Fraudulent contracts on credit file, how to get removed?

Richy85

Hi all, I hope somebody can help as really don't know what to do anymore!

So back in July my other half was the victim of identity fraud. About 5 phones were taken out using her details.
I got a puzzling text that day when I was at work asking why I'd ordered a load of phones, my response was eh?
Anyways, shortly after that text I got another one saying it's ok, the delivery man came back saying that the delivery was an error and should have been to someone else on the road.
Didn't really think much of it.
Until we started getting letters from the phone providers for starting up the contracts etc.
Then the penny dropped and we realised that the second delivery guy must have been waiting and was one of the scammers.

Fast forward to now, we've managed to get a couple of the accounts closed down and removed from her credit file - big props to Tesco Mobile, they were FANTASTIC and no hassle at all.
We unfortunately have 3 outsanding accounts in arrears though, and they are not looking great at the moment, especially as we are trying to get a mortgage :mad:
We've been through all the motions with these 3 companies, raising complaints and telling them that it was fradulent etc but just keep going round and round in circles. Every time we ring we just keep going through the same sh*t...
Then they tell us that they'll process our complaints/fraud reports and ring us back in 5 days. Lost track of the times we've been told this, and have we had a call back yet? Have we heck.

Starting to really stress us out and the financial ombudsman haven't exactly been any help.

Where do we stand?


We're starting to get debt collector letters coming through now and the accounts are up to 1000+ each which we have no hope of affording.

Seriously at wits end.
Wondering if anyone could offer any help? :beer:

[Deleted User]

I'm assuming this was reported to the police? And Action Fraud?

And you have crime numbers to provide to the DCA's and lenders/DCA's?

Richy85

Yep when we realised what had happened we immediately went to police and got crime reference numbers. We've given the CRN to the providers multiple times but doesn't seem to help.
Haven't heard of action fraud though...

[Deleted User]

If they aren't helping, request a letter of deadlock and then go to the ICO.

Richy85

We will try this tomorrow, thanks.

Also one of them are saying that they have closed the account and have sorted everything out but is still showing on her credit file. We've contacted them and they say it's the credit reference companies duty to update, but when we contact equifax/experian they say it's the companies duty to update.
Currently it hasnt been updated since october but is still showing as an account in arrears... Any suggestions?

sourcrates

Hi,

You are best advised staying off the phone to these companies, the call handlers don`t have a clue how to deal with incidents of fraud such as this, you should do everything in writing from now on.

Action fraud are next to useless to be honest, as long as you have crime numbers, that`s all you need.

Put the whole sordid story (condensed) in writing, mark the letter "DATA CONTROLLER COMPLAINT" and send it to the compliance officer at each company concerned.

Add that you are sick and tired of jumping through hoops and you insist the company close these fraudulant accounts and remove them from your credit files, otherwise take the matter to court and allow them to decide liability.


https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/identity-theft/


If it went to court, your defense would be fraud, you have crime numbers, so you should be covered, sometimes its pointless going around in circles with companies such as this, invite them to go to court to settle matters.


Its the companies responcibility to update credit files, again, written complaint, then as gary says above, escalate to the ICO.

Richy85

It was during the holidays, my other half recieved the phones delievered via DPD.
Then later on someone came round again in DPD clothes with ID and stated that there had been a mistake and they should have been delivered elsewhere.
In the confusion she handed the package back over.

This is the second courier driver/scammer that I was referring to.
Once the penny had dropped as to what had happened we called DPD and they had no record of anyone coming back to this address.


All the phone were from one place, but on different networks so it was just the one package for all the phones.

Given the situation she probably did the right thing, not sure what could have happened if she had refused to give the phones to the scammer that turned up to 'collect' the phones.

Not sure how anyone had her details, we're normal pretty savvy in regards to scams and such, the only thing that she's done out of the norm lately was giving a donation online to a well known charity, perhaps that wasn't all that it seemed to be?

Be as cynical as you like, at the end of the day this HAS happened and we are 100% an innocent party in all this.

Richy85

Thank you Sourcrates, we will do what you have advised.

Ben8282

It was during the holidays
The school holidays would this be?

All the phone were from one place, but on different networks so it was just the one package for all the phones.
This just adds to the improbability of the story.

Richy85

I ask you, why would we take a bunch of phones out on contract only to give them away to some random person and be left with multiple accounts in arrears which is making getting a mortgage difficult and causing us stress and anxiety with having debt collectors contacting us?

DCFC79

I hope your OH has now learnt the lesson to not hand over a package not addressed to either of you over to someone random person ?