Potential identity fraud

DaisyTheDog

Firstly, I'm not sure if I've posted this in the most appropriate forum so apologies if it should be somewhere else.

Anyway, this is my problem. For the last couple of months I have been receiving mail to my home address (I am the owner of the property) for a recipient whom I know has never lived here. At first I returned this mail to sender and went on my way but the mail kept coming. After a while I opened a few bits of post and noted that the mail was from debt collection agencies. I called them and they told me they'd take the details off their system. But the mail kept coming which I then kept in a little bundle until it mounted up to about 20-30 pieces of post at which point I returned them all to sender with a message on the front to the effect of 'the addressee has never lived at this address, please stop sending mail'. Shortly after, the phone calls started - I don't know how they got my number! Over the last few weeks I've been getting 1-2 phone calls a day (from a company called C.A.R.F) asking for the addressee. Each time I explain the situation and each time I'm told the details will be taken off their register. This all came to a head this morning when I regrettably lost my cool when one of their agents called.

What can I do about this? I'm worried that someone is using my address details to take out credit and that this might have some implication on my own credit score. I'm also a bit concerned that I might get a visit from a debt collection agent - having been brought up on the likes of Boys From The Black Stuff I'm a bit paranoid that some burly chaps are going to force their way into my house and take off with my TV regardless of any protestations from myself - I know this is unlikely but never had any debt problems so I don't really know the lay of the land on this score!

Mainly, I want to know - how can I get the agencies who are writing to this address to finally acknowledge that the addressee is not a resident at this address and stop sending mail/phone calls? And finally, if there is an element of identity theft/fraud should I be reporting it to the police?

This is all very frustrating - I work from home and its starting to take up too much of my time: everytime I take a call it puts me on edge for an hour or so afterwards.

Advice would be most welcome.

Thank you in advance.

exarmydreamer

Hi :j

Didn't want to read and run, only bit of advice I can give is:

A. Contact the 3 Credit check agencies i.e Experian, (Can't remeber the others) and get a copy of your credit files. Get all 3 as some companies do not use all of them, check them through carefully and write to them if there is an error.

B. Do not let debt collectors into your house, talk to them if you must via an up stairs window and not at the door, better still ignore them. If they put one foot into your house, they can claim entry or will try too. they have probably got your info from the council tax registry (voting electoral role). Hope this helps, don't let it stress you out.

As an after thought, have you checked the postcode on the post, I get mail for the same street name but different postcode.

Tixy

Hi

Firstly even if someone is using your address for credit it would not affect your credit file or ability to get credit - people are not linked by (incorrect or correct) shared addresses, only by financial association - i.e only if they open a joint bank account or similar.

If debt collectors turn up they have absolutely no rights or power whatsoever - even if they turn up at the real debtors doorstop. All a debt collector can do is ask if the debtor would like to pay, and when asked to leave must legally do so.

The only people who have any right to take possession would be bailiffs - and that can open happen after a court has allowed bailiffs to be appointed (eg after CCJ or a court order).

Even then bailiffs cannot barge past you into your house. Especially as you are not even the person they want.



Have you lived at the property a long time? have the letters always come since you bought the house? or started more recently?

As its debt collectors writing to your address, not new account statements etc chances are this is debt someone has run up at a different address, and probably somehow the person's credit file has ended up with your address on it - it could be they did give it out to a creditor they were trying to evade, or it could be an incorrect link created by a debt collector. Is the name in anyway similar to yours? same surname?

shedhead55

Clearly this is a case of inaccurate personal data being held and in your position I would be inclined to complain to the ICO about the DCA's activities, particularly as they have failed to comply with your requests to correct the data.

DaisyTheDog

Thanks all! Good to know a little more about how DCAs behave so thats a bit of a weight off!

exarmydreamer - I've been here for 6 years and surnames are not similar! The family who were here before us were residents for about 20 years and there surname is not similar either. The thing that makes me think it may be some type of credit fraud is because the letters are not just from one agency but a number of sources (including one well known bank).Thanks for your advice!

shedhead55 - thats great! Didn't really know who to report this to so ICO a go, cheers!

DaisyTheDog

*apologies to Tixy, part of the above response was meant for you!