Terrified of being accused of fraud

[ImAnAnxiousMess]

The other day I clicked on a link to see if I would be accepted for car finance - it suggested it was a pre-approval type of thing, and I was doing it for a hypothetical situation I see myself being in in the future. I didn't realise it was an actual application, and I had put in false details (job, income). The application has now been withdrawn as they accepted it but wanted more details and I didn't contact them so they withdrew it. I'm really scared that I will be recorded as having committed application fraud and have a cifas marker against my name.

Please be kind - I have really bad ocd and intrusive thoughts, plus impulsive behaviour which is probably why I did what I did, I was never intending to defraud anyone.

I have emailed them to say that my circumstances have changed and that I no longer require finance, and that I'm sorry I wasn't contactable but I've been unwell and in hospital (true), so I hope that will be enough to cover my tracks, but I'm really really scared.

It’s fine, don’t give it a second thought

Totally fine. Why would the finance company even look further into it? It's all done and withdrawn.

What you clicked was only an application which does not commit you to anything.

When you take out an online loan (I took one from my bank a while back) You have to read all the terms and conditions before finally committing yourself. The forms are set up so that you have to be seen to scroll right down to the bottom of the terms page (even if you dont actually read them) before the final button to click becomes live. Thats how my bank has it set up and I would expect other lenders would do the same.

You have not taken the final step so all you did was in effect to browse the terms they offered.

Hi, don't worry about it at all. You just presented a hypothetical situation and they reply with a hypothetical 'yes, but we need more info to proceed' You have chosen not to. End of story. Don't worry.

Thank you all - I think this is probably a mental health issue rather than a money-related one. I've been letting the anxiety run away with me as I've applied for a few other things recently (a student bank account, a phone contract and a catalogue which I decided against in the end). I know I'm entitled to do so, but I read something about fraud and the OCD took hold.

I have been diagnosed with pure O and know exactly where you are coming from. Hopefully you can get some help. Not pushing meds, but anti-depressants changed my life (well, gave me my life back). You don't have to live that way.

@moynomore thank you, that means a lot. You just feel like you're going mad sometimes. I've been against taking meds but these episodes are getting more frequent and I start uni this year so maybe time to try them. Thanks again ❤️

DD has OCD and intrusive thoughts, had over 20 hours of CBT and now on Fluoxetine which is helping.

This is exactly what she would obsess over. Honestly lovely it’s not an issue. 💐

@SpeakingFranglais thank you, glad your daughter is getting some relief 😊