An elderly Dublin woman has opened up about a coin company threatening to send one of Ireland's most notorious criminals to collect a debt.
Philomena saw the ad on television for a form to apply for a single commemorative coin which showed up, but found that more and more began arriving over the coming weeks.
Invoices also began arriving in the door and the prices were growing higher as they continued to come in.
Speaking to Joe Duffy on Liveline yesterday, Philomena explained her confusion about the bizarre situation.
She said: “My husband was about 60 at the time.
“I saw the ad on the telly for the free coin so I asked my husband to organise it for me.
“He did and I got my free coin and it was a nice coin.
“About two weeks later, another coin arrived and then another coin.
“It was almost like the song the Twelve Days of Christmas.
“So we said we need to put a stop to this but then the invoices started showing up.
“I think we paid for two of them after the free one.
“He rang the Mint Office and told them we didn’t need any more, but the coins kept coming.
“They said they wouldn’t send them again but they just kept coming.
“He told them they could come and collect their coins because we didn’t want them.
“They threatened us with legal action and said we owed them €100.
“Then they said they would send out The Viper.”
Joe assumed that they must have meant Viper Debt Recovery and Repossessions.
However The Viper is also the name of a well-known Dublin gangster and Philomena was understandably shocked.
Philomena added: “My husband wasn’t frightened of them though, we were determined.
“We heard no more after that.
“I still have the coins.”
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