Help with 1st credit

Blue25

Hi everyone, I am new and thought I'd seek help here as I've been panicking since yesterday evening.

So, here's what happened:
More than one year ago, when I used to live with my ex-partner, he made some purchases on line using my name and without telling me or asking my permission. The bill was around £350.

In July 2015, I get a letter from the company where he made the purchase, saying that I had an outstanding balance for the mentioned sum. I was like, really? Who are you?
When I confronted my ex boyfriend, he made up some excuses and said he would pay it off.Of course he never did, so around December 2015 I started to receive letters from Lowell (another debt collection company), stating they had bought the debt and that I should deal with them. They were asking around £500.

After that, I managed to make my ex partner call them and admit the debt was his own since he had just used my full name. Of course, they said that I was still accountable for it myself. I also emailed the Consumer GAA (Citizen Advice), asking where I stood: they said that the right course of action was reporting my partner for identity theft; while they could not advise me on that regard, they would provide Trading Standards with all the information I had supplied.
Then, magically, from January 2016, I did not hear from Lowell any longer, so I have stupidly assumed that the matter was over, that a couple of emails and phone calls had sorted everything.

Fast forward to yesterday evening.
I have obviously split up with the delinquent and now I live in a shared house. I came home last night and to my horror I found a letter from 1st Credit. It was just the standard letter where they need me to confirm that I am the person they are searching and they need to speak to me regarding to a "personal matter".
Thanks to past experience with the delinquent, I know it is best not to aknowledge them. However, I am freaking out, been unable to sleep or eat all day. I went to the CAB and they told me to go back in one week for free drop in advice.
My worst fear is that my landlady, who lives most of the year abroad and keeps me in high regard, will know something about the matter and decide to give me the eviction.

What's the best thing to do? What can they actually do? Shall I inform the landlady, is my situation going to affect the household?

Christmas is coming up and really going back to my country with these thoughts on mind is not the best.
To this date, I still don't know what the delinquent has bought in my name.
Sorry for writing a novel, as it is obvious I deal very bad with anxiety and it takes much less than this to make me panic.
If anyone can advise, suggest, tell a word of relief I will be most grateful! Thanks!!!!

Guest101

Blue25 wrote: »

Hi everyone, I am new and thought I'd seek help here as I've been panicking since yesterday evening.

So, here's what happened:
More than one year ago, when I used to live with my ex-partner, he made some purchases on line using my name and without telling me or asking my permission. The bill was around £350.

In July 2015, I get a letter from the company where he made the purchase, saying that I had an outstanding balance for the mentioned sum. I was like, really? Who are you?
When I confronted my ex boyfriend, he made up some excuses and said he would pay it off.Of course he never did, so around December 2015 I started to receive letters from Lowell (another debt collection company), stating they had bought the debt and that I should deal with them. They were asking around £500.

After that, I managed to make my ex partner call them and admit the debt was his own since he had just used my full name. Of course, they said that I was still accountable for it myself. I also emailed the Consumer GAA (Citizen Advice), asking where I stood: they said that the right course of action was reporting my partner for identity theft; while they could not advise me on that regard, they would provide Trading Standards with all the information I had supplied.
Then, magically, from January 2016, I did not hear from Lowell any longer, so I have stupidly assumed that the matter was over, that a couple of emails and phone calls had sorted everything.

Fast forward to yesterday evening.
I have obviously split up with the delinquent and now I live in a shared house. I came home last night and to my horror I found a letter from 1st Credit. It was just the standard letter where they need me to confirm that I am the person they are searching and they need to speak to me regarding to a "personal matter".
Thanks to past experience with the delinquent, I know it is best not to aknowledge them. However, I am freaking out, been unable to sleep or eat all day. I went to the CAB and they told me to go back in one week for free drop in advice.
My worst fear is that my landlady, who lives most of the year abroad and keeps me in high regard, will know something about the matter and decide to give me the eviction.

What's the best thing to do? What can they actually do? Shall I inform the landlady, is my situation going to affect the household?

Christmas is coming up and really going back to my country with these thoughts on mind is not the best.
To this date, I still don't know what the delinquent has bought in my name.
Sorry for writing a novel, as it is obvious I deal very bad with anxiety and it takes much less than this to make me panic.
If anyone can advise, suggest, tell a word of relief I will be most grateful! Thanks!!!!

Oh for goodness sake.


1: Why would your landlady care? Its a personal debt. Nothing to do with her, any more than you having an overdraft or a credit card. No reason to evict you. And depending on how long your tenancy is for, she cant anyway until the fixed term is up.


2: No you don't report him for identity theft, you sue him in civil court for the money.


3: they're debt collectors, completely toothless at this stage. I suggest you start paying it off and getting the money from your ex.

National_Debtline

Hi Blue25 and welcome to MSE,


I think the key issue is not to panic. 1st Credit are just a debt collector, they can't come into your home or touch anything, so try not to worry about them. If they want to take this further they would need to use the county court and you would get court forms, however, that doesn't alert your landlady or, in all probability, mean anything to her (debts don't interlock in the way you are worried about). Court is nothing to panic about either. It is mainly done in the post and you can contact one of the free debt charities about how to respond - if it gets that far.


You have a couple of choices with the debt - you can report the situation to Action Fraud and they will give you a reference. You can then write back to 1st Credit and explain you have been the victim of identity fraud and ask them to investigate (you can also say you raised this with Lowell but without a reference number that may not have much impact).


Please bear in mind this can have other consequences for your ex (from a criminal perspective) but without a crime reference your complaint of fraud is unlikely to be taken seriously by the debt collector. If they agree it is fraud the matter should be written off and closed. If they feel you are liable you can escalate the whole thing to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). I cannot really comment about whether you can take civil action in a matter like this, I think you would need some legal advice before going down that route.


Laura
@natdebtline

Blue25

Many thanks for you quick reply.

When I moved in, my landlady knew I was getting away from somebody who has debts problems. At some points, she warned me of "not telling anyone" the new address, or else she could have problems herself if she were in need to ask for a loan or similar. That's why I think she would care.

As far as getting money from him, I think it's more likely 1st credit will provide me with a gift Amazon Voucher. I don't want to sue him either. I had enough troubles from him (I totally get the "oh for godness sake", this is what I tell to myself everyday).

So, next time they write, hopefully with more information, shall I just set a repayment plan? They won't call here at home? I rather none of my house mates knew. Thanks again!

Blue25

National_Debtline wrote: »

Hi Blue25 and welcome to MSE,


I think the key issue is not to panic. 1st Credit are just a debt collector, they can't come into your home or touch anything, so try not to worry about them. If they want to take this further they would need to use the county court and you would get court forms, however, that doesn't alert your landlady or, in all probability, mean anything to her (debts don't interlock in the way you are worried about). Court is nothing to panic about either. It is mainly done in the post and you can contact one of the free debt charities about how to respond - if it gets that far.


You have a couple of choices with the debt - you can report the situation to Action Fraud and they will give you a reference. You can then write back to 1st Credit and explain you have been the victim of identity fraud and ask them to investigate (you can also say you raised this with Lowell but without a reference number that may not have much impact).


Please bear in mind this can have other consequences for your ex (from a criminal perspective) but without a crime reference your complaint of fraud is unlikely to be taken seriously by the debt collector. If they agree it is fraud the matter should be written off and closed. If they feel you are liable you can escalate the whole thing to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). I cannot really comment about whether you can take civil action in a matter like this, I think you would need some legal advice before going down that route.


Laura
@natdebtline

Many thanks! This is really accurate! I don't like the idea of parting with money either, and I feel so much relieved about potential consequences on people around me. I was dreading for them to come around. I will get in touch with Action Fraud then. Thanks a lot Laura, I wish you the best :T

National_Debtline

Hello again,


Cross posts with Blue25


I think your landlady may be a bit confused as debts used to be linked to addresses (many years ago). That is no longer the case, debts are linked to individuals and their credit files so your debts would have absolutely no impact on your landlady's ability to obtain credit in her own right. Debt collectors very rarely visit anyone, it isn't worth their time to do so, but you can expect them to call and write.


If you choose to accept to repay this (which you don't have to, I would suggest you sleep on it) then you would write to them with a SOA and make an offer to pay monthly what you can. Make sure you don't over stretch yourself and if they decline the offer then send it anyway to get it paid off as quick as possible.


Laura
@natdebtline

Shakin_Steve

Be aware that once you make a payment, you will accept liability for the debt.

sourcrates

Hi OP,

Don't pay them anything !!!!

just follow Laura's advice above, follow the correct procedure, via Action Fraud, and the debt will go away.

Once 1st credit have that information officially, they will drop the debt like a hot stone, and most likely write it off.

But if you make any payment to them, you will be accepting responsibility for the debt and they will pursue you for it.

Blue25

Thanks everyone! I am impressed, I was not expecting to get so much advice in such a short time! Yes, I don't think I should pay either. Besides, my ex has a long experience with debt recovery (which I didn't know before I moved in with him), so when he used my name for his order he really knew what it meant and what he was putting me through. I will just wait for 1st Credit to come back with more details. Tonight I can eat and sleep
Blessings to you all!

Blue25

National_Debtline wrote: »

Hello again,


Cross posts with Blue25


I think your landlady may be a bit confused as debts used to be linked to addresses (many years ago). That is no longer the case, debts are linked to individuals and their credit files so your debts would have absolutely no impact on your landlady's ability to obtain credit in her own right. Debt collectors very rarely visit anyone, it isn't worth their time to do so, but you can expect them to call and write.


If you choose to accept to repay this (which you don't have to, I would suggest you sleep on it) then you would write to them with a SOA and make an offer to pay monthly what you can. Make sure you don't over stretch yourself and if they decline the offer then send it anyway to get it paid off as quick as possible.


Laura
@natdebtline

Thanks Laura, I was responding to Guest101 but what you say makes so much sense. I had also thought that if debt were to be related to the address rather than the name, then every landlord would ask for a credit check before signing a lease. Oh my. Hope I will have better judgement in future! Thanks:)

Blue25

Shakin_Steve wrote: »

Be aware that once you make a payment, you will accept liability for the debt.

Yes that's what I was thinking as well, based on the knowledge I have gained on the matter thanks to my relation with that individual. I also dread for other debt collectors coming in future claiming the debt was not paid off and so forth.