Familiar fraud/ Defaulted card help!

dkglsgw

I’ve recently checked my credit score to find out my dad of the same name had opened a credit card which has defaulted in 2015 with £600 outstanding. I phoned up the company to explain that I have had to change other credit implications on my file as other companies have mistaken me for my dad due to the same name! However this company has said that it has been opened under my name and date of birth, they said I will need to pay the balance or go down the fraud route. I don’t no what options I have is best to take as I am looking to build my score so I can get mortgage in the near future. My dad is willing to pay off the outstanding debt however I don’t really want a defaulted card on my file! Can anyone give me any advice please? 

[Deleted User]

If he used your details, then you only have the two options.

The default will drop off after 6 years, so you may feel you don't need to go down the fraud route 

dkglsgw

Thanks for the reply. Has phoning the company to enquire about the card re opened the account though? 

[Deleted User]

The account was never closed if there's a balance.

But it doesn't undo the default.

dkglsgw

My dad is willing to pay the balance however I would prefer it if it was through his own for and not my own. Is it worth suggesting this to the company? 

[Deleted User]

They'll accept his money to pay it, but it'll need to be reported as fraud for it to be removed from your files and transferred to him 

dkglsgw

Thanks, would this result in him being charged for fraud though if the money is paid as I don’t really want to go down that route if there is criminal implications 

[Deleted User]

How did you manage to miss the dozens of letters you would have been sent chasing the debt? Its unlikely (sadly) that your father would be prosecuted for fraud but it is possible - a crime is a crime and the company may well make a complaint to the police.  

dkglsgw

As I said we share the same name, I assume letters from companies that I don’t have any ties with are from him

PaulW922

I think it is very unlikely that your dad would be investigated for fraud by the police over this, (though he could be if there is a formal complaint from the bank so him paying it off would be a good idea) but I would think the likelihood of a fraud marker (CIFAS) against his name is high. If you want this off your file - and remember *you* are a victim here - I think you need to do just that. Lodge a report with Action Fraud and explain the situation to the card company. If you do not report this as a fraud that it is not unreasonable for the card company to continue on the basis that it is your debt.

If it wasn't you Dad who had done this, you would report it I expect?

dkglsgw

PaulW922 said:

I think it is very unlikely that your dad would be investigated for fraud by the police over this, (though he could be if there is a formal complaint from the bank so him paying it off would be a good idea) but I would think the likelihood of a fraud marker (CIFAS) against his name is high. If you want this off your file - and remember *you* are a victim here - I think you need to do just that. Lodge a report with Action Fraud and explain the situation to the card company. If you do not report this as a fraud that it is not unreasonable for the card company to continue on the basis that it is your debt.

If it wasn't you Dad who had done this, you would report it I expect?

Again thanks for the reply. I’m really not keen on going down the fraud route for obvious reasons, if I do pay it off for him as my debt do you know if this would improve my credit rating? This is the only mark on my file which has caused the score to be poor.