with them and keep sending me letters but like the lady said i have bad credit and would not be able to get it any other way if i needed anything but the interest on what you borrow is disgusting.

-- sam clarke (sammyc1979@hotmail.com), November 30, 2003.

Thats why instead of these companys ripping me off, I rip them off first!!!!!!!!!!!

-- anon (nadzg2001@yahoo.co.uk), December 09, 2003.

Maybe those of you who need a low cost loan could think of joining a Credit Union (if there is one in your area) You need to save a bit first, but then you can take out a loan and pay it back at minimal cost.

Just a thought.........

-- Lexie (lexie.fabriane@ntlworld.com), December 09, 2003.

shopacheck are a con i had a pc of them the pc was £999 ponds and they lied about the setup and when i complained they told me to read the small print and thast the systm was subject to change. it was £13.00 per week totallying £1895 pounds i had that 4 year ago and i still owe them £1000 because they never come round to collect it, i have had it rewriten once when a new manager took over now she has left. no one has been around for six months for payment. leave them well alone they aint worth the stress.

-- robert avenell (uspeoplehere@hotmail.com), December 30, 2003.

do not bother putting messages on this website because not only is the company a con you get some jerk keep sending you emails who think he owns the company. And if he is an ex agent i can understand why this company fails to function properly. cos its run by a bunch of monkeys

-- (uspeoplehere@hotmail.com), January 04, 2004.

We have a theory in our house - if we can't pay cash we can't afford it. I've learnt my lesson with cards, banks, car finance companies, etc. I've disappeared owing thousands to inflexible lenders. I've moved a few miles away, without changing my job. But they seem unable to trace me ( Tesco were a favourite! ). After 3 years they are unable to recall the debt and you are home free. My advice to anyone who appears to be up shit creak is to try & borrow the cash to declare yourself bankrupt. It's about £300 now ( borrow from Shopacheck & then list them as a creditor!! ). If you've got crap credit it won't make a jot of differance. In 2 years time you'll be able to rebuild your credit by tapping up co's like Capital One. Do'nt go bankrupt & in 2yrs you'll still be struggling to clear your debts.

Once thats over with you'll be able to avoid Shpoacheck and Provident as you'll be able to pay cash for stuff as you've shacken off the debts!!

At the end of the day - whats wrong with 2nd hand? Try auctions too and eBay. We've found some great bargains and it's more fun.

-- paul deeds (specialdeeds@hotmail.com), February 20, 2004.

I recently took out a loan with Provident in order to enable me to pay for my bond on my new flat. My credit rating is awful and I have a lot of student debt (loans and credit card arrears) listed against me. I borrowed a loan of £300 and am required to pay back £495. However, my plan is to raise the cash (which I know I will be able to do shortly) to clear the debt off in full, and then due to the short term of borrowing, I will be entitled to a rebate on what I have paid. Although I have still been ripped off, Provident have provided me with emergency money and this has helped in a desperate time. I would never borrow from them however, if I knew I would be paying £9 a week for a long long time! As regards my agents, so far they have been excellent, I've had no hassle (and I've missed many consecutive payments). My advice would be never to borrow just for material goods though. Only if its essential, and you're desperate. I know too many people who have acted carelessly and spent frivolously and are in a worse position now.

-- Jen (lockwoodJA@excite.com), January 01, 2005.

Re Shopacheck/Provident etc

Anyone having difficulty paying these companies should get in touch with their local Citizens Advice. Most people who borrow from these companies are poor, on benefits or low incomes. Very commonly people will pay the Provident rather than pay their rent/council tax which are priority debts but feel committed to paying them because they turn up at their door etc etc.

Anyway if you call in (don;t phone) your nearest CAB office they will send holding letters to these creditors and prepare financial statements which will throw up exactly how much you can or cannot pay. If you are on Benefits and do not own your home there is nothing they can do as they simply can;t take what you cant have. Many CAB offices work closely with local Credit Unions and once it is determined how much you have to pay to each creditor the Credit Unions very often have a Budgeting Scheme and this allows you to make one payment to them to cover all your creditors and they pay each creditor on your behalf (this saves you having to send several cheques to each individual creditor. This way you avoid late payments etc. And more importantly all these services are FREE...no need for all these Debt Consolidators who charge a fortune.

It is possible to have a debt free future without it costing the earth.

Good luck

Moira

-- Moira (Anderston828@aol.com), January 06, 2005.