So I have just learned that someone has racked up £2,000 of debt in my name by opening up credit accounts with mail order magazines. Apparently the borrowing began months ago, but I have just now received a letter from a debt collection company asking for the money.
I contacted the debt collection company to explain that it was not me who ran up these debts and they said they would investigate it and pause my account. I checked my credit file for the first time in ages and it is now in the red - meaning that no one would consider me for a loan/credit card etc. This is really bad timing as I was hoping to get a mortgage soon and unless this gets resolved soon then I'm stuck renting.
To add insult to injury I have a feeling I know who did this but I can't prove anything. The accounts were opened at a previous address, even after I had left the address. To me that would set alarm bells ringing straight away, yet the debt collection company said I could set up an account at an old address. I also learned that the contact details on the account were not mine, and this person had gone to the trouble to set-up an email address that looked like my name.
I have a sneaky feeling it was my former flatmate who set up the accounts. I reason I moved out is because we didn't get on, so we left on pretty bad terms. So I imagine she would have got some kick out of doing this.
The main thing I want to ask is do I contact the Police about this and if the investigation does prove she opened the accounts, can I sue her for it?