Insurance fraud?

triathlete3

When I moved into my property the previous owner said she had cancelled/changed info for all important stuff and so any mail to the property wouldn't be important so I could just throw anything away, she mentioned herself and a man's name although she had said she lived alone.
So a few bits of obvious marketing stuff came through the door and I did as she asked (well they got put on the log burner as I do with anything with personal info like names/addresses) on it. I sent a few things back with 'not at this address' on it first to hopefully get off the mailing lists. Things pretty much stopped after a few months but I still got something through once in a while (maybe once/twice a year) my mum still does and even gets phone calls for her previous owners and she moved in in 1991 so I thought nothing of it.

Then yesterday I accidentally opened a letter in the man's name. I know it's an offence to open someone else's post but it was a genuine accident and I didn't realise until I read it was a letter from a car insurance company saying a direct debit had been cancelled due to non payment and a) I knew mine hadn't and b) I was no longer insured with this company as I had not accepted their renewal quote, it was only then I looked at the name!

I called them to explain but they didn't seem concerned above telling me they can't just take my address off the mailing list. That wasn't my main concern it was why is there a live in arrears policy at my address? How does this effect my credit rating and anything else connected to my finances or motor insurance? How long had this been going on as most of the post in this man's name had been in an envelope with an insurers logo on the front? I presumed it was marketing, I sent several back to the companies clearly marked with 'not at this address but that obviously hasn't worked!

Surely the insurers would be interested to know this guy is giving false info but it doesn't sound like it! I'd like to know how I can sever any ties he has with this address!? I shouldn't know what's in the letter but now I do what can I do about it?

Mercdriver

It won't affect your credit rating unless it is in your name or of someone who has a financial connection with you.

What to do about what is in the letter? It is nothing to do with you, so nothing. Send all future mail with their address on the back as return to sender.

Comms69

triathlete3 wrote: »

When I moved into my property the previous owner said she had cancelled/changed info for all important stuff and so any mail to the property wouldn't be important so I could just throw anything away, she mentioned herself and a man's name although she had said she lived alone.
So a few bits of obvious marketing stuff came through the door and I did as she asked (well they got put on the log burner as I do with anything with personal info like names/addresses) on it. I sent a few things back with 'not at this address' on it first to hopefully get off the mailing lists. Things pretty much stopped after a few months but I still got something through once in a while (maybe once/twice a year) my mum still does and even gets phone calls for her previous owners and she moved in in 1991 so I thought nothing of it.

Then yesterday I accidentally opened a letter in the man's name. I know it's an offence to open someone else's post but it was a genuine accident and I didn't realise until I read it was a letter from a car insurance company saying a direct debit had been cancelled due to non payment and a) I knew mine hadn't and b) I was no longer insured with this company as I had not accepted their renewal quote, it was only then I looked at the name!

I called them to explain but they didn't seem concerned above telling me they can't just take my address off the mailing list. That wasn't my main concern it was why is there a live in arrears policy at my address? How does this effect my credit rating and anything else connected to my finances or motor insurance? How long had this been going on as most of the post in this man's name had been in an envelope with an insurers logo on the front? I presumed it was marketing, I sent several back to the companies clearly marked with 'not at this address but that obviously hasn't worked!

Surely the insurers would be interested to know this guy is giving false info but it doesn't sound like it! I'd like to know how I can sever any ties he has with this address!? I shouldn't know what's in the letter but now I do what can I do about it?

1: it's not an offence to open mail
2: It wont affect you in the slightest
3: move on, life's too short.

arcon5

Where's the fraud exactly???????????

peter_the_piper

The only offence I can think of is for the "driver" possibly using an uninsured car. Whether you want to do anything about it is up to you.

System

Comms69 wrote: »

1: it's not an offence to open mail

Is incorrect. It is an offence under the Postal Services Act 2000 to open mail not addressed to you unless you can show reasonable excuse. A letter sent to your address is not an excuse if it has someone else's name on.

The Postal Services Act 2000 is clear that an offence is created if anyone intentionally delays the post or intentionally opens a mail bag. The Act goes on to say: "A person commits an offence if, intending to act to a person's detriment and without reasonable excuse, he opens a postal packet which he knows or reasonably suspects has been incorrectly delivered to him."

System

arcon5 wrote: »

Where's the fraud exactly???????????

Obtaining an advantage by deception. In places like James Turner Street in Birmingham which is one of the areas blacklisted due to crime and amounts of claims it isn't uncommon for people living in those areas to give an address of a relative outside of those due to the horrendous quotes you'll get because it is one of the highest claim areas in the UK. By giving a different address they get a car insured for quite often a third or less.

arcon5

Tarambor wrote: »

Obtaining an advantage by deception. In places like James Turner Street in Birmingham which is one of the areas blacklisted due to crime and amounts of claims it isn't uncommon for people living in those areas to give an address of a relative outside of those due to the horrendous quotes you'll get because it is one of the highest claim areas in the UK. By giving a different address they get a car insured for quite often a third or less.

They haven't given the wrong address to obtain an insurance policy. They've forgotten to change the address

Calling fraud is nothing but melodrama

Comms69

Tarambor wrote: »

Is incorrect. It is an offence under the Postal Services Act 2000 to open mail not addressed to you unless you can show reasonable excuse. A letter sent to your address is not an excuse if it has someone else's name on.

The Postal Services Act 2000 is clear that an offence is created if anyone intentionally delays the post or intentionally opens a mail bag. The Act goes on to say: "A person commits an offence if, intending to act to a person's detriment and without reasonable excuse, he opens a postal packet which he knows or reasonably suspects has been incorrectly delivered to him."

Actually the key bit is the bit you missed out: intending to act to a person's detriment and

Mercdriver

Comms69 wrote: »

Actually the key bit is the bit you missed out: intending to act to a person's detriment and

Read the text you quoted again. I think you'll find he didn't miss it out.

(where's the facepalm emoji?)

Comms69

Mercdriver wrote: »

Read the text you quoted again. I think you'll find he didn't miss it out.

(where's the facepalm emoji?)

Ok failed to bold then. Ignored. whatever. The key word is AND.