Alf Skelton’s letter was sent to Mr Dick Head (Picture: SWNS)

A granddad was left outraged after receiving a letter addressing him as Mr Dick Head.

Alf Skelton, 64, was sent the letter offering compensation for missold PPI (Payment Protection Insurance).

Mr Skelton, a retired taxi driver, and his wife, Greta, were pretty upset about the letter from High Street Claims. The couple, who live in Sunderland, demanded an apology from the company.

The pensioner said: ‘I just want to warn other people about this because it’s not right at all. After the letter was posted to the house, I thought it was a sick joke, but my wife was quite upset about it.’




High Street Claims put the letter down to an ‘unforeseeable administration error’ and have since apologised.

Mrs Skelton, 65, said she didn’t notice the insulting heading at first because she didn’t have her glasses on.

She said: ‘When I read it properly I thought it must be one of our friends perhaps playing a joke on us. But I realised it wasn’t and it made me quite angry to be honest.

‘You just don’t expect people to do something like that. I’m very particular about courtesy and manners and this letter didn’t have any.

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Copy of a letter sent to Alf Skelton from High Street Claims (Picture: SWNS)

‘We just want to let people know what they are getting into by dealing with these types of companies.’

In another epic fail, the company still don’t know Alf’s real name and addressed the letter of apology to him and his wife as Dear Sirs.

A spokesman for High Street Claims said: ‘We buy data in from various recognised data marketing companies subject to our purchasing agreements, which are very strict as to the sourcing of information, consents and general compliance.

‘Unfortunately, it must be the case that in this particular circumstance the screening of data did not pick up the individual name due to the format being split between first name and surname.

‘As such it must have passed the screening and not been identified as a prohibited word. There was no malicious intent and we adamantly deny any accusation as such.

‘This is merely an unfortunate and unforeseeable administration error. In any event we have taken action to add further levels of screening to our already stringent processes with regards to data purchase. We are also taking action to investigate how this scenario took place at first instance.

‘We have sent a letter of apology to the occupier of the address in question titled “Dear Sirs” as we do not have the individual’s contact name/number. We strive to maintain the highest levels of compliance as well as customer satisfaction and would object to any implication to the contrary.’

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