Advice please - Identity Theft

HelenS00

I received a letter today from V12 Personal Finance saying that the payment of my most recent contractual instalment has not been paid I a default charge has been added to my account.

I have never heard of V12 Finance and certainly have not had any previous correspondence with them. I phoned their collections department who said that I had taken out a credit agreement with AO.com on 10/11/14 and had appliances delivered which obviously now needed to be paid for. I explained that this was obviously fraud as I hadn't bought anything from AO in over 2 years and never anything on credit from them. They said that they would refer it to their fraud department and I should wait to hear from them.

I checked my credit file and on 10/11/14 Call Credit shows a search by V12. I don't know what to do now. I am very annoyed at the fact that AO had obviously set up a credit account and then deliver to a different address. I am also worried that V12 will not just take my word that I haven't received whatever was ordered and I will be liable. I am always careful about cross shredding anything that shows my name and address and careful about most things with regards frauds and I am at my wits end as to how my details are being used. I also had a credit card cloned back in August. Help please I don't know what to do next.

Marktheshark

First point, if they have allowed someone else to defraud them then they are the victim of the fraud and not you.
Keep this in mind at all times, this is the standard police advice as well.
Do not agree to anything , insist they are victims, you have no contract with them nor wish to have one and do not give them any copies of signatures.
Send standard prove it letters in response to any threats .

forgotmyname

Who has access to your cards and personal data to know you had an AO account also?

Tixy

I would follow up your phonecall with a letter in reply to the letter you have received to state that you have no knowledge of the alleged debt and that you have not taken out a credit agreement or ordered/received any goods from AO.

You may be interested in looking in to CIFAS protective registration which costs I think £14 for a year, which makes it harder for anyone to take out credit in your name.