MCO Capital loan

alan_se · 21 October 2010 at 5:50PM

Still can't see an obvious link - my wife and I had letters, and also a neighbour (but not his wife). Both families have unusual surnames though, but maybe that's just coincidence.

My guess is the applications were automated, using randomly selected names from the oh-so-public electoral database simply entered into the Helploan/Balanceloan website by computer. Maybe that triggers an automated Experian check too ? This might absolve MCO from the direct fraud, but doesn't excuse their lack of security, checking and follow-up when it all goes pear-shaped. Unless of course they meant to do it ... none the wiser then!

One other thing - I received an acknowledgement from the City of London Police/NFIB this morning, in response to my letter to them a week or so back, which outlined my experience since end July. Still nothing from MCO or IJ though.

geomacl · 21 October 2010 at 6:05PM

Alan_se. The last sentence sums up the HUGE mystery or missing link or whatever. Why have none of us ever heard a squeak from MCO or IJ?
It's long past time that we heard something definitive from AF or NFIB or CoLP!!!!
There's still no real indication as to where these bu**ers got our identities from - some of us have had a previous near miss via credit cards but that's about all - it may well be that the electoral role (ER) is the source of information for the fraudsters. These days. it's all too easy to gain access to that database and it should be kept private to councils - some councils seem to consider the ER as a potential source of income that they can sell on:mad:

piglets3_2 · 21 October 2010 at 6:16PM

If you type " find people " into search engine a number of these sites appear. There is an option to search for neighbours, & you don't have to be on electoral role.

grahamqat · 21 October 2010 at 6:36PM

Thanks for that Piglets3 - will try that later. There doesn't have to be a great connection between all victims as the MCO web-sites would have attracted many ID fraudsters with access to all sorts of data. I think the important thing is that the data was simplistic and probably consisted of name/address, occasionally DOB. This shouldn't be enough to have had your ID stolen although it is a good idea to be vigilant about this. The real ID fraud will occur to legit applicants that have filed for a loan on-line. All their details including bank account will now be in criminal hands. Only good thing is there cant be very many (£513 to repay £300?), and they probably dont have a lot to steal anyway.

geomacl · 21 October 2010 at 7:46PM

piglets3 wrote: »

If you type " find people " into search engine a number of these sites appear. There is an option to search for neighbours, & you don't have to be on electoral role.

Thanks piglet - scary, VERY SCARY!!! Better go off and get myself a G&T - that usually calms me down - albeit I've had to pour bigger and bigger ones <HIC>
Bloody hell - I've just typed "find people" into Google and found out more about myself than I already knew. This whole identity issue is a farce and MUST be brought under control through some sort of Data Protection system.
Now that I know who I really am, I'm treating myself to a second G&T!!!

Holbe · 21 October 2010 at 7:58PM

We eventually got round to signing up with Experian for their 30 day trial to check my husbands credit records and like many there had been 2 searches against my husband's records. We asked Experian to remove them and have received an acknowledgement. He received his 2nd letter from IJ yesterday. We have written to MCO and IJ, but only just sent the latter one on Monday.

Strangely the day the credit search was logged with Experian was the day after I had personally handed in an Annual Return (over the counter) to Companies House in Edinburgh with his details on the enclosed form since it would have been late if we had posted it. I remember there was only 1 person around at the time (office looked empty) and I also remember as I walked away hearing the envelope being ripped open.

Perhaps think now this was not a good idea.

grahamqat · 21 October 2010 at 10:25PM

Hi Holbe - that's interesting. Not quite the same but my tax return took 3 weeks to reach Revenue and Customs. I sent it recorded delivery and even now the tracker shows it as "undelivered". Strange you have just got a letter from IJ. This shows the authorities haven't bothered to take this crime seriously yet. Try phoning IJ; for what it's worth, I got through quick and was told the loan was already blocked. Still expect a third letter though. Geomacl - probably time for another G and T - the plot thickens!

geomacl · 21 October 2010 at 10:49PM

Holbe wrote: »

We eventually got round to signing up with Experian for their 30 day trial to check my husbands credit records and like many there had been 2 searches against my husband's records. We asked Experian to remove them and have received an acknowledgement. He received his 2nd letter from IJ yesterday. We have written to MCO and IJ, but only just sent the latter one on Monday.

Strangely the day the credit search was logged with Experian was the day after I had personally handed in an Annual Return (over the counter) to Companies House in Edinburgh with his details on the enclosed form since it would have been late if we had posted it. I remember there was only 1 person around at the time (office looked empty) and I also remember as I walked away hearing the envelope being ripped open.

Perhaps think now this was not a good idea.

Very suspicious Holbe! Nothing safe these days.
That said, I agree with grahamqat - I strongly recommend that you phone IJ on their 0844 576 5731 number and tell them that you have never applied for nor received a loan from MCO/Helploan - that should get you removed from their system?
grahamqat - neither do I understand why people are still receiving letters. We are told that this is a fraud and that NFIB, CoLP are fully involved - so why is it continuing?:mad:
Would those from these organisations undoubtedly monitoring this forum PLEASE EXPLAIN!!!

grahamqat · 21 October 2010 at 11:02PM

Dead right Geomacl. If this was a slightly different crime, let's say a gunman. The authorities wouldn't be "investigating" whether he had a gun licence or not, while he continued to shoot people. My guess is they would be focussed on stopping the shootings as a priority, looking at paperwork as a secondary function. Just think about recent events in the Lakes. The authorities in this case have achieved absolutely nothing to date. People are still being victimised, and no information for updating is available. If you do monitor this site, please do something to demonstrate you actually exist!