Fraudulent Tax Credit Claim in my name

[MrsSnape]

I've just had a phone call from the tax credit office asking to confirm some details for my "recent claim". I told them I had made no recent claim so they told me someone had made a claim in my name with a different address saying I was registered disabled and had no children and was working for a company called SkyBlue.

Obviously its crap but what worries me is that they had my full name, national insurance number, date of birth and bank account name (although they had tried to change it to a different bank).

They have passed it on to to fraud team but I'm worried, how did they get this info? surely it must be someone that knows me quite well??

And last week I had a phone call saying I had tried to sign up for life insurance?? Could this be connected?

Either that or theyv'e lost more bloody data!

Sorry that sounded sarccy wasn't supposed to I know it's not funny but YKWIM they did lose child benefit details and all that data was on it.

do you shred stuff?? also try and get a credit report; they may have applied for credit in your name....

Im not sure bank details were on the child benefit records that were lost.

Alot of fraudulent claims are made using details of employers payroll records though

I'm pretty sure they were on the disc but could be wrong obv don't work for HM revenues thank god

Well child benefit goes into bank so am imagining they need details.

have you changed your bank account and informed your bank? They can help keep eye out for any unusual behaviour.

this is govt advice on what to do if you are victim of identity theft. It's worth checking out and there are some links on there to check they haven't been taking out credit/loans in your name.

Are you sure the people who rang werent fishing for details such as your DOB etc

They could of been on there, but I seem to remember the letter I was sent said it was only names and NI numbers, where as 1000s of fraudulent tax credit claims were made using my emloyers 'stolen' payroll records.

Id be slightly concerned about the people who called you. Did they give you their name, where they worked etc and a contact number to call back on? You say that they told you that they'd pass it onto the fraud people. IME (am a tax credit officer) the only people calling you about this in the first place would be a fraud person.
I would call tax credits on the main number and confirm it all with them.
It could well be someone who has gotton hold of some details and are either fishing for more or simply confirming what they have.