my sister got a credit card in my mums name

gilly62

Hi Guys, I hope someone can help me. My mum as been living with my sister for 8 years after my dad died, she now lives with me because she was having a lot of trouble with her and her husband. My mum changed her address at the bank and after about a week she got a credit card statment in her name, she didn't know anything about it, she as never had a card before in her life, she is 69, she wouldn't know how to go about applying for 1 as my dad used to deal with all the finances. The amount on the statment was £8604 which is a lot of money for my mum as she is only on pension. My sister as took the card out in my mums name without her knowing. I took her to the bank and they took all her details and they said it would be up in court, they told her to go to the police, the police took a statement and they said they would contact the bank. My mum as received a letter today from the bank saying they can't do nothing, which I think is disgracful. I thought this is fraud so why arn't they doing anything about it. The reason I know it's my sister is that I found a credit card in my dads name 4 years ago in my sisters room near her computer which I was using at the time, my dad had been dead for 4 years, I also found 1 in my mums name. I approached my sister and her husband about it as I was fuming, I even told them that I was gonna go to the police, They just said that They have paid it off now so I can't do anything about it. It looks like the card that was in my mums name is the 1 she as received. :money:gilly62

Daveb

That is a shocking story!

gone4gold62

:eek: i would go to the police again this is fraud:eek:

whitty999

how could someone do that especially to their own parents,I am unable to give you advice on this matter but i am sure someone will be along soon to add there bit of help.
I hope the police will do something as it plainly is fraud
good luck with sorting it out x

Robert_Sterling_3

At first sight this is fraud.

PROLIANT

I am sorry to hear about what has happened to your mum, your sister is very dishonest and deceiving to do something like that, I can only advise what to do from my experience of ID theft, 93 linked addresses, umpteen defaulted bank accounts, credit cards, mail order and loans, it took me over 6 years to sort this mess out however one thing your mum must do is apply for CIFAS protective registration, she can do this via Equifax credit reference agency, this will protect her from future fraud attempts as any lender who receives an application in your mum’s name must call or write to her and ask for confirmation of passwords etc.

The police are a waste of time as far as ID fraud goes, as they told me it is very unlikely they will get anybody for it so they fob you off with a crime reference number, the best thing you and your mum can do is go and speak to a solicitor, as long as she earns less than about £20k per annum she will get legal aid for all solicitor and court costs.

You may also want your mum to place a notice of correction on all three of her credit files to notify lenders that she is a victim of fraud and the credit card is a result of that fraud, as for your sister well have you tried talking to her about this?
Will she not just fess up to the crime and sort it with the bank so she can come to some arrangement for the repayment of the debt?

I hope you get some resolve out of this situation, please keep the thread updated as to your progress and I am sure somebody else will be along with some more good advice for you and your mum.

Regards

Mr P

James

I'm shocked to hear what's happened, and what a dilema.

I'ts relatively simple to deter this sort of thing happening:

Check out the following from the East of Scotland Fraud Forum. This is the most effective system you can use to prevent someone applying for loans, cards etc where you are in control, and not the lender. Plus it costs next to nothing to implement.

You could try calling Financial Services Authority and seek their advice.(Links Below)

FSA

Good luck

gilly62

Hi, Thanks every 1 for your reply, I'm going to see a solicitor about it and i will keep you all informed. Gilly

mrs_drudge

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-victims/reducing-crime/fraud/

About two years ago the government took away responsibility of the initial investigation into credit card fraud away from the Police and put it into the hands of the banks. So initially it is up to the bank to satisfy itself that a crime has been committed. In any case it is the bank which has been deceived - and the bank who would hold all the evidence - the application form, forged signature, where the card was sent etc.

INT1

Civil matter unfortunately as a family member is involved.
Also the bank should be offering to place that CIFAS protective flag at the address but I doubth they will as they are not treating as application fraud. It would save you about £15 if they did...
I empathize with you though as if this was a normal straight forward app fraud your mother wouldn't be liable for a penny.