So scared I could be in serious trouble.

[StupidThings]

Hiya Everyone, I am new here this is my first post.

 

I joined because I am extremely worried and anxious that I may have gotten myself into a really serious situation.

 

I will be honest from the outset.

 

I am in debt with so many different payday loan companies/ mail order companies that I don't even know what they are any more, so has my mum (who I live with)

 

In November 2011, my mum got a loan with a PDL company,

she entered 'MR' instead of MRS and she entered 1 year out of the DOB, she was accepted for the loan and we haven't paid it back.

 

I am now so worried sick that that is fraud?

 

What happens if they find out, could she go to prison for this?

She doesn't even remember doing it that way, but that's the information on her online account with them, so she must have!

 

Late last year I opened several accounts with catalogue companies (simply be, brilliant gift shop)

I got credit with them, and haven't paid it back

- now this is where it gets really awful

- I didn't pay them back, then I tried to open several more accounts with them (using variations of my own name, and a different DOB)

I don't know why I even did that, obtaining credit kind of become an addiction and I now feel absolutely terrible

and worried sick that my stupid actions are going to bite me in the arse in a big way!

 

My mum also has several account with them, she also has credit with those companies that we have never paid back!

 

I am in the situation now where I cannot think about anything else other than this!

 

I do not want me or my mum to go to prison, we owe so much debt that I don't know how even to find out who we owe to

(on my mums brilliant gift shop account, she used her maiden name instead of her married name)

 

I am a very socially nervous person, and my whole life is my Dog (I know that sounds silly to some people but it's true)

I love her more than anything and I am crying just thinking about what would ever happen to her if we was to go to prison for fraud! I am so scared right now!

 

We are currently paying back Rent arrears, Council arrears and water arrears

- we are sticking to the agreement and all is going well.

 

I would ideally like to know exactly who I owe money to, so I can start payment plans with them

- but I don't know who we owe it to, and I am also really scared that if I try to find out they will discover the untrue information and decide to prosecute us!

 

Especially as I opened several other accounts that didn't get credit

- they may notice that and say that we quite obviously had no intention of paying the debts back!

 

I am overwhelmed with guilt and anxious, I wish we had never been this stupid, I don't know how to fix it and these worries are dominating my life it's so horrible. I would simply never cope with prison (and I know it's my responsibility to not get in trouble in the first place, I really know that, but I so wish I had never done this!)

 

Does anybody have any advice here?

 

Can we go to prison for this?

 

How do we begin putting this right again?

 

Thank you for reading, sorry this is a long first post that may seem a bit rambling, I am just so scared and regretful. Thanks again.

[havinastella]

Hi and welcome to CAG!

 

I don't know where to start with this. The simple answer to your question is yes, you have committed fraud. DON'T let this scare you too much.

 

You seem to have come to terms with the fact you have a problem and you want to address that problem.

 

How much do you owe (and your mother) in total? Could you set up a payment plan that would keep the fraud dampened down? Do you want to write to the companies and confess? I really cannot advise on this as I and CAG cannot condone your actions (Although we do not judge)

[Rraa]

Hello "ST" and welcome to CAG. Sorry to read about your plight. No point in delaying - go down to your local CAB and ask to speak to someone who can give you expert advice about how to deal with your situation.

 

Debt counsellors can be very helpful. I have taken advice myself from the Consumer Credit Counselling Service ( Step Change) as soon as I lost my job.

 

They advised me how to discuss my situation - though I was not in quite the same level of debt, I was just expecting to have difficulty paying some bills - they will be able to advise you on how to pick apart the financial tangles and knots you are in at the moment. The sooner you get some advice, the sooner you will start to make your way out of the maze. Wishing you more happiness soon.

[dx100uk]

couldn't agree more

there is more to this than mere debt or greed or mental state

 

step change or prob more importantly CAB time.

 

what i will say though is dont feel you are alone in this.

 

no matter how big you think the issues are

 

there are professional people that make a living from doing what you have done on a much grander scale i can assure you.

 

they dont go to prison

and neither will you.

 

you are facing up to it and are dealing with it.

 

dont let it rule or ruin your life anymore

 

dx

Edited February 9, 2013 by Conniff

[unclebulgaria67]

Remember that these loan companies may not want any publicity about how poor their systems are in stopping people obtaining loans they should not be taking out. Also they may be open to investigation by the OFT/FSA about the quality of their systems. So I doubt that the loan companies would make a complaint of fraud to the Police and would prefer to deal with this privately.

 

As suggested, work with Citizens Advice (CAB) to see what you can do. When you do this be honest about the mistakes you have made, but don't start talking about fraud. Provide CAB with as much information as you have. This may not include all of the loans as you have entered some wrong info by mistake, which may then cause the loans not to appear on your credit records. But you will get chased for these loans and when you do, you will have to see CAB again.

[StupidThings]

Hi Everyone,

 

Thank you all for your good advice, I will respond to this thread properly soon to give you all a clearer picture of what is going on (I just did but have deleted it as it came across as a bit rambling)

 

Thank you all again....

Edited February 13, 2013 by StupidThings

[dx100uk]

listen

whatever you've done

 

[and i saw the msg as have access]

 

we are NOT HERE TO JUDGE YOU.

 

just get your through this with the minumum trouble and make sure they abide by the rules.

 

you will not end up in prison!

 

best to list the debts and how much and who etc

 

and

 

i'd get your CRA file too.

 

this could be your most useful rool!

 

 

dx

[zydeco]

Listen to DX and Uncle and everybody else.

 

We are not here to judge, just to help. you've got yourself into a position and with a bit of hard work and advice and help from the people on cag you can get it sorted.

 

get a copy of your credit reference file so you know what's owed to who,

list each debt, how much, to who, etc. then we can start to help.

 

The debtors prison no longer exists (ignore what debt collectors say) so stop worrying about that, let's just start sorting things out.

 

best wishes Z.

[Guest]

yes please do listen to the guys on here, they know what they are talking about, and give good advice. They will not lead you into trouble, they will help,

[StupidThings]

Hiya all, again, I am so sorry it's taken this long to reply to this thread, I am just trying to sort a lot of things out and have so much on my mind.

 

Thank you all for this fantastic advice, it is helping me a great deal, I really do want to get this sorted more than anything.

 

The creditors I owe to (theres quite a few)

PAYDAY UK £129,

TXT Loans £180 roughly,

Swift Sterling £188.98

Wonga (I don't know how much as I haven't heard from them in a very long time)

Simply be £220,

Brilliant Gift shop £250

I also owe mini credit, I haven't heard from them in ages either, I borrowed £90 and the last time I heard from them the debt stood at around £1000 through charges.

 

I am in the process of staring payment plans with a couple of the lenders.

 

My anxiety about this has gone through the roof again,

because I have been told that I could be found out through something called 'data matching'

- apparently the government often check the information they hold about us with companies

- and since I have given so much wrong/false information like salary/employers to the payday companies

- it would be easy to be caught!

 

I am self employed earning roughly £4500 -£5000 per year,

I filled my tax return a few weeks ago (and of course gave 100% true information on this!!!)

but I am now scared that I will be data matched!

 

Thank you for reading this!

 

I really am thankful to people taking time to give me advice!

[dx100uk]

woe horsey slow down......

 

 

don't start any payments without running your thought passed us.

 

going by your list of ebts:

The creditors I owe to (theres quite a few)

PAYDAY UK £129,

TXT Loans £180 roughly,

Swift Sterling £188.98

Wonga (I don't know how much as I haven't heard from them in a very long time)

Simply be £220,

Brilliant Gift shop £250

I also owe mini credit, I haven't heard from them in ages either, I borrowed £90 and the last time I heard from them the debt stood at around £1000 through charges.

 

there are atleast 2 cat debts there ignore them for now.

 

can i suggest we get the info the the industry SEE on you...

 

get your CRA file

 

see below

 

then match that to your known debts.

 

keep your head

 

and stay off the phone etc etc

 

dx

[stu007]

Hi

 

Please please calm down I know how distressing this may seem but you will get good help and advice here.

 

Please do as dx100uk has advised especially dont talk to them on the phone and check your CRA file and lets use know if any of those you have listed are on their.

 

If you need any further help or just to talk CAG is here.