Linked address showing an account in arrears

DAC84

I've just ran an equifax credit report as I've received a fishing letter from a debt agency about an old bank account. The address that I lived at until June 2008 is showing the account as being in arrears, however as far as I can recall the accounts overdraft was cleared off and they've never communicated with me about this.

The account shows all green months up to June 2013 where it starts showing 1 missed per month up to 6 missed. I've not used this account since around 2006/07 so I'm really not sure why it suddenly shows a £500 balance.

I've also got a report printed out from 11/2010 showing the account as having no defaults and a current balance of £0.

I've read up online and it appears this debt would be statute barred due to no activity or communication so I'm a bit concerned about it becoming active in June 2013.

What shall I do?

Tixy

Hi

Is the entry on your credit file in the name of your old bank? or the name of a debt collector.

In the first instance I would write back to the debt collector with the prove it letter - Letter when you know nothing about about the debt - AKA "Prove it" letter

DAC84

Thanks Tixy. It's in the name of the bank, although it's now called TSB instead of Lloyds as on the 2010 print out I have.

I just don't understand how they can suddenly add a balance and default to my file for an account that's been dormant for years? As I say, my 2010 report print out shows the account as being £0 up to the end of 2010.

I'm planning on applying for a mortgage next year so I want to get this resolved.

JimmyTheWig

It may be fraudulent.
If post has been going to your old address and you haven't used the account there is a chance that some fraudsters have got control of the account.
If they've got your card and/or online banking details they could have taken money from the account leaving you overdrawn. Statements and letters may have gone to your old address, so you wouldn't have known about it.

DAC84

That's true, I didn't think of that. My only concern is if I contact them to discuss it and it gets pinned on me then I've reset the 6 year clock so I'm not sure of the best way to proceed?

Tixy

The letter in the link above specifically does not acknowledge any debt, so won't affect when the debt might become statute barred.

JimmyTheWig

DAC84 wrote: »

My only concern is if I contact them to discuss it and it gets pinned on me ...

I can't see how that could happen if you've got a statement showing zero and you haven't used the account since...

DAC84

I'll send that letter off to the debt company, thanks.

If it is fraudulent I obviously want to get that off my credit file so how do I go about that?

Thank you for your help

DAC84

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

I can't see how that could happen if you've got a statement showing zero and you haven't used the account since...

I say that because some other accounts show a balance of zero when there is money in there. I don't have a bank statement, I have my credit report printed out from 11/2010 that shows the balance and credit limit being zero.

I'm 99% sure that I paid off the outstanding overdraft back around 2007 and as I haven't heard anything from them, have a printed report, and stopped using that account I assumed it was all settled.

Tixy

DAC84 wrote: »

I'll send that letter off to the debt company, thanks.

If it is fraudulent I obviously want to get that off my credit file so how do I go about that?

If they produce evidence of the debt that leads you to believe someone has fraudulently used your account then you would need to contact the original creditor and report the fraudulent activity and ask them to investigate.

DAC84 wrote: »

I say that because some other accounts show a balance of zero when there is money in there. I don't have a bank statement, I have my credit report printed out from 11/2010 that shows the balance and credit limit being zero.

If you mean on your credit file - if a bank account has money in it then it won't show a balance for that month on your credit file, it only shows overdrawn balances

DAC84

Tixy wrote: »

...
If you mean on your credit file - if a bank account has money in it then it won't show a balance for that month on your credit file, it only shows overdrawn balances

That makes sense and tallies with what I thought i.e. the overdraft was paid off. I'll see what they come back with and go from there.

Thanks again, it's been a great help.