Identity Theft - Phone contracts and bank account

jedi007

Hi,

I have been a victim of identify theft, a bank account was opened in my name (on-line).
I received the account welcome pack, debit card and various PIN numbers for on-line banking / telephone banking etc to my home address.
As well as this, several phone contracts were taken out in my name (in-store) from a well known high street branch.
I have requested that the phone store tell me what ID was produced in order to take out these contracts (new phones as well) but I am not getting clear cut answers from the phone store. This is really annoying me as I cannot understand how this could have been done several times across different stores on the same day.
I am going to write a complaint to the store as I see this as security lapses on their part.
Am I over reacting and what should I be asking them?

Willing2Learn

Hi,

If it were me, I would submit a protective registration with CIFAS.
https://www.cifas.org.uk/services/identity-protection/protective-registration

Edit: And welcome to the forum

twhitehousescat

well if the person was pretending to be you , send a SAR , the reply should show all communication and indeed state the identification used

jedi007

Thanks for the welcome message
@Willing2Learn I have registered with CIFAS and updated Action Fraud.
I have also let the credit agencies aware of the situation.

@twhitehousescat That's a good idea, I think I will do that.

Candyapple

Who do you live with?

An ID thief wouldn’t open a bank account if they couldn’t get access to the card/PIN.

gycraig_2

They don't take id it's generally just a chip and pin check on the bank card provided

Ben8282

jedi007 wrote: »

I have been a victim of identify theft, a bank account was opened in my name (on-line).
I received the account welcome pack, debit card and various PIN numbers for on-line banking / telephone banking etc to my home address.

Why would a fraudster open such an account? You have received everything at your address and the fraudster has nothing, so what good will this account do them? If it was a current account, how did they get all the necessary information to open the account?

jedi007 wrote: »

As well as this, several phone contracts were taken out in my name (in-store) from a well known high street branch.
I have requested that the phone store tell me what ID was produced in order to take out these contracts (new phones as well) but I am not getting clear cut answers from the phone store. This is really annoying me as I cannot understand how this could have been done several times across different stores on the same day.

Not do I to be honest. They must have produced ID so what piece of your ID is missing? How did they get all the necessary information to pass the credit checks? How exactly did you find out about these 'several' contracts being taken out? You first imply it was the same branch but then imply that it was multiple branches of the same company. I really find this very difficult to accept. Quite apart from the credit searches, it would show up on the internal systems of the company that you had just opened an account at another of their stores. This is all very strange.

gycraig wrote: »

They don't take id it's generally just a chip and pin check on the bank card provided

That would imply that the fraudster was in possession of a chip/pin card in the OP's name which has not been stated or implied.

jedi007

@Candyapple
I live with family, No I don't suspect any of them.

@gycraig
I questioned this with the manager of the phone shop.
I informed him I had the debit card, he said what they would normally do is just get a card made with the name on that links to another account .. I found it hard to believe.

@Ben8282
No idea why the fraudster would open the account, this is why I have joined the forum as its the first time I have experienced this.
The contracts that were taken out in my name were put against the fraudulant bank account that was created.

None of my ID is missing, driving license passport / various credit cards / debit cards have all been with me.
I am assuming its either someone I know who has done this or .. about 9 months ago my house was burgled and if some paperwork statements had gone missing I wouldn't have noticed as I had a lot of letters around the house.

I found out about the bank account as the correspondences came via post un-opened.
I found out about the phone contracts because the paperwork came via the post with a covering letter saying the details could not be emailed as the email address was not valid so they have sent in the post (if everything was sent via email then I wouldn't have known until the sims were used or the monthly line rental would have shown on my statement.. in this case I don't think the sims were going to be used I think the fruadster(s) wanted the phones instead).

For arguements sake it was carphone warehouse where the transcations took place .. 2 took place at branch x and another one took place at branch y.

The funny thig is the one that took place at branch y was an upgrade to my everyday sim card..
I went in-store and spoke to the manager at branch x and he said for an upgrade to go through more ID and information is needed and couldn't understand what was shown as he said the system isn't showing anything.
I am assuming here but I think the fraudsters knew the guys working at the different shops and let things go through without validating correctly (I didn't make any accusations but did let the manager know my thoughts).

I have let the relevant authorities aware and been through my credit report to ensure there is nothing else that I am not aware off and also registered with CIFAS.

I have also requested to see the CCTV but they will not allow me to see this.

Thoughts and next actions?

Socajam

Don't be so quick to dismiss family members.
You may think that you know your family, but unless you are in their head, you have no idea what they are capable of and what their financial situation really is
Years ago, I had my sister stole my credit cards and if was only because I went to the police and they turned up at the house that she got cold feet.
If I had followed my mother's advice and to informed the police, I would have ended up with a serious debt problem.

jedi007

@Socajam - its a valid point and I haven't been so quick to dismiss it ...all sort of thoughts in my head. I have no way of proving it **even** if it was someone, I have made it known that I will be involving all the relevant authorities etc and everyone is fully supportive...

Candyapple

If a thief is going to open a bank account in someone else’s name, think about it logically, they will need access to statements / incoming new debit card and PIN. Whether this is by being able to intercept post i.e. living in a block of flats and there is a communal mailbox or by living with said person they are stealing the ID of and being able to intercept the post when it comes through the door i.e. living in a shared house with multiple tenants or living with family members.

Was the bank account that was opened one that you currently hold an account with, or a totally new bank?

You said phone contracts were taken out – how many? Did these all come with phones or were they just for line rental only?

The CPW stores where the contracts were taken out – are they near to where you live?

Don’t forget to send a SAR to National Hunter too:
https://www.nhunter.co.uk/SAR.pdf

And make sure you've checked copies of all 3 of your files:
Experian: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/creditclub
Equifax: https://www.clearscore.com
Call Credit: https://www.noddle.co.uk