You can sign up for free 30 day trials with Credit Expert (Experian) and Equifax. I think you can also get a free CallCredit report somewhere, but otherwise it's £2 to view it. Check through it and make sure everything is as you think it should be. Let us know how it goes.

I'm going to send a letter tomorrow or Wednesday (may be tied up all tomorrow) to Studio, asking how/why this happened. I am also going to write to Experian/Credit Expert wanting to know why they allowed the search to be carried out in the first place. If they had flagged up inconsistencies then the account could never have been opened. I hold both companies responsible. There are always going to be a££holes out there trying to steal etc off others, but these companies are in a position of power and should prevent it. They won't accept responsibility though, it's always pass the buck. At the end of the day though, it is our data they hold and our future can be affected by them allowing companies to search/create accounts without permission. I'll update this thread when I have some news. Please, if anyone has any thoughts/experiences, add them to this thread.

What barstewards I haven't had an account with them, but have the recent misfortune of having to deal with them when someone opened an account with them in my name using my old address They are such lying barstewards as well. Hope you get this sorted. It is disgusting that she has paid back the debt and a hell of a lot of interest, yet they are still harassing you for more. Them sending an unsigned credit agreement is just funny - as if, Studio

Just checked my Equifax, and the account has been deleted from there - good. Checked my Experian, and Express Gifts Ltd searched my report AGAIN on 13/08/2010! Without my permission! It does say unrecorded enquiry though, so will lenders be able to see this? I am STILL not listed on the electoral roll on either report

Got a letter from Studio, finally, on Saturday. Dated 13th August, so the day I last spoke to them They confirm that their records have been amended to show that I am not responsible for the debt incurred on the account. They also confirm that the account will be deleted from my credit files within the next 28 days. Obviously, I am pleased with this. However, I still want answers as to how this happened in the first place. So, today I want to compose a letter asking them why - has anyone got any thoughts that could be included? I.e. if you know anything about regulations that are followed by credit reference agencies when searching. I am going to write to Experian as well to ask why they authorised such a search, as the email they sent me was not a good enough answer. And send a copy of Studio's letter to Equifax and Call Credit to get them on the case of removing this account from my credit files. Equifax still haven't replied to my email lodged through their system telling them that this account on my report is fraudulent. Also, has anyone got any advice on how to safe guard this happening in the future? It may still be possible for me to get a mail forwarder setup from my old address - is it worth it? Also is CIFAS protection worth it, as I don't really want any delays when I apply for future credit products.

Thanks I don't expect things to happen overnight, but over 3 weeks is taking the wee-wee. It's taken them that long to admit they got my letter! I shall certainly be complaining about this. It is very wrong that someone was able to open a credit account just using these small details and bogus the rest of them. What is the point of having alerts, etc on CR's when they don't alert for fraudulent activity? Surely if my D.O.B and address is wrong they shouldn't have been able to search my account, let alone open a credit agreement!

Thanks Patrick! I found the receipt for the recorded letter I sent to Studio on the 27th July, and tracked it and it showed it was delivered on the 29th July, so the other advisors who told me nothing had been received were either lying or not taking it seriously enough to actually find out, which annoys me. I rang them today and spoke to someone who actually had some brain cells, and he has confirmed they have got my letter and that their credit investigations department is dealing with it now. He confirmed again that the account has been blocked, and also told me that someone (the fraudster) had tried to change the address on the account unsuccessfully! Studio haven't let them know that the account is being investigated, so this is definitely getting more and more suspicious. Are they hoping I won't have noticed and then try and change the address to theirs, but at the same time have me carry teir debt???? He has put in an urgent call back for the credit investigations team to ring me back and tell me what is going on. I can't believe how long this has taken already and am saddened that in this day and age identity theft is still happening. Disgusting.

Spoke to some idiot on Tuesday who said they still hadn't got my letter (written and sent on 27th July) but would write to me once they had. They said a manager would phone me back as I made it clear how angry I am getting. Been over 48 hours now and no ring back. I am beyond angry that this credit account is now showing on my experian and equifax. I spoke to equifax and have lodged a complaint about the incorrect credit account on there, but am still awaiting an email back. Any ideas what I can do to bring this forward? I am so angry thinking that Studio are going to start putting late payment markers on this account which reflects on me, and no amount of the 'advisor' saying that they will rectify my account pacifies me at the moment. I am just so angry and frustrated that this has happened and no one seems to give a damn. Why aren't my smilies working, I want an angry smiley - grrrrrrrr

Thanks, that's what I thought. Only my name and old address was correct, true to me. The rest was made up. Will update tomorrow

Hi, someone else suggested a SAR to find out everything that Studio holds about 'me'. It isn't just a search on Experian, an account was actually opened. It was only the fact that I pay for unlimited access of my credit report that I was able to find out so quickly. The account isn't showing on my report, and hopefully won't, as CE have been working with me to contact this company. I'm going to speak to Studio tomorrow and find out if they have received my letter yet (they must have) and what they are doing about it.

Rang my card company today who have confirmed no transactions, nor attempted transactions. And my account was closed 2nd August. They did send out a new card, along with advice of my new limit to my old address, which has made me furious but THANKFULLY nothing has happened. Absolute imbeciles. No contact from Studio today. Will be chasing them up tomorrow. CreditExpert have emailed me back saying that they have again got in contact with Studio about this activity, and have let CC and Equifax know I have been a victim of ID theft. Has anyone got any idea of a template letter or such that I can send to the police to try and get them to investigate this? Also, if I send the subject access request, do I still need to send £10?

I can't view the next page - I have to go back to the index, find the thread again then click on the page number. Also my default is 'quick reply' rather than just automatically giving me the advance option.

CallCredit last updated 31st July and is showing as nil balance, so hopefully this is OK. If not then it is the credit card company's fault for 1) not changing my address when requested and 2) upping my limit without asking, thus giving notice to people living at my old address. Though I suppose it is necessarily someone living at my old address, it could be as the policeman said, just a random selection. I am suspicious though, and this is going to make me even more paranoid

Thanks Patrick. Yes I will certainly be complaining and making sure they cover the cost of my telephone/postage charges. Regarding my credit card, I rang to close it and have had a letter since to confirm it is closed. I will ring them tomorrow and ask why they put my credit limit up with 8 months of inactivity, and to confirm no transactions were made. I am freaking out about this now as well. I did write to them to change my address but they obviously didn't do it. I thought I wasn't getting any statements from them as my balance is zero. My balance on CreditExpert and Equifax shows as zero, last updated last month, so hopefully there hasn't been anything since. They didn't mention anything when I rang to close. I did tell them I had changed address then so that is why I have got the account closure letter sent to my address. I will make sure to always get a mail redirect service setup next time I move. Not sure what else I can do, though it seems someone can open an account with Studio just by knowing someone's name and old/current address.

I am going to phone them again on Tuesday if not heard anything back, and if they aren't getting on with it straight away I will certainly send them that letter. Can I contact trading standards or the Ombudsman about it? I have checked my call credit report as well and find that the credit card company I wrote to who failed to change my address, randomly upped my credit limit (despite me not using it for months previously) without me asking, and no doubt sent a letter about it to my old address! Thankfully there has been no transactions on there, I don't think they are stupid enough to include full card details on letters, and I have now closed the card. This whole thing is a nightmare

It just suddenly changed though... Has there been an update to the theme of the forum? Confusing for a new user!

Thanks everyone. I will ring the police again. If I send the subject access request with ten pounds, can I get them to send this back to me afterwards, as I don't see why I should have to pay for this muppet who has stolen my identity. It's bad enough all the phone calls and postage charges this has cost me so far. Also why is the forum all weird???

Thanks everyone, the policeman didn't give me a crime reference number. I spoke to CID I think, or was it CIB? Anyway he said that he'd filed the incident and if they ever needed to go round there they'd keep an eye out for the things I told him that the person had ordered It's appalling that the police won't even go round there to investigate! It is obviously someone at my old address, but the police said it is "usually someone not living at the address who hangs around in a van for the delivery, then offers to take the delivery in for the person". I also think it's disgusting that CreditExpert are not able to take off the search straight away when I have told them that I did not authorise it. The same with Studio really. I've had to faff around sending proof that I live where I do, and yet they opened an account for some muppet supplying false details without a thought! It does not seem right, and I am fuming about it Is it worth pressing the police about it and seeing if they will go round there? What about if I say I am going to go round there and have it out with them! CE have placed a notice of correction on the search that matters, saying that I am disputing it. I have also put a password on my file. Has anyone got any idea whether CIFAS would be a good idea? I am worried it will cause problems when I want to apply for credit using my details. I am annoyed as I have just got my file back on track and wanted to apply for a balance transfer as soon as I was showing as on the electoral roll at my new house.

I am wondering whether this person actually signed an agreement with this company? As it's an online mail order, maybe it was signed digitally? The SAR mentions sending £10, do I still need to do this and if so, can I reclaim it back from them?

Thanks very much for your help Erika I will have a read through the template.

Thanks very much for your reply Brigadier. I spoke to the local police the day after I discovered it (looked at my report in the evening) and they basically said they couldn't do much as it was the catalogue company that are the real victims Even though they were the ones who allowed this to happen, plus I think it's a high chance that the people who have committed this crime live at our old address I am new to this site, where will I find the template for the credit agreement? Also how do I go about reporting to Office of Fair Trading and IC office? I got a phone call from a manager at Studio last night at 9.30pm. She said there was a man who 'dealt with things like this' who will write back to me once he receives my letter. I informed her I was very upset that this had happened, and annoyed how easily they opened a credit account in my name.

Does no one have any idea??

Maybe this wasn't the right part of the forum

Not sure if this is the right area of the forum to post this in. If not, I apologise. I notice two searches made on my credit report by a company named Express Gifts Ltd in June and July this year. I did not recognise either search, and more worrying one was referred to as a mail order account. The person had used my name, my old address but had entered a wrong date or birth and an incorrect length of time I was living at my old address I contacted Express Gifts, or Studio as Google told me, to find out more. The advisor told me that yes, an account had been opened and some goods sent. Several other items had been ordered as well, and were awaiting dispatch! I told him that it was not me who opened the account and they have frozen the account. He told me to send in a letter with proof that I was living at my new address when these searches were made and the account opened. I sent the letter last week, and have spoken to them again today but they say they haven't got my letter yet. I am waiting for a call from their manager. I am still on the electoral roll at my old address and am due to be added shortly, but not on it yet, at my new address. Unfortunately the fraudsters have taken advantage of the council's slowness at updating things, as I feel it was also this factor that enabled them to open the account. I requested at the time of adding the new address, to be removed from the old one, but they haven't done it yet so have been in contact with them again today and they are removing it. I am incredibly angry that someone was able to open a credit account solely on my name and my old address, whilst making up other fake details. Even the mobile phone number that I got off the advisor at Studio is a fake one. The police won't do anything as they say Studio are the victims. However, it would be my credit that would be affected when these b$st@ards run up debts in my name and get me defaults. A large company like Studio may loose out on the products already sent, however they should have carried out the correct checks in the first place. Has anyone got any ideas or experience of this? I would like to complain about how a credit account was opened so easily in my name. I am working with the credit reference agency who have added a password and a notice of correction regarding the search, temporarily on my account, until this is sorted out. I am fuming as I have finally got my credit back on track and wanted to apply for a balance transfer card once I was on the electoral roll. Thank goodness I pay for unlimited access to my report. On another matter, the idiots at TalkTalk who I was going to take out an account with but thankfully didn't, were able to search my Equifax report with an incorrect spelling of my name. How can this happen? I find it scandalous that these reference agencies have our futures in their hands by allowing these inaccuracies to be bypassed, and people can search our reports just like that!