Credit check for fraudulent opening of a Pockit account

rjd185

I noticed a soft check on the credit account from OnFido Limited early this month which was based on my name, date of birth, and an address I moved out of three years ago. A few days later, I received a pre-paid (NOT a credit card) Mastercard Pockit card, with my name on it, redirected (we retain the post redirect) from the old address.

Pockit state that they only issue cards based on ID and residency checks but it looks likely that they have used just a generic ID check on the credit reference agency to decide they could open the account and issue the card. Since Pockit and their app do not let the card be used to gain any account information, there was a Pockit account out there with my name, old address, date of birth, and whatever online services Pockit offer (I don't use them) controlled by an unknown 3rd party.

Pockit have been a bit slow to respond, but appear now to have acknowledged that there is a problem with the account though after verifying my ID to them, they now decline to provide any information about the account to me.

The only reason I know this is that we have our post redirected still - if I'd not seen the credit check and received the card, the Pockit account would have remained unknown to me). The information used was probably derived from the hacking of the company I worked at about three years ago where all employee data was stolen.

Is a simple generic ID credit check against an old address adequate for a company to issue this kind of card as well as set up the financial account on something like Pockit (not a bank account but still a way to move money around)?

Has anyone seen this kind of behaviour with Pockit or similar pre-paid cards elsewhere? (I imagine it may be useful as a money-laundering tactic or similar using the app, because you could easily assume the card was junk mail or not get it if the address is your previous one.)

(Since I'm paranoid, I've since signed up for protective registration on CIFAS and am checking account access but so far not seen anything other than the Pockit card appear.)

marcia_

rjd185 said:

I noticed a soft check on the credit account from OnFido Limited early this month which was based on my name, date of birth, and an address I moved out of three years ago. A few days later, I received a pre-paid (NOT a credit card) Mastercard Pockit card, with my name on it, redirected (we retain the post redirect) from the old address.

Pockit state that they only issue cards based on ID and residency checks but it looks likely that they have used just a generic ID check on the credit reference agency to decide they could open the account and issue the card. Since Pockit and their app do not let the card be used to gain any account information, there was a Pockit account out there with my name, old address, date of birth, and whatever online services Pockit offer (I don't use them) controlled by an unknown 3rd party.

Pockit have been a bit slow to respond, but appear now to have acknowledged that there is a problem with the account though after verifying my ID to them, they now decline to provide any information about the account to me.

The only reason I know this is that we have our post redirected still - if I'd not seen the credit check and received the card, the Pockit account would have remained unknown to me). The information used was probably derived from the hacking of the company I worked at about three years ago where all employee data was stolen.

Is a simple generic ID credit check against an old address adequate for a company to issue this kind of card as well as set up the financial account on something like Pockit (not a bank account but still a way to move money around)?

Has anyone seen this kind of behaviour with Pockit or similar pre-paid cards elsewhere? (I imagine it may be useful as a money-laundering tactic or similar using the app, because you could easily assume the card was junk mail or not get it if the address is your previous one.)

(Since I'm paranoid, I've since signed up for protective registration on CIFAS and am checking account access but so far not seen anything other than the Pockit card appear.)

 Not paranoid at all best thing you could have done. 

 You can also set up passwords on credit reference agencies so if you apply for credit they will phone and ask you for the password before proceeding with an application 

James

Password protection is an extra layer of security.

Why not consider fingering a crook while at the same time protecting yourself?

Try MyPAS, or at least compare.

Quote from Nationwide on MyPAS.....

"It is a sound logic, to add an additional security  parameter that is inherent to an individual"