Victim of identity fraud -how would this cashback scam work?

teffers

Thanks Paul for the advice. I immediately checked my credit report when this all started a few months back but I intend checking it again and looking into the CIFAS marker situation.

My credit rreport is already pretty much shot (had a bad few years) but it's an added thing I have to keep an eye on I realise.

jd87

Hi all. I've been having exactly the same problem with the same companies as the OP and I thought it might help to compare cases.

So far I've had Pet Insurance set up with Homebase and LV, but I wouldn't be surprised if I get some other letters. Both policies were set up with my name, address, and correct bank details. I phoned Homebase and LV (looks like they're actually both the same company if you look carefully at the letters) and got them to cancel everything. Only one of the direct debits ever actually got set up on my account - the Homebase one, and I'm having some problems with this. It got cancelled but it keeps getting reinstated so the bank have put a "fraud alert" on my account and have told me to go to a branch and fill in a "direct debit indemnity form" to permanently block the DD. I'm also going to phone Homebase again to double check that they have cancelled everything.

One thing I did find particularly suspicious was when one of the Pet Insurance customer service people told me to post the letter I had from them back to them. He said they want it because they are "trying to keep track of this sort of thing". I've decided I'd much rather keep the letter for my own records/evidence.

Someone from one of the companies also told me that it is probably a cashback scam. I'm always so careful I've got no idea how someone could have got hold of my details. I use Quidco and Topcashback and I did originally register my bank account no. and sort code with both of them but I've now deleted that information.

Martin57, How are you getting on with the Police? Someone from my bank (Natwest) told me that the police probably won't be interested, but if it gets worse I may contact them.

I thought this website might be useful, maybe you've come across it? http://www.actionfraud.org.uk/ Unfortunately if you fill in the form to report the case it just comes up with a message saying that it is the bank's responsibility to report it and sort it out.

Hope some of this information is useful. Thanks.

WhiteHorse

teffers wrote: »

Put yet another call into the police and left another msg for the PCSO 'dealing' with this

PCSO? Then you are not dealing with anyone who has the training or experience to deal with this sort of case. Insist that a proper, experienced police officer deal with you.

jd87

To be fair what can the police do?? They're not going to launch a major cyber-crime operation just for a few £7 direct debits.

Like I said above though, if my case gets worse I may feel inclined to get the police involved too so good luck to you.

teffers

WhiteHorse wrote: »

PCSO? Then you are not dealing with anyone who has the training or experience to deal with this sort of case. Insist that a proper, experienced police officer deal with you.

I really agree. Finally had a visit from the same PCSO and apprently it's been passed to another department to be dealt with this week. If I hear nothing in the next 14 days I intend to begin a complaint to make sure it's being dealt with.

EDIT:

In fairness the police can do a lot. In my case I'm convinced (and this has been confirmed somewhat by Topcashback) that it's a scam designed to use peoples details like mine to obtain cashback payments fraudulently. That's deception and is a crime. In my case it seems the details I've given Topcashback has led them to identify several fraudulent accounts.

The fact is the cashback sites have the IPs, all they're waiting for is the police to contact them and ask for them, that may well (not guaranteed I know) lead them to the doors of the fraudsters.

So the police can put a stop to this, in my case at least, for very little money - the cost of a phonecall and a visit to the address, no major cyber crime investigation needed

davester

jd87 wrote: »

To be fair what can the police do?? They're not going to launch a major cyber-crime operation just for a few £7 direct debits.

Like I said above though, if my case gets worse I may feel inclined to get the police involved too so good luck to you.

Might be £7 to 1 person , but these scammers are not just doing it to 1 person.

twiglet66

Im going through exactly the same at the moment! So far pet insurance DD, Magazine subscription DD and also More than Insurance DD, luckily I have spotted the DD's on the date they were due to come out of my account so the bank has returned them straight away. I just wonder what is going to happen next!

I am also a member of Quidco and have only very recently given them my bank details also cashback kings and topcash back. Feeling suspicious of Quidco now as thats the only one that I have changed details with recently.

geordie_joe

twiglet66 wrote: »

I am also a member of Quidco and have only very recently given them my bank details also cashback kings and topcash back. Feeling suspicious of Quidco now as thats the only one that I have changed details with recently.

The question is, is it a cashback site, someone who works for a cashback site, or is a cashback site not protecting it's user data the way it should.

Silverbird

I had the same thing happen to me recently - with Homebase Pet Insurance and EDF Energy. Both had Direct Debits set up, which I quickly cancelled. I am now having to check my Direct Debits on a daily basis with the online banking. Homebase knew exactly what I was going on about and said this was a cashback scam. They say every time they try to track it down and stop it, somebody starts it up again.

I informed Quidco - the only cashback site I use - and was firmly told that under no circumstances is any personal data that I provide to them given to anybody else. They proceeded to quote their privacy policy to me.

They didn't seem to realise that what in fact was happening was somebody was setting up false accounts and obtaining cashback using my details. They just didn't seem bothered that somebody might be doing this.

mr_no_name

I think I have also been a victim of this although in relation to my old address that I've not lived at for 3 years! So far I have had British Gas write to let me know that they are transferring 'my' gas and electric to them at that address, and this week I have had a letter saying I've set up pet insurance from More Than. Both had the correct name, address (just 3 years out of date!), and date of birth! Luckily they had the wrong bank details which I'm hoping means that the fraudsters don't have these!

Is there anything we are able to do about this? I'm lucky that despite moving from the old address 3 years ago, and having the post redirected for the 1st year, the new occupiers are kind enough to make sure I get any stray mail. Where would I stand if I didn't even know these new policies/agreements had been set up?! From reading the posts above the police aren't interested, and neither are the cashback companies. When I have contacted BG and More Than to let them and to cancel things they have not seemed bothered, and have just said they'll cancel it! When I spoke to Credit Expert also, their response was 'don't worry about it, whoever set these up are getting nothing from it, perhaps it was an admin error'?! What does my £14.99 membership a month cover?!

I'd be grateful if anyone could shed light on this, or what I might be able to do to stop it.