A true story based on facts regarding Barclaycard, Lowell, Hamptons and Red.

[aesthetic13]

Thank you so much for creating and running this forum and thanks to everyone out there who take the time to share, post and reply. I have learned so much from reading about what has happened to others and have been heartened by the help and consideration that is shown to all and in consequence feel secure enough to divulge my story and how Lowell are making my life a misery...

 

Ok. Hi everyone. Here goes. Talk about a leap into the unknown… but this seems and feels like a safe place.

 

I am sorry this post is so long but I do have quite a lot to get off my chest and from what I have read you need all the details to advise me correctly.

 

I am about to go to war with Barclaycard, Lowell, Hamptons and Red, as many of you have done, but first I need to know my rights and you guys seem to be the folk that can provide it. So here it is…

 

Statement for Hemel Hempstead Police

Ref: XXX/07012008

 

This statement is regarding the crime of identity theft fraud committed against aesthetic13 by Ruth Caroline XXXXX AKA Ruth Caroline aesthetic13 (she changed her name, we were not married).

 

Background information

 

Three years and two months ago I was completely disabled and bedridden, unable to perform even the simplest of tasks for myself and totally dependant upon Ruth to care for me. I have ascites, hepatitis ‘C’, peripheral neuropathy, short term memory loss, psoriasis and I suffer from severe depression, agoraphobia, chronic asthma, chronic dyspepsia and my back is so weak, due to muscle wastage, that I am unable to lift anything over 5kgs without causing further damage to my spine.

 

At the time that I believe further identity theft fraud occurred I lived in a basement flat: 73a XXXX road, Plymouth, Devon and Ruth was my partner and carer. Until one day around the 10th of November 2004 she left without a word. There was no food in the flat, no money on the gas card and therefore no heating. Ruth had taken my building society cash cards and whatever spare cash we may have had and the charger for my mobile phone and she didn’t come home. I was completely disabled and bedridden, incapable of even the simplest of tasks and at that time very close to death. Doctors later told me that if my mum hadn’t brought me home to Northchurch I would have died within days. Despite the fact that my spine was dislocated, I managed to crawl to her room where I found an old charger with an adapter that would not fit my mobile phone. I managed to rig the charger so that the phone had a small amount of power enabling me to call my mum who came down to collect me the next day, the 17th of November 2004. I then spent 7 weeks in Hemel Hempstead General Hospital where I was treated for my various illnesses and conditions. A very kind council housing officer visited me in hospital and found me the flat where I now live: XXXX Hemel Hempstead, Herts. I had to have care for over 22 months because, despite being discharged from hospital, I was still too ill to look after myself. I even had to learn to walk again; for the first year this was with the aid of a zimmer frame.

 

Whilst I lived at XXXX Road, Plymouth Ruth had complete control over everything as I was unable to do anything for myself. This included my personal financial affairs. She was my partner and carer and I trusted her implicitly with every aspect of the day to day running of our household. My disability benefits were paid directly into my Nationwide account and she used this money to pay the bills and other household expenses by using my personal cash card. I never questioned her running of the household as I was just too ill to care and we always seemed to have enough of the bare necessities and that was all that mattered. Sometimes Ruth would get me to sign things to do with the bank and I just did as I was told for without her I would have been on my own and to question her was to invite trouble that I was unable to deal with. There were 13 steep stairs down to the basement flats’ front door and I was incapable of climbing them due to the ascites that caused my abdomen to swell up with fluid. I weighed 26 stone (I usually weigh 15 stone), my spine was dislocated because of this and i hadn’t left the flat once in the entire 6(?) months or so that we lived there. I was a prisoner in my own home and in no way in control of any aspect of my life. Ruth did everything that needed to be done and I trusted her to do so. I have since learned that this trust was misplaced.

 

When my mother came to collect me she noticed one of my bank statements lying on the floor in Ruth’s bedroom and thankfully kept it for future reference. I left that flat with nothing bar an old 14” TV set and some old clothes. Ruth had my ID, my bank cards and all of my correspondence and files. Everything she needed to commit identity theft fraud against me.

 

As soon as we got home my mum cancelled my bank cards with the Nationwide and asked them to send new cards and PIN to her home address in Northchurch and that is when it began. Ruth walked into the local Plymouth branch of Nationwide and told them that I had changed my mind and to please send the new cards to me at the Plymouth address. She then stole all of my disability benefit money. When my mum got a statement she noticed the discrepancy and had the cards cancelled again. This did not deter Ruth, she set up an internet account, using my details and transferred all of my money out of my account again. I have copies of the correspondence that my mum sent, on my behalf, to the Nationwide. My mother reported this crime to the Plymouth Constabulary and it was dealt with by PC XXXX and the crime number was XXXX. The Nationwide refunded all of my money and were very helpful.

 

I thought this was the end of the matter but sadly I was proved wrong…

 

I started getting debt collection letters from Lowell Portfolio 1 Ltd stating that there was an outstanding debt to Barclaycard of £739.06 and that I was liable for this sum. As I have never had a Barclaycard I phoned them up to obtain an explanation and they were rude and unhelpful, even refusing to send me copies of the statements and the application form, as requested by the police. Since then they have continued to harass me with calls at all hours and strange computer generated texts to my landline, not to mention numerous letters. It has got to the stage where my already poor health is starting to suffer even more. I got in contact with Plymouth Police who told me to get in touch with Hemel Hempstead Police and I duly reported the matter and then, due to my short term memory loss, forgot all about it. I no longer know what to do and need help which is why I asked an officer from Hemel Police Station to come and take a statement from me and hopefully deal with this matter.

 

I have also received other debt collection letters one of which was from Littlewoods. Ruth had set up an account with them in my name using my stolen ID etc. I called the debt collection company and they told me the debt was to Littlewoods, so I called their finance department, explained the situation and they cancelled the debt and I haven’t heard anything from them since. I also have a letter addressed to Ruth aesthetic13 at my home address that I haven’t opened but kept as proof that I am the victim of identity theft fraud again. Ruth aesthetic13 has never lived at my new address and never will.

 

Thank you in advance for your kind assistance in this matter.

 

Aesthetic13

 

Well that proved to be a complete waste of time as the police told me that I didn’t have enough evidence to prove that this was fraud and that they considered I should approach Plymouth police. I have already done this but the officer who dealt with the last case no longer handles fraud cases as he is in the armed response unit. Plymouth police don’t want to handle this matter because I now live in Hemel Hempstead, so round and round in circles I go…

 

In the past I have called Barclaycard, Lowell, Red and Hamptons and they want copies of my signature, my passport and driving licence which I am not willing to supply on the grounds that I am already the victim of identity theft fraud and don’t want anyone having that information. Once bitten twice shy…

 

I have managed to get Lowell to agree to pass this matter to their fraud department but they won’t let me talk to their fraud department, unhelpful idiots that they are, so I don’t know whether to send all the evidence from the past case to them or not.

 

Needless to say the debt for £739.06 has now accrued charges placed on the account by Lowell Portfolio 1 Ltd and now stands at £914.49. Having read a lot about charges applied to accounts illegally I am not particularly worried about that but it does take the threshold into bankruptcy territory…

 

My partner, Jo (a lovely lady) has said we can just pay them to get them off my back but this I refuse to do. Why should I continue to be a victim? She is worried that I will get a CCJ and that will affect our ability to buy a house when the market crashes as it no doubt will in the near future (I used to be an estate agent but please don’t hate me ).

 

If you need to know more to offer me advice, just ask, I have nothing to hide.

 

Thanks again to everyone for being there for me when I thought I was on my own. I sincerely look forward to your response from my first proper post in a forum. Please forgive any mistakes I may make. I am very new to al this.

 

Aesthetic13

[spamheed]

Have any charges ever been brought against your former partner?

[aesthetic13]

Not as far as i know though i did give the police her new location in Yeovil. I am planning on calling Plymouth police this afternoon and i will ask them.

 

Thank you for you reply

 

aesthetic13

[aesthetic13]

Hi spamheed

 

I have called Plymouth police and they won't tell me anything at the moment though they have said they will look into it further and took down the telephone number for Lowell and their reference number. I wonder if the police can get the application form and statements released? They said they would call me back when they have further information and gave me yet another log number...

[spamheed]

I think that in order to prove that this is not your debt, you need the police to act on the fraud, if there is proof that the police are looking into this, then the DCA should be informed and a simple phone call between the dca and the police should be enough to get them to wind their necks in.

 

If charges are brought by the police against your former partner, then that should be the end of the matter. the legal system far outweighs any powers a mere dca or creditor may think they have.

 

If the police say that your former partner was responsible for this debt and the courts concur with this, then you have absolute proof that the debt is not yours and as such there is no action any dca can take

[aesthetic13]

Thank you spamheed,

 

I will wait until the police get back to me and will update my thread accordingly.

 

I really appreciate your reassurance. It is horrible being in this position and good to know i have people who know the score to help me.

 

aesthetic13

[spamheed]

I got divorced and found all sorts of stuff coming to my house, the police got involved and although they agreed the debt wasn't mine, they couldn't pin down the ex wife who was responsible.

 

The polices involvement however was enough to put off a number of the DCAs chasing me, but not all.

 

so be warned, whilst you may have right on your side, it doesn't mean the lowlifes will leave you in peace, or play the game fairly.

 

If you can keep in constant communications with the police and periodically send a letter to the DCA letting them know of any updates or changes, it will at least show you as being forthcoming should the worst case scenario appear and this all ends up in court.

[aesthetic13]

I haven't written to lowell yet, just had lots of annoying conversations with them. Do you think i should send them the evidence of the last identity theft fraud that was perpetrated against me? My mother wrote the letters and i have replies from the Nationwide and the crime reference number...

 

I'm going to call Red now with the new log no. from Plymouth police as i reckon the police will call them. I hope this does put lowell etc off but from what i have read on this forum they do seem rather tenacious...

 

They keep telling me that they record the calls so i am going to play them at the same game and get a skype set ordered. They hate it when they get recorded... Not that I'll tell them.

[spamheed]

It would be a good idea to record your calls and tell them, if they refuse to continue with the call, it just shows they've got something to hide.

 

I doubt very much if they actually record outgoing calls, as more often than not, it's them who break the law, providing a source of proof would be self destructive. I think they would only record certain incoming calls, where the caller has to accept their terms.

 

I would, wherever possible keep communications in writing, it's harder for them to deny anything after they've put it in writing. It would certainly be advisable to inform them about the fraud case and the police involvement, and again, put it in writing (unsigned) and send it recorded, that way they can't deny they knew about it.

[aesthetic13]

Sounds like a plan. I have plenty of copies of the info and i'll send it to all 4 companies, unsigned, recorded and with a request for the apllication form and statements. I won't or shouldn't get them but it is worth a try...

 

I hope this doesn't go to court but if it does i will fight it all the way. They have annoyed me beyond reason and for this they will pay. There is nothing like the thought of putting a disabled bloke in the court to put a scare into them.

 

Thanks spamheed it is great to be getting good advive and i really do appreciate it.

[aesthetic13]

I have spoken to Plymouth police again and they told me that as my bank had repaid me the money that was stolen the police had no further interest as the bank has a duty of care to its clients and it was up to them to prosecute and not me. Fair enough but now i am finding out that she has done more and i still have to deal with it. The police advised me to cooperate with lowell etc and i will to a certain extent, within the parameters of your advice and no further.

[aesthetic13]

Having spoken to low-hell i wrote the following letter. Please could you give it a once over and give me your opinion spamheed.

 

Cheers dude

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxxxs

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Herts. xxxxxxxx

09/01/08

Lowell Financial Ltd

PO Box 172

Leeds

LS11 9WS

Private and Confidential

FAO: Mr Andrew Bartle only

Ref: xxxxxxxxxx

Enclosures: Evidence of Identity theft fraud

I DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY DEBT TO YOUR COMPANY

Dear Mr Bartle,

Having spoken to one of your representatives today I obtained her (“Linda”) assurance that the matter will only be dealt with by yourself. Both Linda and I recorded the conversation so I do expect you to deal with this matter personally as the material contained herein includes information of a sensitive nature that I do not wish disseminated to all and sundry.

I called Devon and Cornwall police today and this is the log number: 525/090108. They advised me to send you the evidence of the previous ID fraud against myself that was settled in my favour. At that time I was unable to press charges against the perpetrator due to ill health.

As this is a new instance of fraud I would appreciate it if you could send me copies of the credit card application form and all of the statements regarding the fraudulently obtained account to enable me to forward said information to Plymouth Police who have informed me that on receipt of the information that I have requested they will treat this matter as fraud and investigate it accordingly.

Thank you in anticipation for your cooperation in this matter.

I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely

 

aesthetic13 (unsigned)

[spamheed]

as an introduction, I don't feel it could do you any harm.

 

I would possibly consider rewording the section "I obtained her (“Linda”) assurance that the matter will only be dealt with by yourself. Both Linda and I recorded the conversation so I do expect you to deal with this matter personally as the material contained herein includes information of a sensitive nature that I do not wish disseminated to all and sundry."

To something like.

"I received an assurance from your agent "Linda" that this matter would be dealt with solely by yourself. I have of course recorded this conversation and can refer back to the contents if necessary for confirmation. I would also appreciate a high level of discretion with regards to my personal information and that of the persons referred to in the documentation furnished to yourselves.

Cheers

Spamheed