Possible fraud - so worried

DVardysShadow

rachel4331 wrote: »

... As for my step-sister, I am beginning to question the same, was she really who she says she was. I don't have much info on her and she lived abroad or a long time so have no previous address details for her.

Did you find her or did she find you? This makes a big difference as to what the problem might be.

rachel4331

She found me, after I tried several years prior. I didn't know from my father (he only came into my life a few years ago,) until then that I had an extended family.

MrsSmith93

Posts on the other thread edited today. Something strange going on here?

RAS

rachel4331 wrote: »

I'm new to this site and maybe if I'm on the wrong forum, someone can direct me!

To cut a very long story short, a few years ago I found out I had a step sister and about 4 years ago, she came to live with me and my hubby for a while. She is now 38. I knew she was using our address for credit etc and at the time, I was fine with this, plus me and my hubby thought it would be a permanent arrangement, which we were happy about and she was paying board.

Anyway, in August, there was a huge family row and my step sister up and left and I haven't heard from her since. (It has happened before too, about 18 months ago but she came back and we reconcilled.) Now things have come to light and it seems she has left a huge trail of debt. Blinded by family loyalities, I did allow her initally to use my bank cards to pay for things on the internet (she gave me the cash in return.) and didn't think anything of it whilst she was setting herself up credit wise. Please think of me as you will but I really didn't see anything wrong with this.

Letters have been coming in for my step sister since she left and I have been writing a note on them, and posting them back in the post, unopened. I have advised too any telephone calls we have been getting. Anyway, one letter came today all official looking and I opened it. It was from Simply Be for £147.00. The same company has been calling our landline and threatening both me and dh with the police.

Anyway, I called them today (not really the right thing to do,) and they put me through to their Fraud Dept. They believe I am acting as my step sister as the account has many similarities, including the password (it seems we have both used our fathers surname.) and bank card (which I allowed her to use in the early days.) They also claim my step sister is not real as there is no one with that dob existing (!!!!!!?) I have accounts with them which I have never had a problem with and they have closed them too today. They are also reporting the whole thing to the police and are sending me a letter detailing their next move.

I am absolutely gutted, distraught and very, very worried. Whatever next. My hubby is going to go mental and I don't want to get family involved at this stage. I have no forwarding contacting details for her and my father hasn't heard off my step sister either.

What can I do, I just feel like paying it off but I fear the worst is yet to come.

Please, I need some advice or maybe other internet sites which may be of help. thanx for getting this far. I really can't cope with this at the moment and just don't know what to do next. Is it worth me getting in touch with the police?

OK but please understand that if the police get involved you have to tell them the truth and to have evidence to back this up.

If she lived abroad, either she has a UK passport, which the passport office can confirm or she came in on a visa, which the Home Office can verify and in each case they can put a marker so her next move in or out of the country flags her up.

Also remember that small scale fraud is unlikely to lead to a custodial sentence; attempting to pervert the course of justice, making false representations to obtain pecuniary advantage and conspiracy (anything that involved your dad or husband verifying facts) are all likely to lead to trouble, as a number of ex MPs found out.

Think also about the benefits situation; were you in receipt of any benefits when she lived with you? Was she working? Was she registered unemployed? Did you declare her residence/income to the BA?

Irrespective of what happens re the police, you should expect Simply Be to put a fraud marker on your credit record. This will prevent you getting any more credit and may lead to existing accounts being closed.

RAS

MrsSmith93 wrote: »

Posts on the other thread edited today. Something strange going on here?

Pity as the next thing I was going to do was copy the text across.

RAS

And a bit of background 24-06-2009, 11:39 AM

rachel4331 wrote: »

Hi CCCS cousellors,

I found out last night that my husband of 8 years has run up £7,500 worth of debt in another persons name all conected tho to our home address.

It has come to light now cos he faces loses his job (very high possibility) through redundancy on Friday and will therefore not be able to maintain the minimum monthly payments until he finds other work atleast.??

To say I am angry, upset, and very frightened is an understatement but after a sleepless night, I am going to stand by him and try and help. I also don't understand how he has gotten away with it, from the credit card companies point of view?

My question is tho, where do we go from here. A so-called friend is just telling him to ignore the debts cos it isn't in his name anyway? DH is also frightened to get CAB or any other debt organisation involved cos they will go to the police?

We have two young children and we are already just keeping our heads about water money wise but now this, it will tip us over the edge.

You have kindly helped us with our own debts in the past and so we need some advice of how to sort this mess.

Please help me.

Rachel

RAS

No reference to the step-sister in any of her other posts; just up to 60K of debt.

RAS

rachel4331 wrote: »

Hi, that with dh was a total misunderstanding and blown out of all proportion. its all sorted now and as for our other debts, we are nearly cleared with the help of family. Its absolutely nothing to do with what I am going through now and am not asking to be judged on that. If people feel that they cannot help me on this post, I totally understand.

As for my step-sister, I am beginning to question the same, was she really who she says she was. I don't have much info on her and she lived abroad or a long time so have no previous address details for her.

Just to keep this safe as well.

RAS

rachel4331 wrote: »

She found me, after I tried several years prior. I didn't know from my father (he only came into my life a few years ago,) until then that I had an extended family.

And another one.

rachel4331

Sorry for thinking this forum was for advice. I obviously know now this was the wrong thing to do and now feel a million times worse than I did thinking I was asking for advice a couple of hours ago. I am not here to be judged, like many that post on here and not one of you has any idea about my life.

Thanx for those genuine posters and the advice. Shame some of you have so much free time to search through old posts, judge people and delve into their histories..