Identity Theft - Credit.

Alaram

Hi all, firstly my apologies if this is in the wrong section. I wasn't quite sure where it was best placed so please feel free to move if applicable.

Me and my partner moved in together six months ago and he vacated his old house. He found out two weeks ago from his old neighbour that parcels and items were being delivered to his old house with his name on (the neighbour had been handed two of them as the new occupant wasn't in) from catalogue companies.

My partner had never set up any such catalogue accounts so alarm bells rang, he visited his old home to get an explanation but got no answer but spoke to his old neighbour who clarified everything and handed him the items that had been given to him.

Lo and behold, two catalogue orders in his name. He immediately contacted the two famous catalogue companies who confirmed that said new occupant had placed orders up to £1500. New occupant had gone to the trouble of actually setting up accounts and placing orders!

To make things worse, the new occupant is an old school friend of my partners who had been on holiday together and kept vaguely in touch - he knows his date of birth as result and how long approximately he’d lived in his own home. My partner even helped him to move into his old home. Unbelievable hey? My partner had sent him a facebook message before everything had spilled out and his 'friend' replied saying he had an account with these catalogues but had transferred the details to the new address. Not quite correct as has now been found out!

After reporting it to the catalogue companies in question, they have said that they will ask for proof of signatures and receipts for these items as they are claiming that they have all been purchased by family members as housewarming gifts. Just seems strange that it’s all household items that have been ordered and their house is now replenished with new household items....Further to that, they are claiming that a decorator did some work on their property within the first couple of weeks of moving in and it could only be them....Even though a decorator wouldn’t know such personal information....

Fridge Freezer, cooker, tshirts etc.....all ordered under someone else's name and details!

Now, my partner has contacted Experian to get a credit report and found their otherwise clean credit report has been downgraded to ‘fair’ – it was excellent. This is because said person has made attempts to sign up with other catalogue companies within the last few weeks using these details. However, they’ve used THEIR email address as their email address contact. Coincidental hey? They have also seemingly tried to sign up to a mobile phone contract too as one of the searches is with ‘Everything Everywhere’. There are around 10 credit searches now on his report and it’s ruined it. To be fair, a CIFAS note is on the account effectively blacklisting but because the searches are still taking place, it’s just dragging their credit rating down.

I just find it all so unfair and from what I read, nothing will happen to this other person anyway. The police won’t touch it, it seems like the companies will just put it down to a bad job and the person concerned will be able to stay in their new home with said luxury items. My partner has this hanging over their head, their credit rating is now nowhere near as good as it was and it’s costing them a small fortune contacting all of these companies to try and get information on what has actually been applied for or attempted to be applied for.

:mad:

Experian_company_representative

Sorry to hear this. 'Previous address' fraud still accounts for about a third of frauds reported to Experian. If you get back in touch and ask to speak to our Victims of Fraud team we will help you remove the fraudulent entries from your credit report by contacting all of the lenders involved. We can also help you add security features to your credit report if necessary.

The CIFAS marker does not affect credit scoring, it is just likely to slow down any genuine credit application you make while the lender conducts extra checks.

James Jones

MentalMinnie

Have you called the police? I would!

Alaram

Thanks, he will get back in touch with Experian today to hopefully begin to clear these searches.

He has since found an additional three searches on the account and found out that another mobile phone contract was taken out in his name too. This begs the question of whose bank details were provided for the direct debit and I would have thought....would be firm evidence of who had done this for prosecution?

The police have been contacted but don't want to know unless the 'providers' complain - will they is the question? This is now becoming multiple cases of fraud rather than an opportunistic chance with one catalogue company....I really do think they'll get away with it