Help - pestered by Credit Solutions Ltd for unknown 02 debt, Credit Report marked!

markwu

Hi all,

Hopefully someone can help advise! I've got a default via O2 on my credit file for £1946, but its not for a bill that I'm aware of! Here's the "story"...

I changed from Orange to O2 back in July 2008 (and ported my phone number over). I then set up my bills to be paid by direct debit and receive the monthly paper bills in the post.

By December 2009 I started receiving additional bills from o2 demanding payment (around £80 initially but now escalating to £1946). They were branded as o2 but a little "different". Then letters came from Credit Solutions Ltd. I ignored these initially as although they got my name and address right, all references numbers didn't match any documentation I have and I only have a simple, single mobile contract with o2. It's under a Ltd business name although my personal name is on there too. Orange also used the same details.

I contacted o2 who assured me (with my correct account details) that there was no debt and that they didn't recognise the CSL "Client reference" number quoted. None of the letters received had my correct mobile phone number either.

The latest letter from CSL states that I have an opportunity to save 75% off if I now "only pay" £486. Looking at all this, I assumed the whole thing was a scam which some recipients may pay up unknowingly.

HOWEVER, on a separate action, I decided to check up my credit report today and (devastatingly) I found this default of £1946 on there! It's been reported by O2 and and lists 3 contact addresses for Fraud Queries, Non-Fraud Queries and Credit File Referrals.

Help! Can anyone advise on what I can do to get this default off my credit report?!

Many thanks in advance...

Mark

pipsi_2

Contact O2, it sounds as if it could possibly be someone who has stolen your identity to set up a mobile contract or perhaps a system error somewhere. Have you tried looking up the business that it lists? If it's a Ltd company it should be fairly easy to track down. Have you tried ringing the number on the bills to find out if someone is actually using it? Presumably though at this stage it will have been disconnected.

A while ago i had contact from some company claiming to have been passed a debt that i 'owed' O2, i used to have an O2 contract but my bills were only in the region of £20 per month and i received a 'final bill' when i closed my account, the amount was collected by DD. The figure they came to me with was around £400 if memory serves. I clearly didn't owe the money and O2 confirmed this when i called them, unfortunately there was a lack of communication between O2 and the DCA, apparently records are only updated once a month even if there is an error. Despite being told categorically by O2 that i didn't owe them anything, the DCA still insisted that O2 told them i owed the money. Whenever they called i would refuse to give any personal information but in one phone call managed to wangle a bit of info out of the person on the phone who gave an incorrect DOB for me, i think it was the right year but the wrong day and month. After a few nasty phone calls during which i gave as much as i got, they gave up. Nothing shows on my credit file so i'm assuming O2 eventually told the DCA that i didn't owe them anything and an error had obviously occurred. Never a got an apology for the inconvenience or a refund for the cost of the calls i had to make.

markwu

Thanks Pipsi, I'll contact O2 on Monday (or try tomorrow even). I do hope that they'll see it as an error on their part - its not that nice thinking about the amount they're claiming I owe!

The thing is, the previous "unknown" bills and debt letters only list my personal name, not my business name or any other. It didn't even have any mobile on there. I'm assuming the DCA don't have my mobile number since they haven't called at all in the last half year its been going on.

Did your credit file initially show the debt at all?

My first concern is having to deal with all this months after the debt supposedly happened...

pipsi_2

I only recently ordered my credit reports from Experian and Equifax, before that i ordered an Experian report a few years ago but that was before it all happened. Nothing is showing now, not sure if it was on there at the time, either way if it was they have since removed it. It's worth noting that neither of my reports show one or two debts that i have, yet both show something for a current account i have that doesn't and never has had an overdraft, no harm there though as it just shows as a zero balance and lots of 0 months which indicate an on time payment, so i guess that can only be a positive thing.

Hannah_10

In your shoes I'd suspect fraud and I'd be copying the same letter outlining the facts to all three credit reference agencies and O2 as an opener while I work out what else to do next.

markwu

Thanks Hannah, that sounds like a good idea. I'm going to speak to O2 first to see what they say and if I can get any facts out of them.

On my credit file, the contact details for this default are for 2 departments: Fraud Queries and Non-Fraud Queries. Do you think there's any mileage in this, or does it sound like standard contact details for defaults on a credit file?

Thanks!

pipsi_2

Probably just standard, but i'm no expert. If you suspect fraud then i would write tot he Fraud Queries department if you follow Hannah's advice, which i also think is a good idea!

markwu

Ok, I've spoken to O2 and it turns out the reference number is for a Personal account rather than a business account (which I do have with O2, though I suspect not for long).

So it appears a Personal account has been set up in my name although I can't get any details about it since its not my account and I won't be able to answer any security questions to get access to it.

The operator I spoke to said that as far as O2 are concerned, for now it looks like I'm a personal customer who won't pay his bill. He added notes / sent a message to the Fraud department, that I've called and said that I have nothing to do with this, and that I'll get a call back within 5 working days.

Of note, as I spoke to the operator, he did declare that it was easy to set up an account in someone else's name and that they get alot of calls like mine...

I'll keep this thread posted...

pepe2008

...and Credit Solutions are not exactly the most ethical. They are behind a lot of those 'press 2 for a message' phone calls that so many of us receive.

DarkConvict

It maybe worth getting a CIFAS preventive flag setup on your credit file, just google CIFAS.

Its an old account however they may still have your details.

02 will deal wit the fraud but may ask you lots of questions/ send letters to your address.
Since fraud has taken place, it maybe worth contacting the police purely for a crime reference number, even though they will not get involved it shows you are taking it seriously.

markwu

Hi all,

So since my previous post about my situation, here's an update. I never got a call back from O2 and after 8 working days, I called them back (today).

Turns out the first communication from O2's "Consumer" department to the "Fraud" department was rejected since the operator I spoke to didn't fill out the form correctly.

This time, the operator told me that the Fraud dept rejected the communication on the same day it was filed (so they processed it quickly). Another form was filled out and the operator then went through the questions asked on the form with me, to make sure it was done correctly. The questions required my date of birth and mother's maiden name, so you might guess that I was uneasy about giving this info again, particularly in relation to this O2 account that has been opened in my name. However, the operator ensured me that the details were only used in the report to the Fraud department.

So, I'm now back where I was, waiting for O2's Fraud department to get back to me (within 48 hours)...

Meanwhile, the operator suggested I get a crime reference number, so I've also made an initial call to report the "incident" and now await a police officer to call back (within 72 hours) to discuss in more detail before I get the reference number.

Only other things to mention is that it seems the account opened in my name was opened online with an email address I don't recognise and they also knew my correct date of birth. That last bit is worrying for me, as its one of the pieces of personal information I'm careful not to give out. It's never on any pieces of post that I throw aware (shredded) so it makes me think my details were lifted from somewhere on which my dob is compulsory (i.e. a service contract somewhere).

Again, will keep this thread posted.