Can anyone tell me where we stand with this? family member using our detail but doesn't live with us.

[Marne]

Hi, will try and keep this short as i don't want to say too much and be outed.

Over rhe past months we have been getting phone calls for a family member from what seems to be dept collectors, family memeber has given our phone number and dh's work number as 'contact numbers', family member has never lived here and does not work with dh. It turns out family member is up to his eye balls in dept and has been using loan companies and loan sharks. We have now changed our phone number but we are worried that he may have used our address. Is this fraud?

Is there anything we can do?

Don't open any letters, but send them back to the sender with a covering letter saying x has never lived at your address, giving their proper address.

Don't know if it's fraud. If it is, it's not a fraud against you, and is for the lender to persue.

Check your credit report for your address with Equifax/Experian to find out if he used your address for a loan.

Have a look at the CIFAS website.

Can i get a credit check through my bank? i dont really want to do it online as they ask for my card details (as its a 30 day free trial), i don't want to give my card details online at the moment (nothing feels safe).

You can get a statutory credit report from these companies for £2. Their websites tell you how to order by post.

However, you can't get a credit report for your address. There is no such thing. The report is for you personally and should not list any information about anyone else who lives, has lived or claims to live at that address unless there you have a financial connection with them, e.g. a joint account.

I used to use credit reports when I was a loan officer for a small credit union.

It is true that a credit report is for a 'person' not an 'address'. However, I remember that I could see all the connected persons at that address and also any adverse credit history they had.

Yes, you would have been able to see connected persons. Those are people with whom the subject has a financial connection such as a joint account. You should not have been able to see anyone who did not have any financial connection. So, for example, my credit report would include information about my wife as we have a joint account, but not about anyone else who lives or has lived at my address.

Have you actually spoken to the family member yet, and asked them what they have done?

WhereYouLeftIt- we have had contact with family member and he has denied everything but we know (from his mother) what has happened, i don't want to go into to much detail on here as i am worried for my families safety. I need advice from someone but i don't know who can help (maybe someone who knows more about law), its all a mess, i'm wrried that there are laon sharks involved and i'm worried he has given this address but there are also bigger worries (which is what i can t go into on here). From what i can make out this person (family member) has taken out many loans and has given our phone number (and maybe address) as his contact details. We have changed our phone number to stop the calls but now we are worried that they will come looking for him. We havn't had any letters in his name.

After looking at all 3 credit reports - Experian, Equifax and Callcredit - you need to write to each one asking for Financial Disassociation from the family member. I had to do this with my brother when we both lived in our parental home before I got a mortgage.

Once done there is no link between you and them.

How about getting advice from Citizens Advice Bureau? They deal with debt advice a lot, and I would imagine you would not be the first person they would have dealt with to have your problem.

Thanks stargirl, will get dh to sort it out tomorrow when he is not working.

If you worried out you and your family safety then you need to go to police.

Thank you wherdidiputit, we are considering phoning the police but its complicated, hopfully when dh gets home we can sort something out (phone the police) and find out more details about what is going on.

The ActionFraud website has some useful info too.