Vehicle Registration Fraud

no1catman

Interested to hear if anyone else as come across this - it seems someone has registered a vehicle at my address!
Wouldn't have known about it, except the Police came knocking asking for the other person (he doesn't live at the address).

Anybody heard of this please, what was the result, any other consequences to be wary about.

Iceweasel

This is very strange.

Surely the V5C vehicle registration papers would have to have been sent to your address from DVLA Swansea?

forgotmyname

As above if someone registered a vehicle at your address you should have got the log book and any tax reminders.

Someone gave your address, Or they knocked on the wrong door.

Jack_Regan

Iceweasel wrote: »

This is very strange.

Surely the V5C vehicle registration papers would have to have been sent to your address from DVLA Swansea?

They would unless the post was diverted.

no1catman

We did get a 'brown envelope' addressed to the other person, but no indication (as far as I can recall) on the envelope as to who it was from!
We just marked it 'not known at this address' and put it back in the post box - that was a few months ago.

vikingaero

no1catman wrote: »

We did get a 'brown envelope' addressed to the other person, but no indication (as far as I can recall) on the envelope as to who it was from!
We just marked it 'not known at this address' and put it back in the post box - that was a few months ago.

Next time open ALL mail that is delivered to your address that has your correct address on but incorrect addressee. It's better to take action at an early stage.

Strider590

Iceweasel wrote: »

This is very strange.

It's not strange at all, there are illegal mini cab businesses up and down the country, with all their cars registered to some poor sod 200 miles away.

It's why the Police have such trouble chasing down uninsured vehicles in places like Bradford. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bradford/7247429.stm

It's this whole business of people using alias names, paying for everything in cash and living as virtual ghosts.

So when you say it's strange, it's actually a lot more common than you think.

The DVLA do make mistakes, but the Police should be informed if you suspect a vehicle is registered to your address.

hollie.weimeraner

vikingaero wrote: »

Next time open ALL mail that is delivered to your address that has your correct address on but incorrect addressee. It's better to take action at an early stage.

It is illegal to open someone elses mail irrespective of the address it is sent to.

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/nireland/consumer_ni/consumer_post_e/consumer_problems_with_post_e/consumer_problems_with_post_delivery_e/youre_receiving_someone_elses_mail.htm

EdGasket

Well whatever the legal status I recommend you do open all post sent to your address. After receiving several letters addressed to a fictitious person at my address, I eventually opened one to find out that debt collectors were about to be sent round to my address for unpaid mobile phone bills. I managed to sort this out just in the nick of time but if I had not opened the mail addressed to this other person, I would not have been aware that someone was fraudulently using my address.

Strider590

EdGasket wrote: »

Well whatever the legal status I recommend you do open all post sent to your address. After receiving several letters addressed to a fictitious person at my address, I eventually opened one to find out that debt collectors were about to be sent round to my address for unpaid mobile phone bills. I managed to sort this out just in the nick of time but if I had not opened the mail addressed to this other person, I would not have been aware that someone was fraudulently using my address.

I was getting such letters addressed to someone who lived at my address 11 years before I bought it (I did some searching on the guys name). The first 3 I sent back, the next few I looked up the company of the back of the envelope, turned out to be a debt collecting agency, the final letter was a threat to take my property. The letters all contain a "if you are not the person addressed, please call this number" (which was of course premium rate and I didn't call).

It might be the same in your case, maybe the person did live there once upon a time.

Tiddlywinks

hollie.weimeraner wrote: »

It is illegal to open someone elses mail irrespective of the address it is sent to.

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/nireland/consumer_ni/consumer_post_e/consumer_problems_with_post_e/consumer_problems_with_post_delivery_e/youre_receiving_someone_elses_mail.htm

Actually it's not quite as simple as that...

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/26/section/84

As ever, you need to look at the actual legislation.