Fraud?

cbear214

I have no idea where this topic would really go so if it's in the incorrect place, please let me know

I am writing this on behalf of my mother, but a few years ago some strange things started happening. We were being sent magazine subscriptions to the house, in her name, all charged to her account. Some were like gardening ones, horse related ones, ect. My mother nor myself ever opted into this sort of thing and we knew very quickly it was a fraud issue. My mother closed this bank account down and a new one was set up with a brand new account number, new debit card ect. And since then, everything was fine... until November.

We received a letter from British Gas starting my mother had agreed to boiler cover from them, around £300 a month. My first instinct was 'is it a fraudulent letter?' as you hear a lot about them these days. So I jumped on the live chat to find out what was going on. It was a legit letter. The details all matched my mothers, name, address.. and OLD bank account details. They didn't use my mothers email however, I was not told what email was used due to data protection which I was fully aware of. British gas were fantastic, removed the account and cleared everything up for us. We spoke to action fraud as well and made a report, as well as the bank to make sure nothing was happening on her current account.

Fast forward a few months to yesterday. We received another letter, this time from NPower. Same sort of thing. Apparently my mother had set up a pay as you go meter (she's on prepay, has been since we moved in in 95) so again, direct debit. Same info as well; name, address and OLD account details. Again, I made sure this was a legit letter, which it was, and this time, NPower gave me the email address which was great. The email address used seems to be a targeted email address. It uses mine and my mothers last name with a few extra letters and some numbers thrown in. Our surname is not a common one so it's not coincidental in that fact. Npower also looked into matters, closed the account and sorting things on their end. We spoke to action fraud AGAIN and went through the same song and dance. I also made sure to contact our provider for gas and electric and make sure no switch was happening. We also put a barrier on the account that no switch would happen without a password and vocal communication with my mother.

British gas also confirmed that the email used with the NPower account was VERY similar to the one used with British gas.The email in question isn't linked to anything else, no recovery email or phone number either (I checked just in case).

At this point, I don't know what else to do. It feels as though this is all targeted as well as it being done by someone we know. But we don't know who. No bank statements have ever been thrown out and if they have been, they've been shredded. There's very limited people who have had access to any of this information but I know I can't go around accusing without proof. I just don't know what to do at all with the situation. I'm grateful at least no money has been taken but it's still worrying me because if it is someone close to home doing it, I don't know what I can actually do

eddddy

Who is the email service provider that the fraudster is using (e.g. gmail, yahoo etc)?

You can try reporting the fraudulent email address, in the hope that it gets closed down. But to be honest, the fraudster may just create another similar one.

Companies like BG and Npower will probably be doing credit checks against your mother before opening accounts, maybe have a look at her credit files to see.

If you like, your mother can put a 'Protective Registration' CIFAS fraud marker on her credit files. Then any companies that do credit checks in future will be alerted to the risk of fraud, and should make additional checks.

cbear214

Outlook so microsoft. I made them aware of it last night but again like you said the person doing it can just create more and more emails.

I don't think any credit checks took place as when they would have attempted it with the old details, nothing would have happened as it's an old account which is what prompted the letters to be sent for us to speak to them regarding the details. Nothing has shown up on noddle at least as far as I'm aware.

Because it's an old account, I don't think a CIFAS would be applicable in this situation though it would help protect her current account. The person/people who could be doing it don't have access to her new information also as again we do feel like it's someone in our personal life targeting her/us. I will look further into the CIFAS however as action fraud mentioned that.

worried_jim

cbear214 wrote: »

Outlook so microsoft. I made them aware of it last night but again like you said the person doing it can just create more and more emails.

I don't think any credit checks took place as when they would have attempted it with the old details, nothing would have happened as it's an old account which is what prompted the letters to be sent for us to speak to them regarding the details. Nothing has shown up on noddle at least as far as I'm aware.

Because it's an old account, I don't think a CIFAS would be applicable in this situation though it would help protect her current account. The person/people who could be doing it don't have access to her new information also as again we do feel like it's someone in our personal life targeting her/us. I will look further into the CIFAS however as action fraud mentioned that.

The CIFAS marker is against your Mum, not her accounts, on her credit file. It warns credit providers to double check details as your Mum has been a victim of fraud. It’s a good thing.

eddddy

cbear214 wrote: »

I don't think any credit checks took place as when they would have attempted it with the old details, nothing would have happened as it's an old account which is what prompted the letters to be sent for us to speak to them regarding the details. Nothing has shown up on noddle at least as far as I'm aware.

Credit checks aren't against a bank account, they are against a person - i.e. name, address, date of birth. (Bank accounts aren't always included on credit files.)

Also, here's an extract from BG Homecare terms and conditions:

We may check your details with one or more credit-reference and fraud prevention agencies to help us make decisions about your capacity to pay your bills and the goods and services we can offer you.

Link: https://www.britishgas.co.uk/pdf/HomeCare%20Range%20Terms%20and%20Conditions.pdf

If you want, you can ask BG if they did a credit check. They might not have opened the account if if the check returned a CIFAS marker.


Similarly Npower say:

We will search the files of credit-reference agencies, and gather information from fraud-prevention agencies
...
We may also use the information to verify your identity and to assist in the prevention of crime

Link: https://www.npower.com/idc/groups/wcms_content/@wcms/documents/residential/wcmsdev_015949.pdf

cbear214

I'll deffinatly get her to do that then.

If no credit checks were done (I'll ask BG and Npower to check tomorrow) is there anything else we can do? Because as much as I know things like action fraud deal with a multitude of cases, it just feels like it's going to just keep happening

p00hsticks

cbear214 wrote: »

It feels as though this is all targeted as well as it being done by someone we know.

I'd agree - I can't see how a random fraudster is actually gaining financially from these actions, as you say that the magazines arrived at your address, and I'm assuming that the address for the British Gas and NPower supplies was also yours ?

If so, the only motive would appear to be to cause you trouble.

cbear214

Correct. Both the british gas and the NPower accounts were for this address.

That's how it seems. If it was someone who'd obtained the details through compromised data then I'd assume they'd use it to buy goods or clone the card, not try and set up a new energy supplier for the household.

Again, I am very greatful it is old data and old accounts so at the very least right now money is safe but I think tomorrow having a word with the bank also to see what barriers they can put up (as well as sorting the CIFAS out as well) just to cover all angles and protect the current account as much as possible.