Need help/advice urgently
 

I had an Orange contract phone that I didnt need, so i gave it to a close relative (he cant get a contract) and agreed I would pay the bill as long as it wasnt too much. Everything went well for a month or two.

But! Ive just found out that this relative has signed up for a new contract with Virgin Mobile USING MY NAME AND BANK DETAILS! :mad: The same amount is going out via direct debit as before, so I didn't even notice anything! Christ knows where he got my bank account details from. I feel completely used and stupid.

What should I do (apart from give him a thump!!)? I haven't spoken to Virgin yet, as I do not know what they will do if I tell them what has happened (its fraud, isn't it? police?). I suspect they wont want to know, especially as they gave him an expensive new phone.

Am I stuck with this account for the next 12 months?

Re: Need help/advice urgently
 

If it was me, I'd be calling the police and Virgin. You shouldn't allow him to get away with such a breach of trust.

Re: Need help/advice urgently
 

First thing you do is ring up your bank and cancel the direct debit and play merry hell with them as this was not authorised by yourself.. Also ask for them to claim back all payments made under that direct debit.

Then personally I'd call the police (local number and not the 999 number) and report it to them as that will then give you a crime number which will help you in the future regarding this matter (i.e.. credit rating..etc..) also call virgin reporting to them that someone has used your details without permission quoting to them the crime number

Re: Need help/advice urgently
 

Cancelling the direct debit may give the OP a bad credit rating. I'd go with the rest though

Re: Need help/advice urgently
 

The credit rating shouldn't be effected if it's unauthorized, hence the claim-back and the police report/crime number

Re: Need help/advice urgently
 

He would have to prove it and then get the marks removed from his credit record which is not always easy to do.

Re: Need help/advice urgently
 

Still I assume he is still recieving the money for the virgin mobile from the relative so there is no point risking the hassle of going round the big 3 credit agencies to get adjustments.

Re: Need help/advice urgently
 

It's fraud, plain and simple, and as there is no way to back out of the contract without also revealing that it was fraudulently created, you have little option but to either keep paying it for 12 months, or drop your relative in a world of doo-doo.

Pity, but sadly sometimes, some people just can't be helped. I'm afraid if it were me there's absolutely no way I would contemplate letting him get away with it, as he has shown himself willing and able to do it so there's nothing to stop him doing it again.

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Well if it was MY relative I'd certainly let the rest of the family KNOW just in case he makes a habit of this especially if there are any elderly vulnerable relatives to be considered.If he's done it once he may try again.:erm:

Re: Need help/advice urgently
 

If I inform the police they will probably caution him wont they? Or arrest him? He has never done anything like this before (I talked to all my family and they are shocked) so I dont really know what to do.

Im just going to have to make sure he pays me every month - if he doesn't there isnt much I can do.

Thanks for all the advice, its appreciated.

T.D.

Re: Need help/advice urgently
 

Sorry to say but when someone like this gets away with it once there's always a high probability that they'll do it again, whether it be to you or someone else in the family. As such you're letting him get away with identity fraud

Re: Need help/advice urgently
 

For goodness sake don't be so silly, this person only has to default for 30 days, and this will automatically bork your credit rating. If that happens expect:

Refusal for new credit.
Review of your credit status with any credit cards you may have, and expect a rise in interest APR.

Re: Need help/advice urgently
 

He'll be arrested.
First offence he MIGHT get a caution, it really depends on CPS, identity theft (which is what this is) is looked at pretty seriously though.

If he doesn't get a caution then it'd likely be a conditional discharge, failing that community service.

Don't just let him pay, and definitely don't think "if he doesn't there isn't much I can do" because he WILL take advantage of you again in future. It might just be a phone contract now, but what about when his TV breaks down and he needs to get a new one and decides to get one on finance in your name?

There's a reason he can't get a contract in his own name, his bad credit history shows that he isn't going to keep up the payments. Deal with it NOW before it gets to that else when it does you're going to have to answer all sorts of questions on why you didn't sort it out sooner.

Re: Need help/advice urgently
 

On your own head ... :shrug: