debt collection agency looking for me and I don't know why

A question about : debt collection agency looking for me and I don't know why

Hi, and cheers in advance.

I received a phonecall from a relative in Edinburgh tonight after she'd received a phone call from someone looking for me. The caller refused to say what it was regarding or who they were, but asked for my contact details (which were refused), but left a phone number for me to contact them.
I phoned the number and asked who they were, I was told a name, someone and Forbes, I asked who that was and he repeated the same thing, I then asked why they were looking for me and he refused any further information until I told them my name, so I told them, he then stated that they were a collection agency (at this point I wished I'd withheld me phone number) but he couldn't find my account and asked for further details which I refused stating that I owed no one any money (as I don't) and for them not to try and contact me again and hung up.
This has left me quite concerned that my identity may have been stolen and a debt accrued in my name. I'm intending to phone them again tomorrow to see if I can find out anymore about this, although I don't really want to give them any information about myself in case they attach whatever debt this is to me. I've been a member of experian for over a year and everythiong is still OK with that.
I've heard some horror stories about collection agencies so am a bit reluctant to have any contact with them, but on the other hand I don't want whatever this is hanging over my head (I suffer from stress related insomnia quite a bit and this will trigger a bout).
Does anyone have any ideas on how to field this. As far as I know I have no debts to anyone, other than a mortgage and a student loan which comes out of my pay at source (I paid all my cards off over a year ago), and all my bills are paid by direct debit and all these folk know where I live, and it isn't Edinburgh (although I did live there for a few years in the 90's, and a couple of months in 2004)
Anyway, if anyone has any advice on my best course of action I'd be grateful.

Cheers,

Nick

Best answers:

• Try reposting in debt-free wanabee, might get more replies
  If it was me I wouldn`t be phoning them again, I would see if the wrote to me then I would send a prove it letter back. I`m not expert thou so maybe someone else will come along with better advice.
• Ignore them.
  Ignore this advice at your own peril.
• cheers, I wasn't sure which section of the forum to post this so plumped for here. I was thinking of ignoring it, but it's going to weigh on my mind for a long time, there are plenty of what ifs to keep me troubled for a while - that may be the lesser of the evils though. I'll repost in the debt free section.
• Hi Old_Nick, thank you for your query regarding debt collection agency looking for you.
  Regarding this contact from a debt collection agancy- if, when you contacted the debt collection agency, they could not find an account this could be a case of the debt collection agency doing a fishing exercise to find a debtor they have lost contact with and contacting everyone on electerol roll with the same name. We would suggest that if they contact you again you should state you dispute the debt and would like them to provide all the details, including the address the debt was taken out at and the date of birth of the debtor and full name to see if it matches your own details.
  Regarding your concern that you have been the victim of identity theft. We would suggest your first step towards seeing if this is the case is to obtain a copy of your credit reference file from these agencies:
  Experian
  Tel: 0844 481 8000
  Website: www.experian.co.uk
  Equifax
  Tel: 08705 143700
  Website: www.equifax.co.uk
  Call Credit Check
  Tel: 0870 060 1414
  Website: www.callcreditcheck.co.uk
  Hope this is of assistance
• Cheers,
  The thing is they didn't contact me, they contacted a relative (wife of a deceased 1st cousin once removed in Edinburgh - I live in Nottingham, have done for more than 8 years, own a house down here), I stayed there for a few months 8 years ago, but never used the address as my residence, I was using my home address in Orkney at the time until I became settled with a job etc. So I have no idea why or how they could have attached that number to myself, at the time my I lived there my friends didn't even have that number (they called my mobile).
  It's all very strange, and worrying.