Bank breached data protection ? (Debt)

[Lith]

Right got an issue here (not my problem) but it's a family member and seeing as im a member here might as well ask ?

The debt is for unpaid electric bill around £116 silly cousin moved house and didn't wanna pay he DOESN'T OWE anyone else any money except the electric bill
(which he thought he got away scot free)




He changed his address on the 2 banks he's with and that's it, but around a month later he got a letter from a debt collector (which is about the electric debt) £116 but now he has to pay £485? 0.o (i assume that's the debt people charge) like hell he will pay that... anyway

but he won't pay that at all (he's made it worst for him self but he really doesn't care) but my question is how in the hell did they find his address he hasn't tied his new address AT ALL with anyone except his bank's so i assume they must of talked ? how else ?

or ???


any insight on this?
cheers fella's

[rising from the ashes]

He must've changed it somewhere - electoral roll?

Has he applied for his credit report?

Anything like that could trigger it

[fermi]

Originally Posted by Lith

He changed his address on the 2 banks he's with and that's it

Well, as bank accounts now have data reported to the CRAs, the new address would have been reported to that and so linked as his new address on his credit files.

A creditor then doing a check/trace via them or on GAIN would discover the new address.

[Lith]

Originally Posted by rising from the ashes

He must've changed it somewhere - electoral roll?

Has he applied for his credit report?

Anything like that could trigger it

Nothing, he's like a 'ghost' - well i thought he was.

Originally Posted by fermi

Well, as bank accounts now have data reported to the CRAs, the new address would have been reported to that and so linked as his new address on his credit files.

A creditor then doing a check/trace via them or on GAIN would discover the new address.

Really? since when ? is that legal or ? bank's shouldn't have any right of way i think ? or im living in the old times, but a creditor doing a check/trace on someone is that even legal they have access to his files/info ? also what you be by 'GAIN' ?

he doesn't even have credit cards or overdrafts or loans 'NOTHING'

plus i phoned up that debt place and said 'he doesn't live here' maybe that will throw them off a bit ? i dunno,

He's also worried that his accounts will be closed or something (i told him rubbish) the debt is with the electric company 'nothing to do with the banks'

[fermi]

Yes it is legal. Most banks have recorded bank accounts on your credit file for some years now.

[fermi]

GAIN: http://experian.metafaq.com/help/Sta...rt/whatis_GAIN

[fermi]

Can debt collection company legally access my credit report?

Most power companies now have such terms on their accounts.

[Better_Off_1983]

I doubt the bank breached data protection, more like the debt collectors/supplier traced him via his credit file.

If your cousin had no bank account, financial footprints and 'lived off the grid' maybe he would not have been found.

This happened to me, I left my ex 3 years ago and the electric meter was in my name. My ex has since left the premises and there was a standing charge (or something) on the meter..... so the electric company wrote to me at my current address. The bill was only £40.00 but because I work in collections myself, I knew that the likelihood of them finding me was through a trace.

What is your cousin going to do now?

[Better_Off_1983]

I have looked on my credit file and even bank accounts that are dormant and with no overdraft are still on the credit file.

[Lith]

@fermi

Thank's for links

@Better_Off_1983

What's he gonna do? absolutely nothing plus i phoned them up and said never heard of this guy don't know him you got the wrong address blah blah, maybe that will 'flank them' for a while? not my problem but he won't pay that £500 and all they have is a name that is all no phone number no contacts details nothing just a name and his address (which i said i lived at via the phone) and that's all i've done to help no more.

[DS4215]

Originally Posted by Lith

What's he gonna do? absolutely nothing plus i phoned them up and said never heard of this guy don't know him you got the wrong address blah blah, maybe that will 'flank them' for a while? not my problem but he won't pay that £500 and all they have is a name that is all no phone number no contacts details nothing just a name and his address (which i said i lived at via the phone) and that's all i've done to help no more.

They have his name, they have his address. That's all you need to serve court papers and get bailiffs involved.

[Janie4Now]

OP - I'd be so careful. Is it possible you could eventually get done for some sort of collusion to defraud if they do ever catch up with him? I'm not a legal bod, so this is just a thought, but I would NOT be protecting him from the consequences of his actions.

[Lith]

Originally Posted by DS4215

They have his name, they have his address. That's all you need to serve court papers and get bailiffs involved.

True, but 'if its' that person right? they haven't proven anything, they have a 'name' not a full name' should of mentioned that before and an address which 'i live at' wait n see how long they keep back (has nothing to do with me) but it's his own damn fault £500? for a £150 debt? jesus... bailiffs think we're born yesterday.

Originally Posted by Janie4Now

OP - I'd be so careful. Is it possible you could eventually get done for some sort of collusion to defraud if they do ever catch up with him? I'm not a legal bod, so this is just a thought, but I would NOT be protecting him from the consequences of his actions.

True, but i phoned them up and said you got the wrong address blah blah, the woman who kindly said 'thank you for letting us know i'll remove this address from the correspondence ?? 0.o