How did they get this address?

CaseyJay_2

probably nothing to worry about but...

I used to live with my parents and when I moved I updated my address with Lloyds. Since then I have been dealing with them and a DCA and have received mail at my new address. The DCA however have since messed up and merged my two addresses together - new one is the first three lines on top of the old one and I guess some mail is not getting through.

My parents moved 6 months ago and this week they received a letter addressed to me at their new address from a 'Data Verification Services' company or similar indicating that I now live there. Interestingly it is worded as if they expect someone other than the recipient to read it - along the lines of 'if you have any reason why this person would be associated with your address, or know where they are....' So much for data protection and privacy?

As far as I know my parents have no contact with this company but I am just keen to know how the DCA (I guess that's who it is) have got their new address and are they allowed to just write to them as they see fit?

Any clues?

thanks..

RedTulip

You may have been considered a gone away by the company. Dca's use the info provided by your creditors to the credit reference agencies to 'trace' you. If you lived with your parents and were on the electoral role they could gave traced you from this. All the dca will do is put a trace on your name and a hit will have come back against your parents/address.

CaseyJay_2

RedTulip wrote: »

..and were on the electoral...

- ok thanks, but have not been on the electoral for 10 years, does that make a difference? Just want to make sure they're playing above board on this one as my mother frets about this sort of thing....ta

RedTulip

Possibly.. it is just one thing they can trace you on, you have to remember the credit ref agencies hold all sorts of info on you... searches, linked addresses etc

The software used by the DCA to trace people can carry out an address linking or matching process. This allows the companies to view old address that are matched or linked to new addresses by name association or family members.

So in answer to your question re them playing above board, the short answer is yes... they are only trying to find you.

I'd write to them confirming your correct address and explaining you have never lived at your parents new address and ask them to remove the address from their files. That should hopefully stop anything going to your parent address and ease your mum's worries. Just to be sure I'd ask them to confirm in writing back to you that they got your letter and have updated their records accordingly.

Hope that helps, and good luck.

RT