Last Updated: 02-09-2026
Receiving unexpected post from PO Box 387, Barnstaple, EX32 2HA can be concerning, particularly when the letter requests payment, refers to an unfamiliar debt or appears to come from an official organisation.
However, the return address does not identify one definite sender.
Available reports indicate that PO Box 387 has been used as a shared return address for different bulk-mail campaigns, including business marketing, planning correspondence, debt demands and a reported Companies House impersonation letter.
Who Uses PO Box 387 Barnstaple EX32 2HA?
There is no reliable evidence that PO Box 387 Barnstaple EX32 2HA belongs exclusively to DRS Ltd or any other single business.
Recipient reports indicate that the address has been used by a mailing house to process letters for different organisations.
A direct-mail provider may print, post and receive returned correspondence on behalf of several clients without being responsible for the claims or offers contained inside each letter.
This arrangement is not unusual. Businesses frequently outsource large postal campaigns to specialist mailing providers.
The return address printed on the envelope may therefore identify the company handling undelivered mail rather than the organisation that commissioned the letter.
The same principle applies to other central mail-processing addresses. The recipient must examine the contents of the letter to determine who is making contact.
Important identifying information should include:
- The sender’s complete legal or trading name
- A company registration number
- An FCA reference number, where applicable
- A clear explanation of why the letter was sent
- An account, invoice, debt or case reference
- Independently verifiable contact information
- The name of the organisation receiving any requested payment
A PO Box can appear on legitimate correspondence, aggressive marketing or fraudulent letters. Its presence alone does not confirm which category applies.
What Has Been Sent From This Address Over the Years?
PO Box 387 has appeared on several different types of correspondence. This makes the previous single-company explanation inaccurate.
| Period | Reported use | What happened |
| 2019 | Commercial direct mail | A response attributed to the mailing provider explained that it sent letters using information supplied by its customers. This supports the view that the PO Box was used as a shared returns address. |
| 2021 | Planning campaign material | Planning postcards carrying the address were distributed in connection with objections to a local development proposal. |
| August 2022 | DRS and debt-bailiff letters | Forum users reported receiving payment demands referring to DRS and debtbailiffs.com. Posters linked the operation to Debt Collection Law Firm Ltd, company number 07400599. The associated website was later reported as unavailable. |
| October 2025 | Companies House impersonation | A newly incorporated company owner reported receiving a letter that appeared to come from Companies House but directed the recipient to an unbranded information and payment portal. |
| October 2025 | Business-account marketing | The same recipient reported receiving a separate promotional letter concerning an ANNA business account with the same return address. |
This history shows why the address cannot be classified simply as a DRS address or a scam address. Different clients may have used the same postal infrastructure for unrelated campaigns.
Was PO Box 387 Used for a Companies House Scam?
A MoneySavingExpert forum report published on 7 October 2025 directly connected PO Box 387 Barnstaple EX32 2HA with a suspected Companies House impersonation letter.
The recipient had recently incorporated a limited company.
A few days later, a letter arrived that appeared to concern the new company’s registration. It directed the recipient to a website that reportedly redirected to an unbranded portal requesting information and payment.
The recipient checked the request and concluded that it was not an official Companies House communication.
Companies House has warned businesses about similar letters. Common examples include fake company-register invoices, requests to activate supposedly essential services and demands for payment to keep a company listed on an unofficial register.
Warning signs include:
- Pressure to make an immediate payment
- A QR code leading to an unfamiliar website
- A demand to confirm company or director information
- An unofficial website using government-style wording
- Requests for passwords or authentication codes
- Bank details printed directly on the letter
- Claims that a company will be removed unless a fee is paid
- A company-register service that was never requested
Someone receiving a suspicious Companies House letter should not scan its QR code, visit the named website or make a payment. Companies House should instead be contacted independently on 0303 1234 500.
Why Are Newly Registered Companies Targeted?
Basic information about UK companies is publicly available through the Companies House register. Depending on the information filed, it can include the company’s name, registration number, incorporation date, registered office, status, officers and filing history.
Companies House also makes bulk company information available through downloadable records and data services.
This means that a third party can identify recently incorporated companies and send correspondence to their registered offices.
It is therefore possible for a new business to receive marketing material within days of incorporation.
This does not mean Companies House supplied the information directly to a scammer or approved the correspondence. It means information placed on the public register can be viewed and reused by third parties.
New directors are particularly attractive targets because they may not yet know:
- Which company-registration fees are genuine
- Whether an identity check is mandatory
- Which documents Companies House sends by post
- Whether a commercial register is connected with the government
- Which filing deadlines apply to a new business
Fraudsters can exploit confusion around Companies House identity verification by sending convincing requests for documents, payment or authentication codes.
Official identity checks should only be completed through Companies House, GOV.UK or a properly verified Authorised Corporate Service Provider.
Does the ANNA Letter Prove the Other Mail Was Genuine?
No. The 2025 forum user reported receiving a separate letter promoting an ANNA business account in the same post. Both envelopes reportedly carried the PO Box 387 return address.
ANNA is a genuine business-account provider, but its appearance in one piece of correspondence does not authenticate a different letter. It also does not prove that ANNA produced, approved or knew about the suspected Companies House impersonation letter.
The more likely explanation is that the return address was being used as part of shared mailing infrastructure.
A legitimate promotional campaign and a suspicious payment request can therefore carry the same returns address while coming from completely different clients.
Was the Address Connected With DRS Bailiff Letters?
In August 2022, several MoneySavingExpert forum users reported receiving letters referring to DRS Bailiffs and the website debtbailiffs.com.
Some recipients said the letters demanded hundreds of pounds for alleged parking debts that they did not recognise. Others questioned how the sender had obtained their names and addresses.
Forum contributors associated the operation with Debt Collection Law Firm Ltd, company number 07400599.
Companies House records show that the company was incorporated in October 2010 and was previously known as UK-DEBTCOLLECT LIMITED.
As of September 2026, its Companies House status is shown as active with an active proposal to strike off. Its accounts and confirmation statement are also recorded as overdue.
A Companies House registration does not confirm that a payment demand is genuine. It only confirms that an entity with that name and number appears on the register.
Similarly, forum reports are not the same as a court judgment or formal regulatory finding. They demonstrate that suspicious letters were reported, but they do not prove that every business using the initials DRS is connected with the same operation.
Recipients dealing with alleged parking debts should also check the common signs associated with parking fine scams.
Is DRS the Same as a Bailiff or Enforcement Agent?
A debt collector and a bailiff are not the same.
A debt collection company may contact someone about an alleged unpaid balance, request payment or return the matter to the original creditor. It cannot gain enforcement powers merely by calling itself a bailiff or using legal-sounding language.
A bailiff is legally known as an enforcement agent. An enforcement agent normally acts under specific court or statutory authority.
A genuine enforcement notice should clearly identify:
- The creditor
- The original debt or judgment
- The enforcement company
- The legal basis for enforcement
- The amount owed and any added fees
- The enforcement agent or case reference
- The recipient’s payment or response deadline
- How the agent’s identity can be checked
Someone falsely claiming to be a bailiff may be committing fraud.
An ordinary debt demand does not automatically mean that a County Court Judgment has been issued, bailiffs have been authorised or property can be removed.
However, genuine court papers, formal letters before claim and verified enforcement notices should not be ignored. The recipient should obtain independent debt or legal advice if the document appears genuine but the amount is disputed.
Is PO Box 387 Connected With Absolute Debt Recovery?
No reliable evidence connects PO Box 387 Barnstaple EX32 2HA with Absolute Debt Recovery.
Some competing articles incorrectly associate the address with that name. The likely cause is confusion between two similar PO Box numbers.
Directory listings for a Barnstaple business using the Absolute Debt Recovery name give the address as:
PO Box 287
Barnstaple
EX32 2BG
The address examined in this article is:
PO Box 387
Barnstaple
EX32 2HA
These are different PO Boxes with different postcode suffixes.
Another error involves company number 08008665, which is sometimes described as the Companies House registration for the Barnstaple business.
Companies House records show that this number belonged to Absolute Debt Recovery Limited, a company registered in Blackpool at FY2 0BN.
That company was dissolved on 8 April 2014. Its record does not establish any connection with PO Box 387 in Barnstaple.
How Can the Sender Be Verified Properly?
The company named inside the letter should be investigated instead of relying on the return address.
Examine the Complete Letter
The recipient should record the sender’s name, company number, FCA reference, website, telephone number, payment account and the reason for the correspondence.
The envelope should also be retained because its return address, postmark and mailing information could be useful when reporting suspected fraud.
Search the Companies House Register
The company name or registration number can be entered into the official Companies House search service.
The recipient should check:
- Whether the company is active or dissolved
- Whether it is facing compulsory or voluntary strike-off
- Its registered office
- Previous company names
- Its incorporation date
- Its officers and people with significant control
- Whether accounts or confirmation statements are overdue
- Whether its business activity matches the service described in the letter
A matching company name is not enough. Fraudsters may copy a genuine business’s identity or use a slightly altered name.
Check the FCA Financial Services Register
If the sender claims to offer regulated financial or consumer-credit services, its name and reference number should be searched on the FCA Financial Services Register.
The address, telephone number, website and permitted activities should match the information found independently.
If a letter contains different details, the genuine firm should be contacted using the information displayed on the FCA register.
Search the FCA Warning List
The FCA Warning List is separate from the Financial Services Register. It contains firms and individuals that the regulator believes may be operating without the necessary permission.
Not finding a business on the Warning List does not prove that it is legitimate. New operations may not yet have been reported.
Contact the Original Creditor
If the letter claims that money is owed to a lender, utility provider, parking operator or other company, the original organisation should be contacted independently.
The recipient should ask whether:
- The account or reference is genuine
- The stated balance is correct
- The debt was passed to the named collection company
- The payment details belong to an authorised recipient
- The matter can still be disputed
Contact details printed on the suspicious letter should not be used until they have been independently verified.
What Should Someone Do After Receiving the Letter?
The recipient should remain calm and avoid paying simply because the letter appears urgent.
A sensible response is to:
- Check the name of the person or company addressed.
- Photograph the complete letter and envelope.
- Avoid visiting unfamiliar websites or scanning QR codes.
- Search for the sender independently.
- Confirm the company’s status and regulatory details.
- Contact the alleged creditor using known contact information.
- Request written evidence of any debt.
- Check bank and credit records for unfamiliar activity.
- Report the letter if fraud or data misuse is suspected.
If bank details have already been entered or money has been sent, the recipient should contact their bank immediately. Passwords entered into an unfamiliar website should be changed, particularly if the same password was used elsewhere.
Postal scams can sometimes be followed by fraudulent emails, calls or messages. The warning signs are similar to those seen in Royal Mail text scams, including urgency, unfamiliar payment pages and requests for sensitive information.
Where Should a Suspicious Letter Be Reported?
The correct reporting route depends on what the letter claims and whether money or information has been lost.
| Situation | Reporting route |
| The letter impersonates Companies House | Contact Companies House independently on 0303 1234 500. |
| Money or personal information has been obtained through fraud | Report the incident to Report Fraud or call 0300 123 2040. People in Scotland should contact Police Scotland on 101. |
| The sender uses misleading or aggressive commercial practices | Contact the Citizens Advice consumer service, which can pass information to Trading Standards. |
| The letter involves potentially unauthorised financial services | Report the sender to the Financial Conduct Authority. |
| Personal information appears to have been misused | Object directly to the organisation and complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office if the matter is not resolved. |
| The letter appears to be postal scam mail | Contact Royal Mail at scam.mail@royalmail.com, call 0800 011 3466, or send the correspondence to Freepost Scam Mail. |
The recipient should keep copies of everything submitted. The original envelope may help investigators identify the mailing account or processing service used.
Is Using Public Companies House Data Automatically Unlawful?
No. Companies House is required to make certain company information publicly available. Accessing public information is not automatically illegal.
However, organisations using personal information must still comply with applicable data-protection and marketing rules. Public availability does not give a business unrestricted permission to use information unfairly or deceptively.
A person can object to their personal information being used for targeted direct marketing, including marketing sent by post.
The organisation should then stop using the information for that purpose, although it may retain limited details on a suppression list to prevent further mailings.
If the sender cannot be identified or continues using the information after an objection, the recipient can raise the issue with the ICO.
What If the Letter Is Addressed to Someone Else?
A current resident does not become responsible for another person’s debt merely because the letter arrived at their address.
If the envelope has not been opened, it can normally be marked:
“Not known at this address – return to sender.”
It can then be placed back into the postal system.
If repeated correspondence continues, the organisation named on the letter should be contacted through independently verified details. The resident can explain that the person no longer lives at the property.
The current occupant should not provide bank details, identity documents or other sensitive information to prove that they are not the named debtor.
Should a Letter From PO Box 387 Be Ignored?
A letter should not be accepted as genuine simply because it looks professional. However, every letter should not automatically be ignored either.
The correct response depends on the type of correspondence.
Unwanted marketing can normally be discarded or followed by a direct-marketing objection. A suspicious payment demand should be preserved and reported. A genuine court claim or formal legal notice may contain a deadline and should be addressed promptly.
The recipient should first determine:
- Who sent the letter
- Why it was sent
- Whether the organisation exists
- Whether the claim can be independently confirmed
- Whether any payment details belong to that organisation
- Whether the document has a genuine legal status
Only then should a response or payment be considered.
FAQs About PO Box 387 Barnstaple EX32 2HA
Is PO Box 387 Barnstaple a scam address?
The address itself is not proof of a scam. It has reportedly been used for both legitimate and suspicious mailing campaigns. Each letter must be assessed individually.
Does PO Box 387 belong to DRS Ltd?
There is no reliable evidence that it belongs exclusively to DRS Ltd. DRS-branded correspondence has used the address, but unrelated planning and marketing campaigns have also used it.
Is PO Box 387 linked to Absolute Debt Recovery?
No reliable connection has been established. Absolute Debt Recovery has been listed at PO Box 287, EX32 2BG, which is different from PO Box 387, EX32 2HA.
Why did a new company receive a letter from this address?
New company information is publicly available through Companies House. A third party may use this information to identify and contact recently incorporated businesses.
Was a Companies House scam sent from PO Box 387?
A forum user reported receiving a suspected Companies House impersonation letter displaying this return address in October 2025. The recipient said it directed them to an unbranded information and payment portal.
Does an ANNA letter make other post from this address genuine?
No. A legitimate business may use the same mailing provider as an unrelated or suspicious sender. Each letter must be verified separately.
Should a payment demand from this address be paid?
Payment should only be considered after the sender, original creditor, alleged balance and payment destination have been independently confirmed.
Can DRS send bailiffs immediately?
An ordinary debt collection letter does not itself authorise bailiff enforcement. A genuine enforcement agent must have appropriate legal authority and verifiable identification.
How can repeated letters be stopped?
Mail addressed to a former occupant can be returned marked “Not known at this address”. For marketing addressed to the correct person, the recipient can object to the sender using their information for direct marketing.
