Hi. Left Saudi in Feb 2011 after termination of my contract. Left with outstanding credit card debt with SABB.
Resident since in UK
No communications about this debt until Aug 2018 when contacted by DCA in UAE (Tahseel).
Threats of legal action and travel ban if monies not paid. Offers of reduction of balance owed (up to 35%)
I contacted SABB Credit Card Customer Service, to come to some arrangement to clear debt (possible Full and Final Settlement) but was advised that debt had been written off by SABB.
Presume therefore that Tahseel Collecting Agency has bought or acquired this debt and is trying to reclaim money.
I am advised that the only way to recover this debt is in accordance with the laws in the UK. Is this so?
Given that the Debt is over 6 yrs old, is it now Statute Barred?
Credit Card
It is a standard process to recover the debt by Saudi debt collectors. Practically speaking, there is nothing they can do to you in the UK. The issues you will face are only if you ever want to work in the GCC again. And worst case, travel through GCC i.e. even in transit, you could be detained depending on the amount of debt and how much of an issue they make.
If it was UAE, the additional issue would be around reporting defaulters through a red notice to interpol. UAE banks abuse this routinely even when this channel is not for credit defaults. This leads to embarrassment and inconvenience at your end during travel but not much else.
Basically, while I don't foresee an issue to you at the moment; I would still advise you to clear it. You never know how life develops in the future and you don't want to be hassled at the wrong time.
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