Worried about a fraudulent credit card application

Twoyearplan

Hi,

I have just received a letter from the Post Office rejecting my applicaton for a credit card. My worry is that I haven't applied for a Post Office credit card ever. It does have my correct name and address on it.

Has anyone experienced anything similar. Should I be worried I wonder?

Thanks

bengalknights

I would suggest checking your credit files with equifax/experian as you maybe a victim of id fraud.

intranicity

Yes you should be worried if you haven't applied...

Might be a good idea to get your credit files from the CRA's and check if anything else is happening, at least they are using your address at the moment!

Twoyearplan

I've just checked my credit report and sure enough the Post Office checked my file on friday. Some details are wrong so it is obviously someone trying to apply with my name. I've also noticed that I have two linked addresses (for years) that I have absolutely no knowledge of.

intranicity

I think you need to get onto the CRA's straight away, let them know whats going on, and I would personally let my bank know as well. I know experian will help to sort these issues for a fee, no doubt there are ways of doing it for free too, maybe the CAB?

Looks like you have some issues to sort out, hopefully you've caught it in time

skybluesaver

I would also suggest that as well as contacting the credit reference agencies, i would also contact the Post Office credit card to advise them as well.
I had a similar thing happen here with a declined MBNA application. The address was spot on but they used a different name that i had never heard of. I called MBNA to advise them & they said not to worry as it had failed immediately as there was alot of discrepancies with the application.

coolesticeking

Think it might be an idea to also register for CIFAS Protection..

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

James

You might want to consider embracing the system in the link below. It costs nothing to enroll into and deters anyone from applying for future accounts using your details.

Click here.

Adams1

Oh my god... Even though it wasn't in any of our names, we just recived a letter from the post office stating our claim for a credit card has been turned down or something like that. I didn't think anything of it really.

What do we do now? (sorry to hijack the thread.)

bengalknights

Adams1 wrote: »

Oh my god... Even though it wasn't in any of our names, we just recived a letter from the post office stating our claim for a credit card has been turned down or something like that. I didn't think anything of it really.

What do we do now? (sorry to hijack the thread.)

If its not in your name, have you just moved in? If not it could be just someone putting down the wrong address on the form.Best thing to do would be return to sender.

VictimOfImpersonation

bengalknights wrote: »

If its not in your name, have you just moved in? If not it could be just someone putting down the wrong address on the form.Best thing to do would be return to sender.

No this is probably because either your postbox is vulnerable to having the post removed or there is someone bent at Royal Mail (probably the former - I have seen it happening). There are at least two types of account takeover fraud involving interception at your address of new cards in the post:

1. Simply intercepting enough of your post to impersonate you with a new application and then to revisit the same postbox to collect the new cards when they arrive or by reporting your existing cards lost and stolen so replacements are triggered (often with new PINs or PIN reminders)
2. Having managed to impersonate some other unfortunate elsewhere the fraudsters may see your postbox as an easier touch for multiple "collections" so will change the address on the strangers account so all new cards/correspondence comes to your address (naturally with a name you don't recognise but an address you do).

If it is one of the latter i.e. your address but a stranger's name, unless you really have only just moved in, do not simply return to sender. If you recognise it as credit card correspondence e.g. an MBNA or Barclaycard bill or even a card then I say open it (this is in theory perhaps unlawful but actually you will be doing everyone a favour) and telephone the card issuer involved immediately and explain what you think may be happening.

When I was targeted both the above types of takeover occurred using my postbox. I managed to notice and lock down my own accounts within a week but a month later I received two statements at my exact address in strangers names. I called both companies and in both cases it was the first notification to them that a fraud had occurred.

The fact that my address had already been tagged at CIFAS seemed to have made no difference. It was my own eagle detective work that stopped the second stream of fraud in its tracks.


Rest assured it is an enormous problem in the UK still being brushed under the carpet by government and is largely responsible for the extortionate rates of interest people have to pay if they do not pay their balances on credit cards in full each month.

If it hasn't happened to you yet, you cannot possibly imagine how much inconvenience it causes. If you haven't seen it happening then you would not believe how brazenly the "collectors" rifle through banks of postboxes at blocks of flats for example after the postman has been and while you are still at work.