What a headache! Moving home and ID Fraud...

custardy

ian128 wrote: »

I agree with the chilling part! This was certainly one headache I could do without at the moment!

TBH, I can't remember when I last used my cheque book... come to think of it... where IS MY CHEQUE BOOK? Lol, it's probably still buried somewhere amongst my moving boxes.

I am trying to pursue the 'collect my mail' option - been in contact with the letting agent, who informs me that my old apartment has been let out, so I'd have to deal with the new tenants - but I cannot contact them directly, I have to wait for the letting agent to do so on my behalf... Which is fair enough I suppose (Data Protection and all), but it's just quite frustrating waiting on others...

Regarding your last point in the EDIT: "the data "they" have at the moment is fairly low key and "they" don't have your current address" - suppose they did have my new current address - how much more should I be panicing by?

nonsense,get round the house and ask!!!
you can still set up a redirection

maninthestreet

As you have on-line banking, assuming you can check the DDs set up on your account, I would be checking it everyday for any new DDs that appear.

carefullycautious

When you think about this logically the people who have moved into your old address have paid a deposit, moved in and would be pretty silly to now try and defraud you as it would be traced back to them.

I have spent the last 3 years redirecting at least 5 other peoples post who used to live here. I just write 'no longer at this address or unsolicited mail'. I have even sent letters back to the address shown on the rear of the envelope.

You have done the right thing alerting your banks etc. In future redirection through Royal mail is the best thing to do.

I dont think any of us is 100% safe from people who wish to commit identity fraud. All anyone can do is try to prevent this as best we can

pimento

This happened to me when my employer changed from giving our pension statements through the internal post at work to mailing them out and they used an address for me that was five years out of date.

I signed up to Credit Expert for £6.99 a month so I get a notification if anythgin changes on my file.

Perhaps you can pursuade your employer to pay for it as it was their mistake.

custardy

pimento wrote: »

This happened to me when my employer changed from giving our pension statements through the internal post at work to mailing them out and they used an address for me that was five years out of date.

I signed up to Credit Expert for £6.99 a month so I get a notification if anythgin changes on my file.

Perhaps you can pursuade your employer to pay for it as it was their mistake.

i doubt an ex employer will be interested

maninthestreet

Have you checked with your ex-employer to see if the items they sent to you at your old address have been returned to them at all?

Gwhiz

To the OP - you're not a journalist trying to make up, sorry - research and write, a story on peoples fear of identity theft are you?

Cynical, moi?

missile

Have you knocked on the door and asked the new occupants for any mail? If you leave some sae most reasonable people will be happy to forward any mail.

1echidna

Gwhiz wrote: »

To the OP - you're not a journalist trying to make up, sorry - research and write, a story on peoples fear of identity theft are you?

Cynical, moi?

People's perception of risk is interesting. It can be quite difficult when something like identity theft becomes flavour of the month and much is written about it not to go OTT in worrying about it and spending (for the slight risk involved) an inordinate amount of effort avoiding it..

Ian_W

LizzieS wrote: »

Sortcode and account number is sufficient to create a direct debit or standing order, but both require a signature. Ask your bank to phone you with details of all new DD/SO's - they should be able to mark your records to create extra security checks.

I wouldn't stress too much about Direct Debits either, TBH.
To become a DD originator is not a simple process and I very much doubt that wenickanyid.com would find it easy to be allowed originator status.
In any case the DD guarantee, introduced many years ago when the public were suspicious and hostile to the process, still holds good to-day. This states "you are guaranteed a full and immediate refund" from your bank, NOT the collecting organisation. More HERE from the BBA.

Standing Orders, does anyone still use them? I've 20 active DD's and 0 SO's on my current account. I would have thought them very unusual these days so if you want to be exra specially careful you might ask your bank to note that they should confirm any SO's before actioning them.