Family Credit Card Fraud / Identity Theft Advice

satch291

So until 2 years ago I had no experience in credit cards/loans or even overdrafts I lived off the money I had. but 2 years ago all that changed when my fiancee took out four credit cards in my name without my permission or knowledge. A few weeks later she told me she signed me up to a single credit card to enable me to buy something I've always wanted, kind of like a present to me...except I was buying it with my own credit :j, Anyway I told her it is NOT OK to apply for credit cards in someone else's name, without permission and she apologised, we moved past it and a few weeks later I made the purchase which cost around £1200, with my new credit card.

About 6 months after that, she confessed that she actually took out 3 other credit cards all at the same time, and I had the card with the smallest credit limit, and they were all maxed out so she couldn't hide it anymore because she was going over the credit limits regularly. It turned out she racked up £7000 of debt on the cards by buying make-up/clothes, birthday presents for myself and her daughter and withdrawing cash.

We broke up and I asked to see her finances in detail so I can see our total financial situation and It turned out she also had several credit cards which were maxed out and also abused payday loan companies, borrowing up to £500 each month, paying some back and borrowing more straight away. She agreed she had a problem and volunteered all her bank cards to me and asked me to help her deal with the problem.

She went into counselling, and she agreed to pay it off, we cut up her cards and promised never to touch payday loans again...so I gave her a second chance and over time we got back together, and she slowly got her cards back but I kept all of the credit cards.

2 years later, I have not used any of the credit cards once since, and I have paid off £4000 of the debt in my name on my own, she hasn't sent me any money and justified this to herself by saying she was paying for other bills around the house.

Needless to say I have just found out she has spent a further £5000 of credit since, by requesting new cards for her old accounts and applying for new credit/store cards and using new payday loan companies and taking out a 127% APR loan all in her own name. Again she has spent this money on make-up and clothes,

This has meant she is now paying back £100's each month to her own new debts which she has accrued after she put me into debt and she is still continuing to add to these debts now while "trying" to pay them off at the same time.... and STILL NOT PAYING ANY OF THE DEBT WHICH SHE ACCRUED IN MY NAME FIRST .:eek:

From what I understand, because I have paid some of the debt, and logged into the accounts to put my contact details in (because originally all the contact details were hers) I have assumed responsibility for the debt.

We are now broken up again, and she is adamant she can't afford to pay anything to the debt in my name, and she is refusing to allow me access to see her finances anymore, because we are broken up, So I don't officially know if she is still borrowing and buying frivolous stuff right now, but I'm certain she is. Is there anything I can do to make her legally accountable for any of these dates after such a long time?... She is still agreeing that she racked up all this debt, but she refuses to acknowledge it as a theft of any kind because we were a couple when she stole my money.

Any advice would be a massive help!!!!

Thanks
:beer:

Caz3121

I would suggest you get hold of your 3 credit files to make sure there is no further debt you are currently unaware of
Have you spoken to the card companies to cancel the cards?

[Deleted User]

It's a little late to declare fraud on the accounts, but you could try. Be prepared for some hard questioning though.

If not, then the debts in your name will remain your responsibility.

satch291

Caz3121, When you say my get hold of my 3 credit files, is that the card statements for the cards in my name? I have got control of all cards I am aware of in my name currently....

zx81, Also I think I have made a mistake, because after a year or so the 0% ran out on the cards and I heard about balance transfers to start a new 0% period, I applied for a few but could only get enough for one of the debts. I moved one debt onto a new card to keep my interest at 0%. which closed one of the original accounts that was opened without my knowledge.... looking back at it now, what seemed like a smart idea of damage limitation, may have been a really stupid mistake.... will this make things worse?

Other than the one account I transferred I have not closed any accounts. I was under the impression that you couldn't close an account with outstanding debt, is that not the case?

eddddy

Deleted_User wrote: »

It's a little late to declare fraud on the accounts, but you could try. Be prepared for some hard questioning though.

And that would involve naming your ex as the fraudster, which might result in her being arrested, charged and tried in court.

If you decide to go down that route, you probably need to be prepared to go the whole way - rather than getting 'cold feet' part way through.

eskbanker

satch291 wrote: »

When you say my get hold of my 3 credit files, is that the card statements for the cards in my name?

No, this refers to the files managed by the three independent credit ratings agencies, see http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/loans/credit-rating-credit-score and then http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/loans/check-free-credit-report

Edit: should have expanded on that - these three companies will (between them) have a comprehensive record of your credit situation, i.e. all cards, loans, current accounts, etc, so if there are any further surprises to come, checking these files should unearth them for you, rather than believing you know the full picture.

Geoff1963

At least one of the credit file companies will ( for a price ) tell you if you ( or someone pretending to be you ) tries to take out credit.

Apart from the gross violation of trust, and the massive financial cost ; did you enjoy your time with her ? If someone had told you at the outset what would eventually happen, was your relationship so good, that you would have chosen it anyway ?

we were a couple when she stole my money

That excuse became invalid a few years ago : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Married_Women%27s_Property_Act_1882

antrobus

Geoff1963 wrote: »

..That excuse became invalid a few years ago : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Married_Women%27s_Property_Act_1882

A fiancee is not a married woman. At least not to the person that she is fianced to.

Geoff1963

A fiancee is not a married woman.

Indeed. The OPs partner was one step removed . . . from a situation which became irrelevant over 130 years ago.

[Deleted User]

I'd report her to the police and get a crime number then speak to the loan/ cc complains explain you have been a victim of fraud over a period of time and give them the crime number, she may or may not go to prison, thats her bad luck for doing what she's done to you.

satch291

If you decide to go down that route, you probably need to be prepared to go the whole way - rather than getting 'cold feet' part way through.

I've not yet decided how far I will take it, If she is going to refuse to pay, and not genuinely look for a way to take this debt from me, I will go as far as I have to, because she needs to learn that this is unacceptable one way or another. One thing I am very worried about is she does has a young daughter and I don't want to cause any upset to her. I would be fine with her getting a criminal record because of this, so she has to recognise the seriousness of her actions, or community service but (as much as she loves Orange is the new black) I wouldn't want her to go to prison.

If I make a Police/Crime report will this automatically start investigations and legal proceedings, which I can't stop?

One of my biggest annoyances though this whole process has been her astounding ability to avoid ALL fallout from her actions. Despite admitting she has a problem and it was her fault, she manages to get anyone else to pay when it comes to actually paying back her debs. The first time I caught her, She sued two of the payday loan companies for irresponsible lending, and got some of the debt written off plus compensation, She then complained to her bank for miss-selling an account which she claims she didn't need, again she gets given more compensation money... and she's obviously had me 'working' for her, because none of that money went to helping me pay any of the debt in my name which has been the majority of the debt.

This time she's telling me she will be given a monetary gift 'at some point in the near future' from her parents, who are due to come into some money soon. She says this will be able to pay off my outstanding debt... again this is not a loan, leaving her with no accountability or repercussions, or even interest! While I am -£4000 out of pocket having already paid some of her previous debts off, including interest .... and for me there is not proof that this monetary gift will ever actually come her or my way, and even if it did, I know she would keep a sizeable chunk for herself either way and tell me she can only afford a smaller amount.

No, this refers to the files managed by the three independent credit ratings agencies

Thanks for this, I will read through these links, I'm really not experienced with credit at all, I just know how to account for my money, so learning this will be invaluable.

Apart from the gross violation of trust, and the massive financial cost ; did you enjoy your time with her ? If someone had told you at the outset what would eventually happen, was your relationship so good, that you would have chosen it anyway ?

When our relationship was good it was brilliant, when it was bad it was awful. I raised her daughter as my own for 8 years from the age of 2. But if someone told me what would happen, I wouldn't do it all again, because she has constantly lied to me for 50% of our entire relationship. If I could go back to the first time I caught her, I would call the police then and start legal proceedings, shes so good at getting out of things, I'm pretty sure she would have found a way to pay the debt before we even got to court, just from the threat. Instead I tried to do the right thing and chose to provide support and help, and she has continued to lie and used it against me, telling me I'm bring up "her old credit card problems that are not relevant anymore" while she is knowingly spending more money which she doesn't have as she says that sentence and Leaving me still being the only person left paying her debt, which makes it very relevant for me.