Halifax sent my card to old address

Morgan_Ree

I posted this is another section and was told I'd probably be best posting it here....


So I ordered a new card from Halifax about a month ago, just been down there now to find out why after all this time has it not yet arrived
I was told it was sent out nearly 3 weeks ago, then I found out it was sent to my old address
Due to ''human error'' my new address details hadn't been updated onto their system (I wasn't too angry by this point, mistakes can happen and all that)
THEN I was asked as i was there if I'm still interested in the credt card I'd applied for 2 weeks previous :huh: (I didnt apply for any credit at all!!)
This is the part i actually started getting !!!!ed off. From the looks of things the tenants at my old address (I can't say this with 100% certainty but I'm assuming seeing as they have my card) have been applying for credit in my name due to Halifax's totally !!!! up

I've just checked my credit report and there's been 7 seperate applications for credit cards and loans made in the last 2 weeks

I've only just got myself out of debt, my credit rating is still poor so these people are obviously getting turned down constantly but it's still not the point

I'm just waiting for a phone call from Halifax (I phoned them very irrate and was told they would look into my account and call me back)
I really don't know what to do
I'm upset and so angry at the same time

Do I go to the police about this, let Halifax deal with it or is there something else I can do?

Paul_Varjak

You certainly need to complain to the Halifax, via their complaints procedure and then take up the matter with the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) if you don't get satisfaction

I believe the FOS run an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme which ia an alternative to going to court. It will cost you nothing but I think they have powers to award you compensation for what has happened and your costs in putting everything back to normal. And it certainly cost you time and money to fix this problem....

I think you need to contact the three Credit Reference Agencies (www.equifax.co.uk www.experian.co.uk www.callcredit.co.uk) and have notices of Correction placed against each of the seven searches made on your credit files to the effect these searches were not with your permission as someone else requested them.

You also need to get that search history removed from each of the three credit reference agencies but I am not sure how you do that. 7 searches in a few weeks could seriously affect your credit rating! But I suggest you do the following first (as the 7 seaches on your file will help in the short term, to prevent other accounts being opened up in your name)....

Register with www.cifas.org.uk/ (about £15/year) for PROTECTIVE REGISTRATION. This will mean that a CIFAS marker (zero) will be placed on your file with the three credit reference agencies and if if any further applications are made for credit then any lenders who are members of CIFAS will have to take extra steps to check the identity of the person making the application.

I suggest you also make sure that your mail is redirected to your new address. You can request mail redirection for up to one year and I would always advise renewing this for a second year

Also, contact the local Council at your old address to ensure you are removed from the Electoral Roll. Your name could stay on the register until someone actually registers at your old address!

Since the Fraud Act of 2006, the card issuer will have deal with this fraud. You can report to the Police and get a log number but the Police will not investigate unless the card issuer asks them to.

Also check to see if you have legal protection insurance on your car or household policy or, better still, if your have identity theft protection on those policies.

I also think that some card issuers offer identity theft protection even if the fraud does not occur on their own card! So, if you have other cards check with them too!

Oh, you need to contact the seven companies that did searches on your file as a matter of urgency! And tell them your did not make the applications!

If you have not already done so, sign up for a credit alert service with www.creditexpert.co.uk but, remember, I think alerts only come once a month! At the moment you need to check you credit file every day, looking for any new searches, accounts created etc! CreditExpert is £6.99/month and also allows you to search your credit file anytime you want to without additional cost.

That is all I can think of at the moment, I hope that helps!