Help: Someone opened bank accounts and I'm in debt! Identity theft

sahmed_2

Hi,
I have received a letter today from NatWest Collection Centre.
In subject it says, Formal notice of intention to file a default and to take action to recover debt.
In three page letter it explain that, I have to make payment within 28 days otherwise they will send information to 3 credit reference agencies callcredit, Equifax and Experian. It says, I have 2 NetWest bank and the overdraft debt £303.51 and 294.98.

The point is, I do not have any NetWest bank account and never had. I do not have any NetWest credit cards.

I called the number given in the letter and they says, I have accounts with them. I asked him to pass me to their fraud team. Their fraud team took my details and filed a fraud report and said I will receive a letter in a few days.

Similer happend a couple of months ago when I checked my TaxCredit report and noticed a different bank details in payment section. I contacted the Inland Revenue and they stoped the payment and sorted the problem.

I have heared that sometime ago Inland Revenue lost many peoples personal record. Is it started from there?

Please can anyone advice me, What else I can do to protect any future attack? How to check if there is any other accounts opened in my name? And which identity protection service I should subscribe?

Thanks a lot.

Skudrulacis

hmmmm... very hard situation

Cleosmum

Make sure you have up to date copies of your credit file from each of the credit ref agencies. Anything untoward should be on there. I believe they can advise you on identity theft also.

Ossireo

I think your first point of action is to get copies of the applications that were made to Natwest and find out how they were made etc.

Also get a free copy of your credit report (think there are links on the site here) so you can see if there is any other problems you are not aware of.

As far as I remember from another post, Identity Fraud is against the bank, however I am not sure what steps need to be taken to prove its not you that opened the account etc.

I am sure the wiser will be along soon with more advice

sahmed_2

Ossireo wrote: »

As far as I remember from another post, Identity Fraud is against the bank, however I am not sure what steps need to be taken to prove its not you that opened the account etc.

I am sure the wiser will be along soon with more advice

Is it possible to open 2 account in same bank in the same city?

Have you heard of http://www.cifas.org.uk/ ? Should I register with them?

*MF*

sahmed wrote: »

Is it possible to open 2 account in same bank in the same city?

Have you heard of http://www.cifas.org.uk/ ? Should I register with them?

Hi sahmed - sorry to hear about all this.

Yes - definitely register with cifas.

Here is a link to the Home Office site dealing with identity fraud - and it includes the recommendation to register with cifas and other information which I hope may help you, including notifying the police and Royal Mail etc..

Click here:

http://www.identitytheft.org.uk/what-if.html

Main site here:

http://www.identitytheft.org.uk/

dubsey

A few months ago my DH had a series of letters from the Halifax, thanking him for opening an account and asking him to bring proof of I.D along with something in the region of £10 (can't remember the exact amount) to his local branch in order to activate the account. The account wasn't officially open until he did this.

Needless to say, he had never in his life applied for an account with them but a few phone calls (more letters in between) and it was all cancelled. Surely Natwest would have written to you intially to tell you an account was open? Normally you need to show proof of I.D before you can take money from a new account, so have you asked N.W how someone else has managed this? I take it nobody you know has access to any of your I.D?

My DH now has a fraud marked on his credit file that he is having a nightmare trying to get removed. Trying to get hold of original applications is like trying to get hold of gold dust. They won't release any information, only to say someone applied online. Have Natwest given any information to you at all regarding this?

sahmed_2

dubsey wrote: »

Normally you need to show proof of I.D before you can take money from a new account, so have you asked N.W how someone else has managed this? I take it nobody you know has access to any of your I.D?

Trying to get hold of original applications is like trying to get hold of gold dust. They won't release any information, only to say someone applied online. Have Natwest given any information to you at all regarding this?

I asked them, how could they open 2 accounts in different branch in london without asking my ID. They said, If I haven't opened then report to fraud department. They checked with the account/sort code and match with my name and address.

They will send me letter with their findings within the next week or so.

RAS

sahmed

Please get your credit checkls from all three credit agencies, so you can find out if there are any other accounts - banck, cc, laons or catalogues opened fraudulently.

Also you can get a CIFAS warning on your credit checks which will stop further accounts being opened. The down side on that is that it will almost certainly make getting credit yourself more awkward as some companies interpret the warning to do extra checks as an instruction not to agree further credit. However, if you compain, they usually sort themseleves out. Just do not try taking out credit agreements in shops unless you warn them and expect to have to wait for approval.

sahmed_2

Thanks everyone.
I am going to apply for credit report to all 3 agencies.
I contacted CIFAS and they said I can request for removal from database at any time and there will be no parmanent marker in my file.

I have £3500 balance in my credit card at 0% interest. So, I am thinking to remove my protection in 6/8 months before I apply for new cards.

xcharlies_mummyx

Dont know if your still looking to protect your identity but take out an identity theft protection normally get a free trial if you have been a victim you can claim on the insurance! Hope this helps Jess