To be reluctant to provide fingerprints for this reason?

[averystrangeletter]

A bit puzzled and confused about this.

I subscribe to the update service for the DBS. Received this letter.

As part of your subscription we continually check the police national computer (PNC) and have found the record of a person with similar identify details to your own. This does not mean that this PNC record belongs to you, however, we need to confirm that this is not the case. To do this, we need to compare your fingerprints with those held on the PNC record.

There is more, but that’s the important part.

I know everyone will say scam but I’m as sure as I can be that it isn’t. Completely baffled and not entirely comfortable with it.

Sounds like a scam.

I’m fairly certain it isn’t.

They do ask for fingerprints sometimes - depends if your identity can't be confirmed / disproved down the usual routes.

If you don't want to provide them that's up to you, but you might not get your clearance!

Contact the DBS via their own website, not via the contacts on the letter.
I can't say I've heard of this. But to be honest if it is legit I'd see how it could be relevant in a safeguarding regard. Though obviously offering your fingerprints to the police database when you've not been arrested or requested to by the police to aid an investigation does seem a bit too much. I guess check the legitimacy then express concerns or refuse if you are opposed.

Did they actually say “similar identify details”? Because that would surely be a scam when the term would be “similar identifying details” or “similar identity details”. If they can’t get the basic language correct I would assume it is fishing. Tell them to get lost.

It is the DBS address on the letter.

It says ‘person with similar identity details to your own.’

Ring them first...

There isn’t a phone no provided. I have been wondering if it’s a scam but I really don’t think that it is.

It just seems a bit strange.

No, that wasn’t my point. Rather, that it is unlikely a scammer is residing at the DBS HQ, so any info I send goes there.

Hopefully there is a contact number or email on the letter, contact them and request an in- person appointment maybe? If you are there with your ID it would be quite simple to prove you are not this “other person” and you could ask them what on earth was going on? Much easier than letters/emails/texts back and forth, though I know it is an absolute pain to have to take a day to sort it out.

It's easy to put an address on a bit of paper.

How is it asking you to provide the fingerprints?

But what would the point be of getting me to send fingerprints in to a legitimate address is my point?

Cardi the whole letter is asking me to provide my fingerprints!

I used to process DBS, it's not a scam. Basically there will be someone that has a similar name and date of birth as you that has a criminal record. In those circumstances it's usually someone that has several aliases and one is similar to you and they can't rule you out as being this person. As there are fingerprints on file they would ask you to provide yours for comparison.

Normally if you agree you will be asked to attend a police station to have them taken, and once it's established that you are not the one with the criminal record your prints are destroyed but a note would be kept on file so if you need DBS again you shouldn't have to go through the process and can be eliminated right away

They do ask this from time to time, a couple of volubeers I know have had it.

You have the fingerprints taken at the police station so not sure how it could be a scam.

Thanks Radio.

Fairy I have said I’m pretty certain it isn’t a scam.

How though? You can’t just ask people to do that. If it’s official they would need to be done at a venue, or you could send anyone’s (or no-ones as I don’t think I could take mine at home).

I knew someone who's dad had a similar identity thing, big issue as he was a teacher trying to get a DBS. Same name, same DOB and same place of birth (in Africa randomly, was from a British expat family). Only reason they accepted they were different people was that he had a UK marriage certificate coincidentally from same day when the other guy was arrested in Africa. But he then had issues proving he was the one who wasn't a criminal! So can understand why would need finger prints if lots of crossover of details and one has a criminal record.

My mother in law lived in the same place (small town, not massive city) as someone with the same first and last name, with the first name being one with multiple common spelling variants spelt the same (think Catherine/Katherine/Kathryn) AND the exact same date of birth.

She only realised when she got all the other lady's medical letters relating to a procedure which was impossible to have been relating to her.

I expect its something similar. And it seems like this other person has a record potentially.

I’m agreeing with you.

So if you don't believe it's a scam, and it's hard to believe how that would even work because surely they're asking you to go somewhere official (police station?) to get them taken, why aren't you comfortable with it?

Sorry