Possible ID theft??

seasonalbiz

I have just checked my Experian account and noticed there have been some addresses linked to me - which are unknown.

I have lived at the same address for past 10yrs, and have only lived at 4 addresses since birth... all those addresses are within 8miles of each other, and in East Anglia.

There have been 7 links to two addresses in the West Midlands in June/July of this year, all for the Shop Direct Finance Company Ltd.

Sounds fraudulent rather than a mistake as this company seems to supply credit to mail order catalogues, and I don't have any such credit.

There are no accounts showing with balances... just the linked addresses.

My first thought is to contact Shop Direct Finance and ask why they have me linked to these addresses...

However, I thought it worth seeing if anyone else has had a similar experience/situation.

Thanks.

Morrow1984

Never had this myself but you can contact each credit ref provider and tell them the address is nothing to do with you. I did this for an financial associate on my file (my mother) who i had never had any financial relationship with and it was resolved in about 5 days with Equafax.

I take it there are no accounts that link to these addresses? I had an associate search on my file from this company, so i assume my ex has applied for a catalog (we are still linked through a mortgage). :-/

National_Debtline

Hi SB

seasonalbiz wrote: »

I have just checked my Experian account and noticed there have been some addresses linked to me - which are unknown.

I have lived at the same address for past 10yrs, and have only lived at 4 addresses since birth... all those addresses are within 8miles of each other, and in East Anglia.

There have been 7 links to two addresses in the West Midlands in June/July of this year, all for the Shop Direct Finance Company Ltd.

Sounds fraudulent rather than a mistake as this company seems to supply credit to mail order catalogues, and I don't have any such credit.

There are no accounts showing with balances... just the linked addresses.

Thanks.

Definitely sounds suspicious. Is it possible that applications have been made from that address in the West Mids using your details?

Good point by Morrow above re: checking whether any ex-ptr could be involved? That said, their details would probably show under "financial associations" and as you haven't mentioned any, I assume this isn't an issue.

As Morrow says, get in touch with the credit ref agencies to put right any discrepancies. If you're wary of ID fraud, you may also want to add some extra security to your credit file. You could register your details with CIFAS who will (for a fee) ensure extra checks have to be made by anyone who gets a credit application from you. There's more useful info on all that in our fact sheet on credit ratings:

http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/england_wales/factsheet.php?page=05_credit_reference_agencies#chapter12

Regards

Dennis @NDL

seasonalbiz

I called them and some !!!!er has spent over a grand in my name in one of those pay monthly catalogues, back in the summer. I'm unsure as to why this is not showing with my other credit accounts on Experian... I guess they must take a while to update.

Now I have to get these addresses deleted before they start getting more credit at these fake addresses.

The account was opened at my actual address, then was quickly relocated 100miles away... I don't know why I didn't get any initial correspondence - which would of tipped me off immediately, not even one of those doorstop catalogues and a letter telling me to spend away!! dodgy postie perhaps :huh: