Help needed re: fake loan applications

miss_sweden

I'm hoping someone can offer me some advice. It would appear that someone has been making loan enquiries and/or applications in my name and I don't know what to do about it.

This came to light this morning when I received a text message from a company telling me my loan had been provisionally approved but said that I needed to complete my application online or to give them a ring. I rang them and initially they said they must have sent the text to the wrong number by mistake. But when I pushed them and said how did I know that it wasn't someone actually making an application in my name the woman on the phone asked for my name and then confirmed that the application linked to my mobile number was indeed in my name! She said her company had got my details from another loan company and I should contact them. I visited their website, and couldn't find a phone number to contact them on, only an online form which I was reluctant to fill out as I didn't want to give them any more personal details, as I didn't know if it was a legitimate company or not. I also noticed on their website they say they don't give out your personal details to other companies for any reason!

Since then I've had 2 texts and 2 phonecalls from different companies regarding loan applications or enquiries I have allegedly made.

I have no idea who I should report this to. Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

Thanks.

patman99

You must report this to the Police as it is identity theft, and if you subsequently have loan companies chasing you for payments on loans you have not applied for, then you will be in a better position to defend yourself.
Also, the Police can use information from said loan companies to track bank accounts and catch the crooks responsible.

If you get any more texts, just reply 'Sorry, no longer interested in loan. Cancel application'. That should at least put a stop to one or two of the fraudulant applications going through.

What you really need to work-out is how they got your details in the first place.

Emmzi

have you applied for credit anywhere in the last 12 months?

Browntoa

you can go for protective registration

http://www.cifas.org.uk/pr_for_individuals

means all loan applications need your passowrd

miss_sweden

No, Emmzi, I haven't applied for credit anywhere in the past 2 years.

I've just taken your advice, patman99, and have reported it to the Police. Someone is going to come out and talk to me tonight about it. Hopefully I will get it sorted. When I spoke to the companies on the phone they did say they would cancel the applications they had and remove me from their lists.

Mowgli87

I have these all the time - It is actually a marketing scam by loan companies. They buy personal details in mass from other companies and then contact hundreds of people regarding 'your recent loan application' in the hope they hit someone who has actually applied for a loan recently.

JohnVolker75

:silenced: That is horrible and scary that this is happening to you, and its even worse to know that things like this go on more than you could even expect. You did the right thing by contacting the police, hopefully you will get things sorted out and they can trace where it is originating from. But this is a good lesson! (not pertaining to you, just in general)

DO NOT GIVE OUT ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION. . . ANYWHERE! words on websites saying, 'we will not share your information with...', BS!!!

there is no way you can fully trust anyone in front of you, never mind 'people' you don't even know exist. don't let it come down to the worse of the worse, your identity is unique to you, and you only!

Best of luck to you though, im sure things will work out well.

eddddy

It's great that you are being careful and taking the right precautions, but it may just be a childish prank that somebody is playing on you.

There are loads of loans websites where you type in your name, phone number and amount you want to borrow etc. The loan companies then call or send texts suggesting that you'll almost certainly get a loan, becuase they want to to persuade you to apply properly and pay a fee.

It could well be a 'friend' (or enemy) of yours who just thinks its funny that you will now get lots of annoying calls and texts from salespeople.

I'm sure these loan websites get hundreds of pranksters doing this.

If these were real attempts to fraudulently get loans, the fraudster would have probably given your name but with their phone number. It would make no sense for them to give your real phone number.

If this is correct, it's a very silly prank. Another variation is where overweight people gat calls from slimming products salespeople or gym clubs, because pranksters enter their details on websites etc.

But maybe it's best to be cautious, just in case.

hughes_jh

Mowgli87 wrote: »

I have these all the time - It is actually a marketing scam by loan companies. They buy personal details in mass from other companies and then contact hundreds of people regarding 'your recent loan application' in the hope they hit someone who has actually applied for a loan recently.

Agreed, I've had a few too. They also come in the form of "Further to your recent claim for personal injury..." or similar, again hoping to hit on someone who has applied to make a claim recently

geoffky

I had a loan and credit card claim company phone me this morning..the call was rather short because they put the phone down as soon as i told them i had never had a loan or credit card in my life...(true)..they would of then proceeded to steal off me and i would then come on here screeming about them trying to steal off me after i had stole off the credit card company....life is funny really.

drew2k9

they text you saying your loan has been approved to get you to ring them, then they ask you to confirm your name because they dont know what your name is then they use your name and number... and maybe even some people are unfortunate enough to give out bank details, theres a scam right there! shouldnt have phones back!