Possible fraudulent use of our address - help!!!??

kittylitter

Hi all

I know this is an odd first post but here goes anyway!

We've received letters in the past from HFC saying they've arranged credit through DFS for a sofa for someone who doesn't live here and hasn't to our knowledge for the last 15 years minumum.

We've contacted HFC in the past to advise them of this but they persist in writing to this woman at our addy. My question is, what I can I do about it that will be effective. I don't want it to get to the point where they're sending people out to bother us or our neighbours looking for this woman. A better question is where she's had the sofa delivered to for starters and why they didn't do a proper credit check to see if she was even here before giving her credit anyway.

I used to deal with debt recoveries etc and once we'd had advice that the person wasn't there and the voters roll/Experian/Equifax check also suggested that the person we were looking for wasn't there, we would send out private investigators or abandon recovery depending on the amount. I'm just concerned that that's what they're going to do in this instance.

We've had another letter this morning addressed to her (which I haven't opened, like the others I've sent back in the last 6 months!!) My mind has gone totally blank as to what to do next and any suggestions would be gratefully appreciated. My instincts tell me to contact Trading Standards but they haven't technically done anything wrong yet, other than give credit to some mystery woman and write pointless letters to her!!

Thanks in advance of any advice guys

kitty x x

honeypop

kittylitter wrote: »

A better question is where she's had the sofa delivered to for starters and why they didn't do a proper credit check to see if she was even here before giving her credit anyway.

When we bought a sofa from DFS last year, I put the address down as my OH's address for the credit agreement but my name (wasn't thinking straight as in a rush) and the delivery address was to be the house we were moving into.
They can't have credit checked it as I didn't actually live at that address but nothing has been said, and the sofa was sent to the other address as requested.

This lady in question could have done the same thing, although on purpose where mine was mistake! She could have put a different address (her own maybe?) for delivery and gave your address for the credit agreement that then wasn't checked.

Altarf

If you receive another letter, open it to get the details of who at HFC is writing to the unknown person (despite what some people on here may think, it is not illegal to open mail delivered to your address with someone elses name on it).

Then send a recorded delivery letter to HFC (with a copy of their letter), stating that the person that they are writing to does not live at your address and has not lived there in the x number of years since you have lived there. Could they therefore amend their records and ensure that you receive no further letters at your address for this person.

olly300

it is not illegal to open mail delivered to your address with someone elses name on it).

Not strictly true.

It's not illegal to open someone elses mail if you as long as you are NOT doing it for your own fianancial gain or malicious reasons.

Altarf

olly300 wrote: »

Not strictly true.

It's not illegal to open someone elses mail if you as long as you are NOT doing it for your own fianancial gain or malicious reasons.

Which the OP would not be doing.

dunstonh

DFS must be good at this because the same happened to us. It turned out it was someone in the same road but the address on the carbon copy hadnt come through well and they were taking a "best guess".

After notifying them and being told how it happened, we never heard again.

kittylitter

Thanks all for your replies all In a bizzarre way its nice to know that it's not just us this has happened to!! I'll open the letter and send them one back as suggested explaining the situation, hopefully that will sort it. If not, I might be back to pick your collective brains again lol

Thanks again all, very kind of you to help a newbie like moi :beer:

Iamthesmartestmanalive

Just return the letter unopened with "unknown at address" written on it.

HFC bank will then trace the correct party