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Neighbour using my name!

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  • princeofpounds
    princeofpounds Posts: 10,396 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    You should also consider the services of CIFAS. This is a (not-for-profit) service association that you can sign up to that basically means there is tighter scrutiny of any credit applications in your name. You have to jump through more hoops if you apply for anything but is more secure.
  • Buttonmoons
    Buttonmoons Posts: 13,323 Forumite
    2 weeks ago I had the police banging at my door at 2am, looking for someone (that I had never heard of!) and then the next day I had social services and a child care protection woman at my door at 2pm, demanding to see some child and asking if I was hiding Mr XYZ in my bedroom! I was :eek: Turns out some woman on their books, has given my address as hers......

    I was not amused!! About wet myself when the social workers introduced themselves.
  • Dippypud
    Dippypud Posts: 1,927 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    We've had a group of Police on our doorstep, then 4 detectives...:eek:

    all because a scally moved into the area and gave our address to the Court, instead of the square that is behind us, where they moved to.

    I still get the odd letter addressed to his mother but at my number and road. :mad:
    C.R.A.P.R.O.L.L.Z # 40 spanner supervisor.
    No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thought.
    Only after the last tree has been cut down. Only after the last fish has been caught. Only after the last river has been poisoned. Only then will you realize that money cannot be eaten.
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  • pbny24
    pbny24 Posts: 107 Forumite
    Does anyone know if there can be any problems occuring with previous owners having something like their sky tv account still in their name but registered to our now address? We have our own sky account registered to our address but when we had to phone them they didn't see
    bothered when I told them the previous owner had moved?
  • Jinx
    Jinx Posts: 1,766 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
    Totally agree with checking all credit reports. I had my identity stolen when I moved house - only found out when I received a freebie watch in my mail redirection. The police will not be interested by the way if this has happened as you have not been defrauded but the companies have. I spent months unravelling this and the urge to go kick her head in was very strong..... (classy huh? lol)
    Light Bulb Moment - 11th Nov 2004 - Debt Free Day - 25th Mar 2011 :j
  • SuzieSue
    SuzieSue Posts: 4,109 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    Jinx wrote: »
    Totally agree with checking all credit reports. I had my identity stolen when I moved house - only found out when I received a freebie watch in my mail redirection. The police will not be interested by the way if this has happened as you have not been defrauded but the companies have. I spent months unravelling this and the urge to go kick her head in was very strong..... (classy huh? lol)

    I've been worried about this too. What I don't understand is that if someone applies for a credit card in your name, surely the company will write to you at your address so you should be able to stop it. So how do they manage to do it?
  • Tropez
    Tropez Posts: 3,696 Forumite
    SuzieSue wrote: »
    I've been worried about this too. What I don't understand is that if someone applies for a credit card in your name, surely the company will write to you at your address so you should be able to stop it. So how do they manage to do it?

    There's actually a surprising number of ways that they can do it, but I'm wary about actually listing them off here in case some would-be criminal comes across it.
  • Jinx
    Jinx Posts: 1,766 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
    Well in my case it was simple, I lived in rented accommodation for 5 years then moved. The person who moved into my 'old' house was the year above me at school so knew my name and age. She reinstated my phone number for that property and even made 'live' an account with Next I had never used. She had also visited the charity where I worked so knew my job title. She made up a birth date for me. Fortunately for me, when I moved house I moved jobs too and had proof that I bought my house - this made it much easier to prove fraud, but it still took months. I guess they just make out like you've moved..... Whatever you think, please do check credit files to have peace of mind :)
    Light Bulb Moment - 11th Nov 2004 - Debt Free Day - 25th Mar 2011 :j
  • DVardysShadow
    DVardysShadow Posts: 18,949 Forumite
    My take on this is that she was probably trying it out to see what would happen with something trivial, perhaps to see if she could use the technique for catalogue fraud. I think a warning shot across her bows and keeping evidence may be in order. I would suggest a solicitor's letter - but at about £200 it would be expensive - although it could be worht that much to stop your own name being trashed and to have something on record if later on it is discovered that things did take a serious turn.
    Hi, we’ve had to remove your signature. If you’re not sure why please read the forum rules or email the forum team if you’re still unsure - MSE ForumTeam
  • SuzieSue
    SuzieSue Posts: 4,109 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    Jinx wrote: »
    Well in my case it was simple, I lived in rented accommodation for 5 years then moved. The person who moved into my 'old' house was the year above me at school so knew my name and age. She reinstated my phone number for that property and even made 'live' an account with Next I had never used. She had also visited the charity where I worked so knew my job title. She made up a birth date for me. Fortunately for me, when I moved house I moved jobs too and had proof that I bought my house - this made it much easier to prove fraud, but it still took months. I guess they just make out like you've moved..... Whatever you think, please do check credit files to have peace of mind :)

    Thanks, but I think you said you had a re-direction in place, so didn't you receive any letters from Next or the telecoms company? Also, thanks for the tip, I will check my credit file at the weekend.
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