Rejected for a Loan that was never applied for

jasonwatkins

my 73 year old mum received a letter saying she had been rejected for a tesco loan but the problem is, she's never applied for one.

she's obviously extremely worried about this and has asked me to look in to it but, as you can imagine, the "wall" of data protection is getting me absolutely nowhere.

firstly i'm trying to find out what sort of security question they're likely to ask her so i can "prepare" her. and i fully understand how that sounds in light of a potentially fraudulent application, but it's not a case of "preparing" her to give fraudulent answers, just more so she knows what sort of questions they're going to ask her as she's not very good on the phone with people she doesn't know. if she knows they're going to ask her dob, phone number e.t.c.. then she can just be ready to give the information (if that makes sense )

i'm also trying to find out what's likely to happen after she gives the information and, as i suspect might be likely, it doesn't tally up with what's on the application.

Will Tesco fall back behind the data protection wall again or will they actually acknowledge that a fraudulent application has been made and take it further?

I know there's an application there because when i gave the first person i spoke to the application reference number, he brought up the account and was about to do the security check with me as i can, obviously, supply any and all information necessary about my mother.

the second person i spoke to advised me to report it to the police and get a crime number so they could then report it to their fraud department. while i'm quite willing and prepared to do this, it would obviously be handy first of all to maybe find out if it isn't just a clerical error or a computer glitch before getting the police involved.

does anyone know how likely it would be that tesco would let me deal with this situation if my mum gave her verbal consent ?. if that's possible then i can certainly try and arrange for my mum to be on the end of a phone for tesco to ring.

Thanks nice MSE people

AndyT678

jasonwatkins wrote: »

i'm also trying to find out what's likely to happen after she gives the information and, as i suspect might be likely, it doesn't tally up with what's on the application.
Will Tesco fall back behind the data protection wall again

I don't think that's a bad thing. If someone phoned my bank and gave incorrect security information (from their point of view) I would want my bank to stop talking to them.

jasonwatkins wrote: »

the second person i spoke to advised me to report it to the police and get a crime number so they could then report it to their fraud department.

So do that! What's the worst that could happen? Even if it is a clerical error, so what?

BunnieJ

When my 83 year old nan was having issues with her bank account (Santander) she asked me to help her call them. I called and explained the situation to them, and, once they had asked her all the usual security questions (D.O.B, address etc) she was asked if she gave permission for them to speak to me instead.

I know this is Tesco, but they may be willing to arrange something similar as this needs to get sorted ASAP, as it could be fraudulent activitity on her account.

As long as you explain everything and stay calm (don't let them get you worked up!) they will probably be willing to speak to you over the phone.

jasonwatkins

BunnieJ wrote: »

When my 83 year old nan was having issues with her bank account (Santander) she asked me to help her call them. I called and explained the situation to them, and, once they had asked her all the usual security questions (D.O.B, address etc) she was asked if she gave permission for them to speak to me instead.

I know this is Tesco, but they may be willing to arrange something similar as this needs to get sorted ASAP, as it could be fraudulent activitity on her account.

As long as you explain everything and stay calm (don't let them get you worked up!) they will probably be willing to speak to you over the phone.

Thanks for that.

She doesn't have any financial commitments with Tesco at all. She's very strong willed when it comes to any form of credit or borrowing money and would never even entertain the idea so this is why I do think it needs sorting.

I'll have to ring Tesco back and try and arrange a time that they can ring her - she lives in Kent and I live in Essex so it's not like i can just nip over there unfortunately.

AndyT678

jasonwatkins wrote: »

Thanks for that.

She doesn't have any financial commitments with Tesco at all. She's very strong willed when it comes to any form of credit or borrowing money and would never even entertain the idea so this is why I do think it needs sorting.

I'll have to ring Tesco back and try and arrange a time that they can ring her - she lives in Kent and I live in Essex so it's not like i can just nip over there unfortunately.

NO!

Bunnie's nan had an existing bank account so she could ring up and get through the security checks.

You have no idea what security info Tesco are holding so they won't talk to you.

Call the rozzers.

BunnieJ

AndyT678 wrote: »

NO!

Bunnie's nan had an existing bank account so she could ring up and get through the security checks.

You have no idea what security info Tesco are holding so they won't talk to you.

Call the rozzers.

I agree, you should definately get the police in on this.

Sorry, I misread this as your mum already had an account with Tesco and there was fraudulent activity on her account :embarasse

If you do contact Tesco and account has been set up using her personal details without her permission CALL THE POLICE!

Tixy

Probably be a good idea to get copies of mother's credit files. To check if there is a credit search from this loan and also to see if any other accounts have been set up without her knowledge (if this is identity fraud).

These can be ordered online if she has a debit or credit card which you could help her through the online application.

As well as all the usual ways to get a report you can get a free report from equifax currently (until 6 april) with a promo code.

If you do find applications in her name then contact action fraud and the police. You might also want to consider CIFAS protective registration which for a small annual fee will make it much harder for someone to get credit in her name.

jasonwatkins

Just wanted to pop back and say thanks for the responses. Mum got another letter regarding a loan application she never made from M&S this time, so we're getting the relevant authorities involved.

It's awkward, for want of a better word, because my mum's natural instinct is to basically bury her head in the sand and hope it goes away because she's never had any real dealings with the police before.

If I could possibly impose one more question though.

If i wrote a letter that basically gave me and my sister full consent to act on my mum's behalf and she signed it, would this actually be ok and would it mean that myself and my sister could then deal with the authorities on my mum's behalf ?

YorkshireBoy

You (she) may wish to consider protective registration?...


http://www.cifas.org.uk/pr

jasonwatkins

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

You (she) may wish to consider protective registration?...


http://www.cifas.org.uk/pr

I'll certainly look in to that as well, thanks.