FRAUD IN MY NAME

[Meganroseclark]

Someone got a contract out with vodafone in my name without my knowledge at all. So i have been having debt collector letter addressed to me for a phone contract that i know nothing about. First of all i went into my local vodafone store and explained the letter then the lady said that it looked as if it weren't real as i gave her my address, name and email and nothing came up so advised me just to ignore them. But these letters continued so I phoned vodafone Gave them the account number on the debt collector letters and explained this weren't my account and never has been my account. They escalated it to the fraud team. As i’ve heard nothing from the frauds team but continued to get letters from Lowell (debt collectors) and the latest one was saying they will take me to court due to this debt owed (again not mine). I went into a vodafone store again (where the person at the counter recognised me from before!!) with the letter explained i had contacted them but heard nothing back. The people in the store then went on to explain that the frauds team had sent this to the address on the account and they apparently found no fraudulent activity. Which i do not understand NOT my email address its NOT my bank details all that the account has that belongs to me is my name and DoB.

It is a fraudulent account its not my bank details all that is on there is my name and DoB.

So i called vodafone again explained the situation to a lady who was trying her best to help and put me through to someone higher, he was not helpful at all was demanding that i answer the security questions to this account..but how can i answer them when it isnt my account. i repeatedly asked him how vodafone allowed someone to get a contract out in my name without my permission or atleast a signature, in fact he was so rude he decided to keep speaking over me and i asked to speak to someone else regarding the issue on which he then refused to put me on the someone else. I ended up coming off of the phone very upset and distressed.

I was also made aware in the shop the name on the bank card and on email address and it was someone i know (my brother) and that the mobile number has contacted my personal vodafone account. Hence why the frauds team has marked it as not fraudulent due to us sharing the same surname. but how is this not fraud i never allowed the account to taken out and didn't know about it until the letters.
I am 8 months pregnant and the stress this is causing me is beyond unhealthy, the man on the phone was so rude and the people in the shop couldn't help me at all. I just want this issue resolved ASAP.
He just told me the account is not fraudulent and because you know or 'knew' the person.

So my main question is, is this true? Someone can take your Name,DoB and Address setup an account and because you 'knew' the person its a civil matter and they won't help?

If someone i know steals something of mine does that mean it is not a criminal offence because i know them?
The person STOLE my identity which is rightfully know as fraud.

Never have i ever had any debt in my name and this is affecting my credit score, i am in complete shock that Vodafone can allow someone to take an account out using my name and dob but not my bank details or email address then a debt collector company put the debt on me and affect my credit because of it.

[BandOfBrothers]

What an awful situation to be in @Meganroseclark 

Especially if its a family member that has done this.

Here is Vodafone official help page reporting-suspected-fraud

vodafoneUK on Facebook or Vodafone Twitter maybe able to help you.

My apologies at having to send you elsewhere to engage with Vodafone UK as I appreciate you came here , signed up and created a post to reach out for help but the Team here can no longer help with Account based issues.

But it's the same Social Media Teams here that help and assist via Facebook and Twitter.

Things have changed as they have decided that help and assistance with account based issues would be best supported that way.

I appreciate not everyone wants to use Social Media however it takes but a few moments to create a Twitter account and then can be forgotten if necessary. Just a thought.

Please remember to include the link to your forum post, along with your username.

And or use the complaints procedure.

Also you could speak with Experian who can help and advise if anything has adversely been applied to your Credit File to which if they agree a Notice of Correction can be applied.

[donnyguy]

Hi there,

I have to agree with the post above, this is a terrible position to find yourself in.

I personaly would go to www.vodafone.co.uk/complaints and get a complaint opened and put on record. Purely because this will warrant an investigation (which may actually cover old ground) but share with the complaints team all the information you have found out whilst trying to get to the bottom of this matter.

It also means if you don't get a satisfactory resoltuion then you can escalate the matter and even take it outside Vodafone shuld you get to the point. Which to be fair, you shouldn't.

I think (and it is just think) that the difficulty relates to whether you would need to make a formal police complaint against your brother for identity theft before Vodafone could then look into removing this fraudulent account from your credit file. 

The other issue that needs to be looked at here by Vodafone (and hence why I'm saying share the information with the complaints team) is why your name and DOB were enough to pass the credit and security checks required to take out a phone. 

Your credit file will report where you live and where your other accounts are so if your brother entered a different (i.e. his) address for you and had equipment delivered there then you would have expected this to to have been a red flag during the order process.

Finally, it's also a bit poor that the debt collectors were able to find your correct address in which to send mail but Vodafone were not. 

I wish you all the luck in the word getting this sorted.

[DUMITRU_TANASE]

Hi Megan, can I ask how did you sort it out? I'm in the same situation like you and they are sending me letters to pay for something that I didn't use it. I will much appreciate it if you can share with me/us how did you sorted. TIA

[Evie]

Hey there @DUMITRU_TANASE - I understand that this is important to get sorted as soon as possible. I would advise you to drop us a message social media with your full name, mobile/account number (if you know this) and a link back to this forum thread so that we can look into the account and see what's what.

[Mansel]

I feel for you honestly & esp the fact that you’re in  pregnancy, the stress it causes is unthinkable. I’m really sorry I can’t give you best advice as going through the process myself. I apologise not being an agony aunt, just felt for u sincerely,  I like to think I’m strong blah blah but this really got me depressed & frustrated, It affected my credit score badly, I could of paid but it the principal & the emotional burden that doesn’t let me. Now I’m paying 5 times more but can’t let people & Vodafone get away with it. I too had negative experience calling & couldn’t believe such a global company would let individuals like us sink & couldn’t care less. Similar I asked for the signature, where the contract was taken out & whose name was the account on that had been paying the bill. It ironic they have the details and all the numbers this sim was calling but didn’t even care to investigate. Tbh the cases in this circumstance have mostly been resolved via legal action. Even the police couldn’t purse the case as Vodafone denied fraud. I think this is a strategy they use as not everyone will take legal action. Once again I’m sorry can’t assist you but don’t give up try the organisation ombudsman (which I haven’t yet) & if I find anything useful will let you know 

[chistery]

Just in case anyone doesn't notice, this thread was from 2019.