Identity Fraud

DotNetWebs · Aug 7, 2006

I have been informed by a credit card company that someone has attempted to apply for a credit card in my name.

Frustratingly the credit card company would not give me any details as to how the application was made. The only one snippet I could get out of them was that the applicant had my correct address but tried to convince them to send the card to another address. They also said that, in their own words, the application was "comical" and had no chance of succeeding.

Based on the above snippet and the fact that my address is clearly stated on my websites and WHOIS lookups etc., I am assuming that the applicant has used the internet to obtain my details. Another reason for suspecting this is that I have also has a few problems with hackers attempting to attack my servers, forums etc.

Amazingly the credit card company say their policy is NOT to contact the police as in the past they have been told that as no money has been lost they will not investigate the matter. As the credit card company will not release any details to me there appears to be little else I can do.

I just wondered if anyone else had encountered this situation or had any advice etc.

kaz101 · Aug 7, 2006

Hi,

My husband went through this as well. However he doesn't have an internet presence so they think it was done through a piece of stolen mail. He had 6 fraudulent credit card applications each saying that they used to live at ..... but have now moved to ..... so please send any documentation there. All 6 credit card companies sent letters to our current address to check. Only one of the credit card companies asked my husband to go down to the police station to report it, which he did. We've not heard anything since though.

Now there's a note on my husbands record and recently when I applied for a credit card the company rang me. They asked me loads of questions to check it wasn't a fraudulent application since it's been tried before.

So beware that the next time that you apply for something they may ask you loads of questions just to check.

I don't understand the identity fraud checks that some companies are advertising since if the fraudulent credit cards had been allowed we wouldn't be able to check for it since it would be at an address that has nothing to do with us. At least that's the way I understand it.

Karen

DotNetWebs · Aug 7, 2006

Hi Karen

Thanks for the reply. I suppose it could just as likely be stolen mail in my case as well. I get several of those "you have been pre-approved for credit card blah, blah, blah...." a week.

I think my next step will be to register with the mailing preference service and try and cut some of this out.

Regards

bwglaw · Aug 7, 2006

If you are an individual (not a Limited Company) you can opt-out to have your full details displayed on WHOIS

robertt · Aug 7, 2006

handsongroup said:
If you are an individual (not a Limited Company) you can opt-out to have your full details displayed on WHOIS

Only on .uk , and even then if it is none commercial use .

bwglaw · Aug 7, 2006

We use UKreg and we can opt out even as a Limited Company! It is what their system is allowing

robertt · Aug 7, 2006

UKreg != nominet

If nominet spots (or has it reported to them) a .uk that is being used commercially regardless of registrant status they will opt it back in .

bwglaw · Aug 7, 2006

UKreg = Nominet AND ICANN! We have .com's on there too.

The opted out domains have been renewed many times over!

bwglaw · Aug 7, 2006

I would recommend you check your credit rating report on a regular basis to reduce identity theft

DotNetWebs · Aug 7, 2006

handsongroup said:
I would recommend you check your credit rating report on a regular basis to reduce identity theft

Thanks for that

As with Karen's husband I have now been put on a 'risk list'. I asked if this would negatively affect my credit rating. They said it might actually improve it ??? - Bizarre

DuaneJackson · Aug 7, 2006

Code:

if (ukreg==(nominet+icann))
{
call eatOwnHat();
}

bwglaw · Aug 7, 2006

DotNetWebs said:
Thanks for that

As with Karen's husband I have now been put on a 'risk list'. I asked if this would negatively affect my credit rating. They said it might actually improve it ??? - Bizarre

I always buy my credit report from Equifax online and scrutinise the data. I have made a notice of disassociation once when someone I do not know or associate with had their name on my file.

I am now considering legal action against one company for incorrect data. Either I will go to IC or bring proceedings in the County Court

Cornish Steve · Aug 8, 2006

Identity theft has become an epidemic. Unfortunately, there are so many ways to obtain personal information, e.g., by stealing personal mail or by gaining access to company accounts (e.g., your doctor's office). There's no way to know how these people obtained your information. If I was you, I'd close down that credit card account and open a different one. At a minimum, check your credit card statement carefully in the coming months.

I've heard consumer activists state that the worst thing you can do these days is to pay for something by cheque. A personal cheque contains a lot of personal information, plus you get none of the anti-theft guarantees that come with a credit card.

Kent Accountant · Aug 8, 2006

Was coming back from a long weekend away yesterday and listening to Radio 4. Inside Money did a whole programme on identity theft - very interesting. You can listen again at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/inside_money/default.stm

robertt · Aug 8, 2006

handsongroup said:
UKreg = Nominet AND ICANN! We have .com's on there too.

The opted out domains have been renewed many times over!

As pointed out a couple of us will eat hats if UKreg = Nom + Icann

Using similar logic I am Nominet and Icann and run the internet...bwuuuhahaha </evil laugh> .

My point is that yes you can register XmasisGreat.co.uk to Mr S Claus via UKReg however it is an incorrect registration.

It is UKreg's systems not being clever enough to give the correct options, and allowing you as a user to break Nominets rules. In this instance its not a huge issue (unless opting out for privacy is an issue) however there are cases where cock ups with registrant names have resulted in domains being lost .

bwglaw · Aug 8, 2006

robertt said:
As pointed out a couple of us will eat hats if UKreg = Nom + Icann

Using similar logic I am Nominet and Icann and run the internet...bwuuuhahaha </evil laugh> .

My point is that yes you can register XmasisGreat.co.uk to Mr S Claus via UKReg however it is an incorrect registration.

It is UKreg's systems not being clever enough to give the correct options, and allowing you as a user to break Nominets rules. In this instance its not a huge issue (unless opting out for privacy is an issue) however there are cases where cock ups with registrant names have resulted in domains being lost .

Don't I love cock-ups!

UKreg being run by Fastbuck is no surprise either

DotNetWebs · Aug 14, 2006

The plot thickens:

I have today been told by another credit card company than an application has been fraudulently made in my name.

This time the credit card company gave me a few more details about the application.

Apparently it was made online and the applicant had my correct DOB, Address, Bank sort code / account number and my Mother's maiden name.

It's all a bit worrying but apparently it is very common nowadays. Again the credit card company have said their policy is not to contact the police. They even actually wrote back to the applicant and tell them their application has been rejected! :|

ps Bob

Thanks for the link. I am about to listen to the show

bwglaw · Aug 14, 2006

How on earth have they got hold of your mother's maiden name?

The rejected application will now be on your credit file. Perhaps you should report it to the Police

Jonathan

Cornish Steve · Aug 14, 2006

Have you informed your bank about this? It's rather worrying that someone has your bank account information. Could the bank change your account number?

DotNetWebs · Aug 14, 2006

handsongroup said:
How on earth have they got hold of your mother's maiden name?

The rejected application will now be on your credit file. Perhaps you should report it to the Police

Jonathan

That is what is worrying me. It is a very common question on many banking sites etc.

I am now thinking of going to the police. I have also just had this site pointed out to me which has the 'offical' government advice.

http://www.identity-theft.org.uk/

DotNetWebs · Aug 14, 2006

goldctrsteve said:
Have you informed your bank about this? It's rather worrying that someone has your bank account information. Could the bank change your account number?

Thanks Steve. I haven't had chance today. I will pay a visit to my branch tomorrow and seek their advice.

PI Guy · Aug 14, 2006

The police are unlikely to catch those responsable, not because they can't but because they don't have the resources to persue them. However reporting them will achieve the following;

1: you get a crime reference number
2: you use this number as evidence that the rejected application is nothing to do with you

For what all thats worth, i don't know.

Sci7 · Aug 15, 2006

handsongroup said:
UKreg = Nominet AND ICANN! We have .com's on there too.

The opted out domains have been renewed many times over!

No UKreg is not Nominet. UKReg aren't a very good registrar, as they do not make it easy for their customers to comply with Nominet's rules. Currently it is not possible to opt in and out of having address information displayed on the whois via UKreg's online control panel. It is also not possible to set the registrant-type field.

I believe that Nominet should be ensuring that their registrars, particularly the large ones such as UKreg are doing all they can to make it as easy as possible for their registrants to maintain accurate whois records. UKreg are not curently doing this, though I have been assured that they plan to overhaul their online control pannel soon.

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