Help Please

[Scared_Uk]

Hi,

 

Husband was accosted by a man on our driveway last night looking for someone who supposedly lives at our address.

We've been getting a lot of mail for them, and we just keep returning it, and thought all was ok

However, I have the same first name as this person, and many, many years ago, before I got married, I had the same surname, but since I got married I have only ever used my husband's name

Asked him who he was, he replied 'Sheriff' then gave him my driving licence to prove I was not the person in question.

He told us the name of the person he was looking for, and the name they were trading as, kept asking my husband what he did for work, asked me quite a few times if I was the person he ws looking for, maybe I just changed my name and forgot to let them know etc

He wrote a lot of details down, and said he would pass the details back to the solictiors to confirm, then 'He would be back'

I didn't really take it all in, just thought he was doing a really bad impression of the Terminator and laughed

However, since reading through these forums, I am scared witless!!

From what I understand, he would of come to the house to repossess things, is this true, is there anything I can do to prove I'm not this person? I have checked Equifax and Experian and there is nothing on there

Should I be worried, or am I just blowing this out of all proportion?

 

Please help

[Saffronflowers]

Firstly a big hug - how horrid.

 

Easy to say but no you should not worry, they cannot break into your house they would be committing and enourmous offence if they did.

 

SFx

[Scared_Uk]

Thanks for that SF, but like you say, easier said than done

 

Will just have to wait and see what happens, hopefully, now they've seen ID they will realise I'm not who they're looking for

[chris600uk]

And just to add my twopenn'th to SF's post.

 

If I was in your position now after what's happened, I'd be opening every item of creditor mail that came through my door (you get to know what it looks like) and writing to the creditors explaining that that person does not live at your address.

 

I used to get this a lot when I had properties - I know that strictly speaking it's wrong - but it made me feel more comfortable.

[Scared_Uk]

My son used to open mail for me, and has opened wrong mail before, and I used to phone them to say Not here, and no it's not me.

Most were helpful, others down right rude, so in the end, I stopped son opening mail, and just kept returning it.

Thought it had all stopped, as have had no mail for quite a while now, obviously it was just the calm before the storm

Will wait and see what the postman brings from now on

[chris600uk]

Well yes, I've had that experience too.

 

The worst was when we bought a place and found that 14 people were using it as an address for medical treatment Harley Street - one cheeky bugger even came round asking for his mail.

I know they had never ever lived there.

And our authorities weren't interested and were even offhand with me.

 

But the fact is, if you don't open the mail how can you know what's going on.

[Saffronflowers]

A small note and more for interest than anything else - opening someone else's post is infact in contravention of the 1953 Postal Act!! You would not beleive the amount of times that has come in useful!! However, as there is no malicious intent in your actions and more for the protection of your property I think anyone understand that it was necessary.

 

You mention a "sheriff" does that mean you are in Scotland or that it is an old style High Court Enforcement Officer, did he leave you with any paperwork etc. You need to know what the debt is for and thenwe can help you further.

 

Please try not to worry too much we will all be here to help you as much as we can.

 

Sfx

[Scared_Uk]

Have never opened mail before, but have been tempted, especially after reading the ones that my son opened.

Think if anymore turn up, I might, depends on how brave I'm feeling

I'm in England, all he said was he was a sheriff, looking for so and so, showed me the paperwork to confirm the address, and that was it.

He didn't leave anything behind, should he of done?

Don't know who the debt is owed to, just know the name of the person and their trading name, mind you, just the thought of him coming back, maybe I will open the post after all

Do I need to do anything, or just wait for the post/sheriff

Is a sheriff the same as a balliff? Can't help it, but everytime sheriff is mentioned, conjures up memories of John Wayne

Also, first time I've posted on here, and forgot to say Hi, so, apologies, and Hi everyone, and thank you so much

[Saffronflowers]

LOL SU - you and me the same re Sheriff!

 

Hold your horses for now (apologies) and see what more info peeps post here, I am sure that by the end of the day you should have a lot of useful info.

 

SFx

[Scared_Uk]

LOL SU - you and me the same re Sheriff!

 

Hold your horses for now (apologies)

SFx

 

Lol, awful Pun, but it made me chuckle, Thanks