My details used AGAIN - am i just unlucky?

longwalks1

In the last 10 years I've had 3 or 4 occasions of my details being used or cloned, is this normal? First was a new credit card application being intercepted (I got a high limit on it), my post redirected and the card used in London to buy £15,000 worth of kitchen equipment, it got sorted fairly quickly.

Then, in the last 3 years I've had 2 occasions where my name has been used, for utility bills and pet insurance at 2 different addresses in my own street, but at different door numbers (My family have lived in the street for 80 years, so post with my name on comes to my house, the postman assumes theres a typo on the address/door number)

Both times have been a pain to get sorted, lots of phone calls and even having to ask the people who do live at the door numbers (both elderly families, so doubt it was them)

Is this 'normal' these days? Or mistakes by large companies? Genuinely interested on everyones thoughts....

[Deleted User]

No. It means you're a high risk individual or live in a high risk area.

Chapuys

It might be an idea to pay £20 for a Cifas Protective Registration which enables someone who is at greater risk of being, or already is, a victim of identity theft or identity fraud to place a 2 year protective warning on your credit file. It will slow down (but not effect) your own credit applications as the bank will undertake additional verification checks before issuing credit.

longwalks1

Deleted_User wrote: »

No. It means you're a high risk individual or live in a high risk area.

Its happened at my current address, and at my last address a few years ago, in 2 different (neighbouring) counties in the South East. I thought it may of been because I am a relatively good earner, and always get good credit limits when I apply for a card or loan etc

longwalks1

Chapuys wrote: »

It might be an idea to pay £20 for a Cifas Protective Registration which enables someone who is at greater risk of being, or already is, a victim of identity theft or identity fraud to place a 2 year protective warning on your credit file. It will slow down (but not effect) your own credit applications as the bank will undertake additional verification checks before issuing credit.

Ahhh thanks, never heard of Cifas until now. I use creditepxert for alerts on my file etc, but nothing comes up with the last 2 letters Ive had from different companies (First Utility, More Than pet insurance) that only appear to use my name, with a wrong date of birth, wrong email address and wrong postal address

I dont even know if its credit being applied for, its more a mix up with my name appearing on other peoples post??

rhr83

Are you sure you don't have a neighbour with the same name and it's the postman getting it wrong?

longwalks1

rhr83 wrote: »

Are you sure you don't have a neighbour with the same name and it's the postman getting it wrong?

Totally sure, its a very unusual surname trust me, plus i know most of the families in our street

rtho782

Perhaps you're doing something wrong security wise. Clicking links in emails, using spyware/virus infected computers to do shopping online, etc.

longwalks1

rtho782 wrote: »

Perhaps you're doing something wrong security wise. Clicking links in emails, using spyware/virus infected computers to do shopping online, etc.

Not that I know of, I'm pretty savvy when it comes to security online, run antivirus and spyware every week, never click suspicious emails. Just cant work out why my name (first and last names are quite unusual) keeps being linked to, or used with companies I've never used but still seem to be used in my street...

Candyapple

My guess is you have p!ssed someone off (an ex maybe?) along the way and they are trying to get back at you in a very passive aggressive manner to cause you maximum waste of time, especially if as you state your name is not a common one.

longwalks1

Candyapple wrote: »

My guess is you have p!ssed someone off (an ex maybe?) along the way and they are trying to get back at you in a very passive aggressive manner to cause you maximum waste of time, especially if as you state your name is not a common one.

Hadnt thought of that, and not p!ssed anyone off that I know of? Even so, how would just using my name cause so much hassle? As the last 2 or 3 issues have been with actual contracts or accounts?

AA is one example, and it was paid in full (not by myself, but had my name on it - but wrong DOB, address etc). Another was pet insurance to renew, so obviously a pet was insured previously with them etc

Its more than just junk mail I get..