Studio, Shop Direct & Lowells

[Casualty]

Hi

Hope some one on here can offer me some help and advice.

I recently opened a joint bank account with someone from work as we brought a house together to rent out. Anyway shortly after the bank account was opened she started receiving letters addressed to me from Lowells chasing debits owing to STUDIO (£225) and SHOP DIRECT FINANCIAL SERVICES (£330).

I have checked my credit reference file with creditexpert and I now have two defaults on my file from the companies above. The accounts have been opened in Nov 07 and Feb 08 from an address I used to live at (shared accommodation) when I was a student back in 2001. Credit expert have put a notice of dispute on my file and contacted the companies involved – however no word from them as yet.

I have reported the matter to the police, however they say that it’s up to the company to report the fraud as they are the ones with the loss, and will not be investigating further.

I have written to Studio, Shop Direct and Lowells explaining that I’m not responsible for the debt, however Lowells keep sending letters to my colleague’s home demanding payment.

How do I get this matter resolved as no one appears interested in the truth.

Thanks in advance

[clemma]

Bump

[rory32]

What did you write to Lowells?

[Casualty]

Hi

I wrote to them and said that I felt that I had been a victim of Identity Theft and I had reported the matter to the police.

 

I also told them that I had not lived at the address the credit was applied for from 2001 and that my credit report showed that the DOB on both credit applications was not mine (it was different on each of the 2 applications).

 

I asked them to remove the entry from my credit file and address any future correspondence to the address I now lived at, rather than my work mates address.

[The GodMother]

Hi Casualty

 

Sorry to here you have been the victim of identy fraud. It is not very nice cause trust me i know how u feel.

 

Now i think i can help u regarding this as it has happened to me and this is what i did. I will give u a bit of backround info first.

 

l moved out of a property in 2001 very quickly, basically overnite, due to a problem with a local drug addict who use to live at the property.

 

After i moved out his partner and him moved in, i got a call from a police officer who had not been made aware of my move checking i was ok as neighbour had seen him hanging around and called police who had them down as squatting at residence. At first i thought nothing of it i had only been there for 6 months endless problems nothing registered at addy except electric which was a PPM so when it ran out that was it.

 

Moved to a property locally a few years later then had a few props with credit but though nothing of it had split with a partner and thought that might be that cause not on electrol role at new place.

 

Well about May 07 i got my CR from experian and equifax.

This studio account was on it new nothing about it it had deafulted in the dec of 2002 and looked at the addy low and behold it was the flat i had overnite left. I had been away so it took about 13 days b4 i got it. Next day a letter from moorcroft landed on door mat. I rang them and explained the guy did not care told me i was still responsible for the debt i informed them i was going to police and would ring in with crime number, he did not care just said would not get u out of paying your debt.

 

Rang back spoke to a lovely lady and low and behold even tho she was sympathic said i would still need to pay debt spoke to supervisor and said the same.

 

Wrote to them advising i was not paying for a debt that was not mine and provided the CRN in writing got a template were looking ino ur complain blah blah blah.

 

As far as i was concerned it was taking to long 3 weeks had passed since the looking into complaint letter and nowt. So i rang studio and spoke to the relivant depo. She said oh have not had anything registered from moorcroft re this can u send a copy of all the stuff u sent Moorcroft i explained i had other docs to prove my case and she asked for copys if i can supply them once i had explained the situation.

 

They went off to them and one chasing phone call later the account was dropped Moorcroft sent a appology and everything gone off CRF.

 

My best piece of advise is ring the original creditors, studio and shop direct, and speak to fraud investigation depo they will soon help u and should take the acc back from the DCA.

Edited December 28, 2008 by The GodMother
spelling

[Casualty]

The GodMother, Thank you for your advice and taking the time to share your experience.

[rory32]

If for any reason you don't get their fraud investigation depts to help you then remember that you can always make complaints to Trading Standards and the OFT as well as the FOS and your local MP.

[The GodMother]

well i have never had to make a fraud investigation complaint to the relavant authorities or threaten to do so as they have always been quick enough to take the case but also u may want to use the line i like.

 

Turn your phone slightly away from your ear but make sure that it is still pickupable by them and say darling can u get me my address book as i need claires number you know the one which works for the BBC.

 

All thought my media contacts are not called claire i always use a name that they can turn round and say is common enought to not be able to ring the bbc and trace. How many claire that work for the bbc do u think there are or even another common name of the same effect.

 

If you dont have a partner or they are not there pretend to be looking about for your address book to find claires number say quietly but not to quietly god i wish i new where i put my phone book cause i need claires bbc number.

Just always make sure they can hear it as that will make them pick up the pace as they will not want bad publicity.

 

This even works for the contacts at your local and national newspapers. The is defo gonna be a claire/rob/paul that works for the daily mail or even some repected newspaper.