Catalogue debt not mine

Phoebica

Hi, was looking for some advice on a catalogue debt. Basically i recently checked my credit report and saw they was an unpaid debt to a catalogue on there. It was the first i've heard of it. I've never had a catalogue in my life so i know for a fact it's nothing to do with me. I haven't recieved any letters yet or demands for payment yet but i'm guessing it's only a matter of time.

The problem is, although i know the catalogue isn't mine i think it's someone in my family. They have bad credit rating so i have a feeling they've used my identity. Pretty low i think. So what can i do about it? Obviously i don't want to be held responsible for a debt that is not mine. Do i just ignore it until i recieve a letter or deal with it now? Also, is there anyway to go about it without incriminating the person who did it? Obviously i hate what they've done but they are still family.

Beanbag

Hi there, I had the same problem, my mother who I have nothing to do with anymore had opened up 3 catalogues in my name and ordered from them and not paid the bill, the total for all 3 was nearly £700!!!

When I asked her about it, she denied it and refused to pay and said that it wasn't her (even though this wasn't the first time she had done, but lng story)!

I phoned up Experien (sp) and spoke to them who said that they would investigate it and with lots of phone calls they arranged for 2 of the catalogues to changed into my mothers name and to be taken off my credit report!

The other one, wouldn't budge as this was at my mothers address and as I had lived there before, said that I had to prove that I didn't move out of my current address, move back to my parents and then take out a new catalogue, so I ended up just paying that one off myself and asking for my name and that address to be removed from all their marketing mail!

I also had to write a letter to the town hall and explain the situation and asked to be removed from that address on the electrol roll, as my mother never had, even though I hadn't lived there for a few years, as this is were most catalogues get there marketing addresses from!

The first thing I would do though is phone up the credit check company and explain that you have found sometihing on your report that shouldn't be there!

I hope that helps!

Tixy

Hi and welcome

Can you give some more information as to what your credit report says? how long ago was the account opened? does the account show a default?

In these types of cases people have to choose between reporting the family member who did it (to the creditor and possibly the police) and dealing with the family member themselves - if you go for the second route maybe you can get them to admit the debt and pay you back so you can pay the debt off (though if there is a a default that will still remain there, affecting your ability to get future credit).

You might want to consider registering with CIFAS so they cannot do the same again.

Phoebica

Hi, thanks for that Beanbag. It's not nice when family do that to you is it? I think i will phone the credit company and see what they say.

Tixy, it's not a default. The catelogue is from 2007. What exactly do CIFAS do?

Tixy

If its not been defaulted do you think this family member might have actually been making some payments against the catalogue?
You could write to the catalogue and say you have noticed the account on your credit report and will they please provide proof of this debt as you have no knowledge of it.

Regarding CIFAS - it should stop people opening any more new accounts in your name see here
http://www.cifas.org.uk/default.asp?edit_id=565-85

magpiecottage

Just to let you know, since the items have been ordered on credit, you will have the right to take the catalogue company to the Financial Ombudsman Service if they cannot resolve it to your satisfaction.

It is unlikely that they know this so just in case, the rules are:

If you complain they must (but probably won't) acknowledge it in writing promptly
Ensure that somebody with sufficient skill investigate it (they probably don't have anybody - please point them in my direction!)
Give a response indicating what, if anything, they intend to do to put things right within 8 weeks of receiving the complaint or explain why they need more time.
Either way they must explain that you can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service, how long you have to do so (six months from their final response to you).
They must also provide you with a copy of a booklet which the Financial Ombudsman Service will sell them but they cannot charge you for. It is not actually very expensive (about 25p each) but they have to do it.

Oh yes - your complaint need not be in writing but if you do post, get proof of posting (free from the Post Office). The Financial Ombudsman Service will deem a first class letter to have arrived two working days later.

bargainbetty

If the account is on your name, surely you could contact them and ask for details about purchases, specifically a dellivery address. Someone has been having goods delievered somewhere, and if you can find out where, you are one step closer to proving who stole it.

Advise them of the situation too, and set up a new password and security clearnace on it, and put a freeze on the account so it can't be used any further.

Then find out which family member did it, and give them a week to pay in full so you can close the account, or you report them to the police. It is fraud and theft. No excuses.

good luck x

DarkConvict

If your not sure who has done it, contacting the creditor if you can find details and the credit report agency (Experian/Equifax/CallCredit) is the first port of call. As you have not signed any agreements you cant be held liable for their failure to do adequate fraud checks.

The CRAs should be able to remove it from your file,

The creditor will have to deal with the actual amount, just tell them you have not ordered from any catalogs and believe fraud has taken placed, you are willing to cooperate and provide details to prove it is not yours, furthermore if they provide any delivery address you could confirm if you are aware of them, i.e. related person. Fraud is a against the law so they have to take it seriously, otherwise just get the police involved.

I wouldnt wait, i would act now.