Carphone Warehouse Fraud - Compensation Help Please!

[Lou1075]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm new here, so hopefully I'm posting this in the most relevant section - if not I would be grateful if it could be moved to the best place.

 

Very briefly - I have been the victim of identity fraud with several companies, all of which were easy to resolve except Carphone Warehouse. Two fraudulent mobile accounts were opened online in my name but at an unknown address, one of which resulted in a CCJ against my name. Carphone Warehouse have been totally inadequate in their dealing of this, and only 9 months down the line after a great deal of my time, endless calls and emails and some expensive calls to courts, DCA's, Equifax etc have I finally today got the CCJ removed.

 

I have not been able to get credit since July 2009 when I first discovered something was wrong, which has had an adverse effect both personally and for my business (not being able to re-mortgage, get a loan for house repairs or move house for example). Coupled with the shear incompetence of Carphone Warehouse this has caused an unbelievable amount of stress (definitely not needed as I am 6 mths pregnant).

 

I want to approach CW for a substantial amount of compensation, but want to make sure that I go about it in the best way to maximise the possible payout. I have had a good search of the forums but can't find anything that is quite relevant to my situation.

 

If anyone can point me in the right direction I would be really grateful, and if you need any more info just let me know - above is a very shortened version of events!

 

Many thanks in advance.

[cymruambyth]

Hi I major problehad ms with Carphone Warehouse, this is what i did to get a successful resolution

 

Final update and a big thank you to buzby for all his help.

I eventually used the email on this site for Mr Dunstone . Received a fairly prompt call from the CEO's office Special Cases Resolution team. Gave their apologies and offered £50 compensation, £25 to cover phone calls. Apparently they will ensure that all the people whose names were listed will have furtther training:eek:

Thank you to CAG, once I get the cheque and then get a payment from son who has to receive the cheque...... will make a donation.

This was my thread

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?223183-Carphone-Warehouse-totally-incompetent

[liquidauctions]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm new here, so hopefully I'm posting this in the most relevant section - if not I would be grateful if it could be moved to the best place.

 

Very briefly - I have been the victim of identity fraud with several companies, all of which were easy to resolve except Carphone Warehouse. Two fraudulent mobile accounts were opened online in my name but at an unknown address, one of which resulted in a CCJ against my name. Carphone Warehouse have been totally inadequate in their dealing of this, and only 9 months down the line after a great deal of my time, endless calls and emails and some expensive calls to courts, DCA's, Equifax etc have I finally today got the CCJ removed.

 

I have not been able to get credit since July 2009 when I first discovered something was wrong, which has had an adverse effect both personally and for my business (not being able to re-mortgage, get a loan for house repairs or move house for example). Coupled with the shear incompetence of Carphone Warehouse this has caused an unbelievable amount of stress (definitely not needed as I am 6 mths pregnant).

 

I want to approach CW for a substantial amount of compensation, but want to make sure that I go about it in the best way to maximise the possible payout. I have had a good search of the forums but can't find anything that is quite relevant to my situation.

 

If anyone can point me in the right direction I would be really grateful, and if you need any more info just let me know - above is a very shortened version of events!

 

Many thanks in advance.

 

What figure is on your mind?

[Lou1075]

Many thanks for your replies. I was thinking I would like to try and get at least £2000 out of them - my life really has been on hold for a year and a half by not being able to get credit.

 

I have no idea if this is reasonable/achievable though or if maybe even it's too little! That's where I was hoping to get some advice, along with the best way to present my case to them!

 

Many thanks!

[liquidauctions]

You can try, there response would be

 

1. You were responsible for not protecting personal information.

2. Just because they did not take your word for it, doesnt mean they caused prejudice.

 

It is difficult unless they caused prejudice

[Lou1075]

Hi there,

 

With regards to my personal information - I understand that the responsibility would ultimately fall at my feet no matter how careful I was. I understand that fraud happens sometimes. It's an unfortunate fact of life. (I would note that the person I initially spoke to at e2save/CW did admit that they had no proper fraud checks in place for internet orders at the time this happened). I also accept that the CCJ was obtained. That again would be a natural course of progression with a defaulted account. My issue is with the way Carphone Warehouse has handled the case, and the fact that it has taken so long for them to not only get the accounts marked as fraud, but to then get the CCJ removed - in fact their so called Credit File Team, who no-one at CW has a phone number for, don't seem to even know the procedure!

 

Right from when I first contacted them I could prove the accounts were fraudulent and nothing to do with me. The matter should have been sorted within a couple of months at the maximum. This I could have dealt with - the things I needed credit for could have waited for that period of time without being too detrimental financially. A year and a half however is a completely different story and way beyond a joke.

 

Am I reading between the lines correctly with your reply that basically because the CCJ stems from fraud, CW can do what they like and drag their feet for as long as they like without recourse?

 

Thanks...

[cymruambyth]

I would still suggest you email Mr Dunstone. I had got nowhere until I did this and my case was given to the Special Cases Resolution Team. Their response was very prompt and I received a small amount of compensation.

[Lou1075]

Thanks for your reply... I will definitely do that - I was just hoping to get some help with some points on how to maximise the compensation!

 

I have already been dealing with the Fanatical Support Team (basically a team dealing with escalated complaints) since November/December time, and they have already said they could offer me £50 once things have been resolved, but if I wanted any more than that I would have to go higher up.

[liquidauctions]

Hi

No they cant do what they like but then again they cant do what anyone else likes also. CCJ's take months to remove and involves court intervention to remove them and a fee. I would be glad to have it removed but I dont think getting credit will become easier if they give ou a CIFAS entry which is in thier right to do so.

[liquidauctions]

Im not trying to be negative in this situation but just try to get real point accross. If you think and have evidence that they did not deal with your account in a propper manner then you are entitled to a pay out which comes under prejudice. If its just a thought or anger then it could lead you into covering their costs if you do infact lose.

[Lou1075]

I already have CIFAS on my credit file - the first catalogue I discovered fraud with signed me up for it as I had no idea what else might be in the pipeline.

 

The actual process of getting the CCJ removed from start to finish (once I TOLD CW how to do it) took three weeks max - Bryan Carter sending a Notice of Discontinuance, the court issuing the Order to set aside, the update of the Register of Judgements and me sending a copy of the order to Equifax. There is therefore no excuse for CW to drag their feet for 18 plus months!

[Lou1075]

I wouldn't want to do anything in haste - I read about a guy during my researching on google who tried to take his bank to court and ended up having to pay £3000 in costs! I am 6 mths pregnant and don't need any more stress than they've already put me through, so don't want to go down the court route really anyway.

 

I have an e-mail trail for a lot of the correspondence, and everything else I have noted names, extension numbers, dates, what they promised to do etc. I also obviously have all letters I have received. I guess it's going to be a case of writing it all down, putting a compensation figure in, justifying it, waiting to see what they come up with and then using my best bartering skills!

[liquidauctions]

Good luck with all of it, again I dont like to post negative comments but just like to ensure the OP knows what can happen if contested. If they have offered you compensation then they admit liability, If you could justify what you want and show you are wiilling to go further then you wont have a problem.

[cymruambyth]

£50 is their standard offer.