Letter from "Robinson Way" advice needed

GSXR6

Hi all
Brief as I can be

I rented a flat 9 or 10 years ago. One day I got a letter out of the blue demanding money on an unpaid debt for a credit card (think it was capital one or someone). I had never had a card and it was obviously a fraud case. They sent out a copy of the the transaction which was for a TV from Argos I think with a signiture that wasnt mine. I went through the motions with the card company who agreed it was fraud. About a year or so after that I had a cryptic phone call asking If I could confirm my name and previous address. Thinking it was some kind of emergency I did and the person put the phone down on me. I then got a letter from a collection agency but the matter was soon cleared up as I still had reference numbers from the card company showing it was fraud. I heard no more about it after that.
Today, I have a letter from R.W asking if I lived at the address "for the purpose of validation". I can only assume its related the credit card story.
What do I do? Call them and start a long winded war of letters or ignore it?
Im worried sick now as I no longer have the letters from the card company and so on.
Thanks in advance!

tbourner

I know my mum always ignores letters from them as they never relate to anything about her. Not sure if they'll keep chasing though.

bottleofred

Hi,

Even if the debt was yours, after a period of 6 years it becomes statute barred. If you cannot find the reference numbers from the card company, could you phone them to get the details. However, if you can't the best option would probably be to send the prove it letter to this company, assuming they are contacting you regarding an old debt. I'll attach it and hopefully someone else who knows more will be along soon.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...93&postcount=2

read this http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/en...limitation_act

Obviously it would be better if you could find the old details of the fraud, but hopefully this information will help relieve the stress in the event you can't.

Bottle of Red

GSXR6

Well, I took a chance and called them back as I couldnt be doing with the worry of it at the back of my mind. To cut a long story short, it relates to an outstanding debt of £140 to a mail order catologue "Shop Direct". I have never bought anything of them, in fact I have never bought anything from a catologue so its yet more fraud in my name at the old address. The lady I spoke to said she would close the account and thats the end of the matter. I have recorded the conversation to be on the safe side.
If anything else comes of it I will post it up here.
Thanks

GSXR6

Oh, and she suggested I call experian

tallyhoh

Yes, you should get a copy of your credit report to see what else this low life may have done.

GSXR6

I was only at the address for 6 or 12 months (10 years ago now) but I remember getting junk mail from credit card companies and so on. One in particular sticks in my mind as it was pre filled in by the card company, all it needed was a signiture and I was "pre approved" for thousnads of pounds credit. I assume whoever was in the flat afterwards or somone who was intercepting my post filled their boots. Annoys me as its these companies own fault but I get all the hassle years later!

Hannah_10

Again can I recommend the thread on unenforcibility by Never-In-Doubt, it's HERE as it's obviously not your debt then there will be a way out of it. The prove it letter and plenty of other helpful templates are also on there.

Oh and get your Credit References from Experian, Equifax and Call Credit, they are the big three. You really do need to do that, it will show you what is held against your name. There's a page on how to do it on the cheap HERE from Martin Lewis, but I found it as easy as putting the Credit Reference Agency names into Google and reading the info on the site (don't forget to check for the secure padlock thingy will you). I had to pay for mine (cost me just under £11 for the three after Postal Order fees and stamps/signed for post because I did it the expensive way, so £11 is your worst case scenario). It's important to get all three because they all have slightly different information and each of mine shows at least one thing the others don't, so without the three you wont have the full picture.

If you find anything else on those files that you don't recognise then the Unenforcibility thread should help, or you can always post again.

Ride Safe

PS- Nearly forgot, the golden rule when dealing with DCA's (debt collection agencies) is EVERYTHING IN WRITING. They will lie, lie and lie again in phone calls (and letters) and recording them is only any use if you're planning for it to get to court and you think the judge will bother to listen to your tape (often they don't), so from now on write for everything. Yes I know it's a nause, but truly it's sound advice. Appart from lying they also do a nice line in harrassment, humilliation and intimidation, if you haven't had it yet then count yourself fortunate- it's on the horizon. Again back to the Unenforcibility thread for a nice template letter to make them not telephone you again.

GSXR6

I may have now made this worse for myself

I have done an online credit check with Experian. There was no record of ANY debts in my name. I phoned I told them that Robinson Way must have got their info from somewhere as there was history of them checking me last week. Experian asked if I knew the address RW were linking me to so I told them. The old address didnt show up on my history but as from tomorrow it will as they have now linked my name at the old address to my name where I am now as not being two separate people :mad: .
He strongly advised me to check tomorrow after the records have updated, so it sounds like I will have a load of debt in my name now as reading between the lines it looks like my identity has been hammered!
Will let you all know tomorrow.

RAS

When did you leave the old address?

Hannah_10

Before tomorrow check out Equifax and Call Credit as well, if you can do the online check with one then you can do it with the other two.

Having your address linked isn't neccessarily the end of the world, given you said you moved out 10 years ago. Although if you've got more accurate dates I would add them if RAS is asking (far better at this than me). Take it as a lesson in near-misses and go for post not phone every time as of right now.

One step at a time, but your first steps are still the prove it letter and your credit files.