A debtor says they paid us directly — not through Merion — what do I do?

It is not uncommon for a debtor to contact Merion — or for us to receive a query — about a payment they say they have made directly to you, the referring client, rather than through Merion. When this happens, it needs to be resolved promptly to avoid the debtor being pursued for money they have already paid.

What to check on your end:

• Review your own accounts receivable records for the debtor's account and the relevant invoices. Check whether a payment has been received and recorded since the account was referred to Merion.
• Check whether the payment matches the amount and date the debtor is claiming. Partial payments or payments against a different invoice can cause confusion.
• If you use a third-party accounting system, check that all payment entries have been reconciled and none have been missed.

What to do next:

• If the payment has been received by you, contact us immediately with the date, amount and your payment reference. We will update the account and pause or close recovery activity accordingly.
• If the payment cannot be found, let us know and we will ask the debtor to provide proof — their bank statement, a receipt or a transaction reference — so we can investigate together.
• Remember: if a payment was made to you after the account was referred, commission may still apply under your service agreement. Contact us to confirm.

Acting quickly protects both you and the debtor and prevents unnecessary contact on an account that may already be resolved.