Identity Fraud Victim

confused77_2

Hi All,

Hope someone can help me here as i have looked everywhere for an answer but nobody is helping me.

So I have just found out that i have been a victim of identity fraud by one of my family members. They have owned up that it is them who done it and are willing to take the debt on their name. However, i dont know how do i go about doing all of this. Firstly, i am willing to make a police complaint but i dont want to see my mother being arrested. Secondly, when they took the credit out in my name (without my knowledge/permiasion) they have used one of my bank cards to make the payment. I know i should have checked this but i do not use this card at all and failed to close the bank account, hence this went unnoticed.

Can you please let me know what my options are because i want this debt removed from my name as it is affecting my credit score.

Thanks in advance.

Tixy

Hi

You will need to write to the creditors as a starting point to say these accounts were fraudulently opened by a family member.

Have you got copies of your credit files? presumably your family member has missed payments/defaulted on the debts?

If you report the fraud to the police and obtain a crime number it is likely to help you with the creditors. However whether they take it further action against your mother will not be under your control.

confused77_2

Tixy wrote: »

Hi

You will need to write to the creditors as a starting point to say these accounts were fraudulently opened by a family member.

Have you got copies of your credit files? presumably your family member has missed payments/defaulted on the debts?

If you report the fraud to the police and obtain a crime number it is likely to help you with the creditors. However whether they take it further action against your mother will not be under your control.

Ok i can do that but your last point is what makes me feel bad about the whole situation to see her end up in jail. Is there anyway i could ask her to write an agreement showing she can take over the debt?

Brock_and_Roll

confused77 wrote: »

Ok i can do that but your last point is what makes me feel bad about the whole situation to see her end up in jail. Is there anyway i could ask her to write an agreement showing she can take over the debt?

No chance. From a lenders perspective, why should they let a good honest credit risk (i.e. yourself) go and replace it with a dishonest and presumably bad credit risk.

The only way you will be rid of this is to report it as advised. However, very, very unlikely that mum will go to jail for such an offence unless lots of previous convictions. Sentencing guidelines indicate a fine up to a community order at the very most.....and that is if the lender decides to press for a conviction which is by no means certain.

Nasqueron

Confused - if your mother committed fraud then she needs to face the consequences. If you are suggesting that, but are unwilling to proceed in the normal way (i.e. you would report to the police/Action Fraud were it not a family member) it may raise suspicions that you are just trying to get out of paying (not saying you are please note, just how it looks like to an independent) without anyone facing consequence.

Also please note your "credit score" is completely meaningless, it's a number generated by people who don't lend you money so who cares how they "rate" you? If you are paying for something with Experian/Equifax/Noddle then cancel it immediately and save yourself some cash. The data on the file is the only important thing.

confused77_2

Thanks for your replies guys. I am still in the Dilemma of whether to report her or not. However, she has now asked for help and some family members are helping her get the money for me to phone up the company and pay them as myself. Do you think this is a good idea? if so, how long will this default stay in my credit file?

meer53

I don't think it's a good idea as by doing this, you're acknowledging the default and the debt as yours.

The default will stay on for 6 years.

Experian_company_representative

Hi Confused77,

If you contact the credit reference agencies that you have got your report with, they would be able to query any late payments/defaults with the companies that have recorded them on your report.

However, the companies would be likely to ask for some evidence of fraud before they would make an amendment.

Whatever action you decide to take you would still be able to add a notice of correction to your report to explain that a third party opened or used the accounts without your knowledge. You can find more information about adding notices of correction here.

You can also add a password request to your report to help reduce the chance of ID fraud in the future.

Kind Regards
Neil