Pensioner receives debt letter telling her she’s dead

A great-gran was left in “shock” after returning home from cancer treatment only to receive a debt letter telling her she was dead.

Tillie McDonald, 89, received the letter from electricity company Scottish Power telling her she still owed an outstanding balance of £75.51.

Mrs McDonald, of Greenock, Inverclyde, said: “Some bright spark obviously thought it was fine to address a letter to me telling me that I’d passed away.

“I’d like to know who informed Scottish Power of my demise, so I could strangle them!”

Mrs McDonald wondered why the company just accepted the “information without checking if it was right”.

She added: “A man I spoke to on the phone told me that I was off their system altogether.”

The pensioner, who says she is a spiritualist medium, was receiving treatment for breast cancer and gallstones when the letter was posted on January 9.

It stated: “Dear customer, we have been notified that our customer has passed away and send our sincere condolences.

“We don’t seem to have received the outstanding payment of £75.51 for the balance on this account. Please make the necessary arrangements to pay this.”

The letter also asked if there were any circumstances which may “delay this payment”.

Mrs McDonald said: “I’m raging. I was in tears. It was a shock that came around the anniversary of my husband’s passing, so I was upset anyway.”

A Scottish Power spokesman said: “Scottish Power sincerely apologise to Mrs McDonald for the distress caused by this error, which is being fully investigated.

“We have spoken with Mrs McDonald today to personally apologise and explain that the letter was caused by human error.”

I’d like to know who informed Scottish Power of my demise ... TILLIE MCDONALD