Hi I hope I have posted this in the correct forum.

I found out at the beginning of this year that a close family member had taken out a credit card and catalogues in my name and defaulted.

I believe the credit card has been settled (their word only) and payments are being made on the other debts.

The problem is myself and fiancé have been saving hard for a house deposit and will now be refused a mortgage!

is there anything I can do to get these defaults removed without getting family member in to trouble?

any help greatly appreciated!

You need to speak to action fraud. If you keep taking the blame for the family member then YOU will be liable. Especially as the defaults are in your name.

Even more important, if you dont get these removed, as its identity theft and fraud, then they will stay on your credit file for 6 YEARS and you will be fully liable for repayments.

Check your credit file.

I have checked my credit file earlier in the year which is how I discovered the default!

It's your choice.

Have a crap credit record (which you'll struggle to change now anyways) or dob in the family member.

If it was me, after I had broken his/her skull I would be on the phone to dob them in tomorrow morning.

Th credit record can be sorted if action fraud deem that it is indeed fraud and identity theft. However, it isnt an overnight change., IT may take months.

You say you dont want to turn the family member in, yet they had no problems doing fraud, plus denying you your own home and a mortgage, yet you are still defending them.

I have checked my credit file earlier in the year which is how I discovered the default!

I'd check it again, Noodle is free, let you know what the score is now.

A crime has been committed here, and needs to be reported otherwise you will be stuck with an appalling credit profile for at least 6 years, the creditors involved and any DCAs that may become involved will Not accept the 'it wasn't me' defence to this they will expect to see that you have taken appropriate action to rectify this.

I really feel for you especially if it is a very close family member. If the person has no criminal record at the moment I think it unlikely they would be locked up so I would report them to the police and get a crime number which will help get the defaults removed.

You really are not doing them any favours by not reporting him/her although the pressure put on you by other family members can make it hard. In my case it was my stepson who was the problem, stole from me, his mother and his father

Swift response to the initial inquiry is no! From the creditors point of view they gave money out and wont just accept "It wasn't me" they want someone to be liable. What is the value of debt outstanding? Ultimately to get this off your credit file you need to report it as fraud. What are family relationships like over this matter. If things are amicable then maybe you can explain to the person why you have no choice but to report them. If there was someway the debt could be cleared quickly, before you made the report that would help said persons case. If no one suffered any loss from the fraud, all monies repaid, and they have no record, any punishment is likely to be minimal. should you not report it, and said person stops paying you will be chased as liable. There is a record you checked your file earlier this year and haven't flagged up a problem, so convincing companies of fraud after defaults would be significantly harder. You need you credit report and a full picture of the situation asap. Also be aware there may be other credit taken out, not yet on your file.