Moorcroft Again

[natalie]

They have messed up big time with this, and I just need to know the right way to go about complaining and to who.

 

I sent a CCA request to them for an Argos Card account.

 

And I got one back (not sure whether its enforceable but at the moment that is irrelevant) complete with my signature.... except that the signature is my married name and when I took out the account it would have been in my maiden name.

 

Surely this is fraudulent?

[cerberusalert]

You should make a complaint to Trading Standards via Consumer Direct; Consumer Direct - Contact us & the OFT [email protected]

[dx100uk]

so how did they get ahold of your new sig then?

 

dx

[natalie]

I have written them letters in the past (and didnt know not to sign) so presumably from those, or maybe cheques that I have sent with minimal payments. But that is just guessing.

 

My their own admission the account was opened 1998, I got married in 2000.

[kurvaface]

Perhaps you should ring the police... this does sound fraudulent. You should definitely ring trading standards

 

08454 040506

[lilly white]

Moorcroft you have to feel sorry for them.

 

POLICE I THINK.

[Bazooka Boo]

Certainly would follow the previous advice, and if Argos are harassing you for the money inform them the Police are investigating:D

 

Make sure you complain to the relevant agencies also:

 

Complaints - Privacy & electronic communication - ICO

 

Consumer Direct

 

The Office of Fair Trading: Contact us

 

Financial Ombudsman Service

 

Boo;)

[paulwlton]

It's the economic crime unit you need to contact.

[sosumi]

Write directly to the OFT. Moorcroft's licence still hasn't been renewed!

- If a pub landlord was selling beer 6 months after his licence expired or

someone was driving a car 6 months after his licence expired or

someoneone was watching TV 6 months after...

You'll get my drift.

None of the above would be classed as 'Current', would they?

The OFT are on to them. Write to the OFT.

[babybear39]

*BB watches as the OFT seem to finally be doing something*

 

Or am I having a dream

[natalie]

I've written to OFT, and to FOS, had the "its a civil matter" from the police but will try the economic crime unit.

 

I'm willing to bet that Moorcroft's response will be "ooh silly me, it was an admin error" but if I sent a letter supposedly from them admitting they owed me money with Mrs K Murray's signature photoshopped onto it, you can guarantee I wouldnt get away with it being an "admin error"!

[vengeancedemon]

Dont really understand the Police view that its a "Civil matter", if they have lifted a sig and used it to create a false document to obtain goods, services or monies by deception then its Fraud, and thats a crime ! they can get jail time for this

 

Do you have a copy of the original agreement(or whatever) with your maiden name and a copy of this one with your married name?

[natalie]

No, but I have SAR'ed Argos now, because I know for a fact that I opened it in 1999, and I have early statements in my maiden name.

[vengeancedemon]

So the crux is,

 

The original agreement ( or whatever) would have been signed in your maiden name

 

The one that you have been supplied with has your married name signature?

 

And presumably you have not signed an agreement when you changed name with Argos?

 

If I am correct in my assumptions, then Moorcroft have lifted your signature from corresponance or whatever and created a fraudulent agreement.

 

There can therefore be no question, if this a correct summary, that a Criminal Inditable fraud has occurred and the Police must pursue it as a Crime and so must the CPS

[workaholicandy]

subbing

[natalie]

I didnt ever sign an agreement with Argos, in my maiden or married name.

 

But I took out the card over a year before I was married, so there is absolutely 100% no way I would have used my married signature anyway.

 

I will be contacting the police again tomorrow as well as my MP.

[kurvaface]

Plod probably doesn't have some box to tick or category in which he can put this offence in order to meet government targets:mad:

[babybear39]

I'd get the backing of someone to help with this complaint such as your MP.

[natalie]

I'm going to give him a ring tomorrow.

[babybear39]

Yes, and good luck, let us know how you get on?

[natalie]

Awww bless, had the following letter today with a cheque for £1.00

 

We write in reference to your recently received letter [where I told them that their agreement is fraudulent as I wasnt married when I took it out, and would be reporting them the relevant authorities, including the police, the FSA, the FOC, and OFT for illegal and unethical practice] and regret to advise that we are unable to comply with your request [of a GENUINE agreement] as we are no longer dealing with this account. For the avoidance of doubt you should resubmit your request to the client.

Please find enclosed a cheque for payment which was submitted with your original request and all further correspondence should be made direct to our client.

Awwwww, doesnt it make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside

 

Still no luck with the police though.

[bigandyuk1]

I would make a complaint to the IPCC Making a complaints to the IPCC

[teaboy2]

wow after reading this thread am wishing id read it before i sent my CCA request and subject access request etc to DLC. If i had i would not have signed the letter i sent them.

 

Oh well. the signiture i used was one i had scanned into my computer for use with all letters. so ill be having a close look at the CCA and the signiture on it to make sure its not an exact copy of the signiture i used for the letter. So should be easy to tell if it is since my written signiture varies slightly all the time.

[natalie]

From the response I have had, I would guess they would try it on but as soon as confronted they would back down, because they know its a criminal offence.

 

They will try their luck to see if they will get away with it, but I dont think any of them are brazen enough to front it out if they were confronted. It wouldnt just mean a slap on the wrist from OFT, but could end up with a prison sentence for fraud.

[teaboy2]

True. but there is still other legal options we can take such as civil court. They will not be jailed but atleast victims to such fraud can be rightfully compensated.

 

also once you have recieved a copy of the CCA from them and they have superimposed a copy of your signature from your written letters to them, or faked your signiture any other way, then that copy of the CCA is evidence of the fraud. so they cant back away from it really. So i would take them straight to court if they do it to me. Infact i think we all should, because then they will think twice about it if hundreds or thousands of people took them to court for fraud.

 

or we can just wait for them to take us to court as there keen to threaten us with, and then just produce the evidence of the fraud to the court and put in a counter claim aginst them. would love to see the faces of their legal representatives then.

Edited August 11, 2009 by teaboy2