CTS Lawyers - watchout they try to spoof you on old accidents.

[ftolad]

Morning all,

 

I had a rather strange phone call yesterday afternoon on my mobile number from a company calling themselves CTS Lawyers.

 

The call was about the accident I had.

 

Obviously under normal circumstances I would immediately think that the company is on a 'fishing trip' and would tell them to go away.

 

The odd thing about this was that firstly the number was withheld.

Secondly he knew my name, but the significance here is that 4 years ago my name changed due to civil partnership.

He asked for me by my previous name.

 

Furthermore, he said that my details had been passed to them via some broker, though he wouldn't tell me who, AND that it was about a rear-shunt accident in a car we owned 5 years ago.

 

It's all rather strange.

 

According to the ICO, they have a company called DBS Law Ltd which trades under several names, one of them being ClaimsToday Solicitors, being based in Broad Street Birmingham.

 

The receptionist told me that CTS Lawyers is one of their trading names, though when someone called me back he denied this

and stated that they have an ongoing Police investigation regarding an outfit potentially using their name.

 

The DVLA confirmed yesterday that the car is no longer registered in my civil partner's name.

 

As I said earlier,

normally I would just discount this type of call,

but it was the fact that he seemed to know pertinent information about me and the vehicle,

which being slightly paranoid makes me wonder if someone is or has attempted to make a fraudulent insurance claim with my details.

 

On the back of this, I have contacted the Motor Insurance Bureau,

and a manager there told me that could search against their database to see if they hold any records of an insurance claim made in my name or against the vehicle.

 

I should add that I haven't had an accident since 1995.

 

Can anyone think of anything else that I may have missed?

 

More importantly if there is anyone out there that has had a similar call from a company calling themselves CTS Lawyers?

 

TIA.

[citizenB]

Spooky, I agree. I will try to find some help for you.

[unclebulgaria67]

You could write to the CTS Lawyers at 3 Broadway, Broad Street, Birmingham, B151BQ for the attention of Head of Compliance/Data Protection officer.

 

Ask them to look into why their company is processing data and making phone calls regarding an accident involving a vehicle owned 5 years ago. If this was not your accident and you sold the car, then tell them roughly when it was sold, so they can see if they have made a mistake in contacting the wrong person.

 

Did CTS tell you that they were acting for a third party ? Or were they trying to get you to make a claim ?

[ftolad]

Spooky, I agree. I will try to find some help for you.

 

Yes it is a bit spooky.

 

You could write to the CTS Lawyers at 3 Broadway, Broad Street, Birmingham, B151BQ for the attention of Head of Compliance/Data Protection officer.

 

Ask them to look into why their company is processing data and making phone calls regarding an accident involving a vehicle owned 5 years ago. If this was not your accident and you sold the car, then tell them roughly when it was sold, so they can see if they have made a mistake in contacting the wrong person.

 

Did CTS tell you that they were acting for a third party ? Or were they trying to get you to make a claim ?

 

Hi unclebulgaria67, thanks for the reply. When the guy from DBS Law Ltd/ClaimsToday called me back, he had a quick search around using my name, phone number and vehicle registration and stated that they don't hold any information at all on their database. Of course I asked him to ensure that my details are not added to any lists, etc.

 

I could send a SAR to them just in case. I've also just called the ICO back as it may be useful to trace where the phone call yesterday originated from... I am certain it was from within the UK.

 

Do you know of anyone who has had any luck from O2 in getting hold of the originating number when it has been withheld? That number could prove useful in confirming where they got my details from. The ICO advised me that that type of information would not be dealt with under the DPA, and that perhaps the Police would have better luck in tracing the call. If that's the case, should I just contact my local station, or is there a certralised fraud office or number I should call?

 

Thanks again.

[unclebulgaria67]

Yes it is a bit spooky.

Hi unclebulgaria67, thanks for the reply. When the guy from DBS Law Ltd/ClaimsToday called me back, he had a quick search around using my name, phone number and vehicle registration and stated that they don't hold any information at all on their database. Of course I asked him to ensure that my details are not added to any lists, etc.

 

I could send a SAR to them just in case. I've also just called the ICO back as it may be useful to trace where the phone call yesterday originated from... I am certain it was from within the UK.

 

Do you know of anyone who has had any luck from O2 in getting hold of the originating number when it has been withheld? That number could prove useful in confirming where they got my details from. The ICO advised me that that type of information would not be dealt with under the DPA, and that perhaps the Police would have better luck in tracing the call. If that's the case, should I just contact my local station, or is there a certralised fraud office or number I should call?

 

Thanks again.

 

None of these will be interested in finding the call. It would be a different matter if a criminal offence had actually taken place, which you could prove, as then they could justify the expense.

 

If you write to CTS compliance, they can ask their telephony/IT experts to just enter the telephone number into a query (if you give the number) and it will tell them if they have dailed the number through their lines. If they find the phone calls, they should then find the staff that dealt with the calls. Or if they cannot find the phone calls or any data relating to you, then you get something in writing from them, that the calls were not from them.

 

From what I have heard there are people in overseas call centres working on old lists. Perhaps you should ask CTS to check with overseas call centres they may use, to see if they have made the phone calls.

[ftolad]

None of these will be interested in finding the call. It would be a different matter if a criminal offence had actually taken place, which you could prove, as then they could justify the expense.

 

If you write to CTS compliance, they can ask their telephony/IT experts to just enter the telephone number into a query (if you give the number) and it will tell them if they have dailed the number through their lines. If they find the phone calls, they should then find the staff that dealt with the calls. Or if they cannot find the phone calls or any data relating to you, then you get something in writing from them, that the calls were not from them.

 

From what I have heard there are people in overseas call centres working on old lists. Perhaps you should ask CTS to check with overseas call centres they may use, to see if they have made the phone calls.

 

Ok, thanks for that. I think that the call originated from within the UK, so I've just spoken to Action Fraud and explained some of the details and that it seemed a little odd and the guy there agreed. He suggested that I explain everything and they would have a quick look into it to see whether someone has made an insurance claim using my details.

[Ganymede]

I get these texts and phone calls all the time and I haven't even driven a car for 4 years!

 

I just either hang up on them or delete the texts.

[dx100uk]

phishing trip.

 

the key words here are 'rear shunt'

 

if a car has a rear shunt, typically people in the car can be 'encouraged' to claim neck injury compensation.

 

thing is though

 

there is a 3yrs limit.

 

this outside that.

 

very weird.

 

Dx

[unclebulgaria67]

phishing trip.

 

the key words here are 'rear shunt'

 

if a car has a rear shunt, typically people in the car can be 'encouraged' to claim neck injury compensation.

 

thing is though

 

there is a 3yrs limit.

 

this outside that.

 

very weird.

 

Dx

 

Re PI claims, as you know, if they were under 18 at the time of the accident, they have up to 3 years after the 18th birthday to make a claim.

 

The calls appears to be related to an accident, although the OP says they haven't had one in 15 years. Perhaps they have just found the wrong person while doing a search

[dacouc]

A lot of the ambulance chasing companies buy leads from comparison sites etc, you enter that you've had a non fault accident and pound sounds light up in their eyes, this is how some of them get the date of the accident and your personal details.

 

I always use a moody telephone number when getting quotes eg 01234 567890 or the comparison sites own number

[IKWALIA]

My Husband's best friend has been down on his luck for the last 12 months so he has been living with us.

 

Just today he received a phone call on his mobile phone asking saying there is a legal complication from a rear shunt accident which occurred 3 years ago.

 

My husband's friend laughed and explained he hadn't owned a car in the last 5 years and asked them to confirm the registration.

 

The registration they gave was for my husband's car and I had reversed into a bollard 3 years ago.

 

Just as he was going to give them my number the phone cut off. He rang me in a panic and I straight away googled CTS Lawyers.

 

I personally think its all a [problem] so they can offer to sue for any injuries and make people believe they have a chance of winning some money.

 

Funny thing is the only injury sustained was to the bollard!