ID Fraud

[Boss Hog]

Help !

Does anyone have any knowledge of ID theft

As you all know the car incident I had, if you dont then it's below.

http://www.ukcigarforums.com/showthread.php?t=1193

Well it's neverending. I arranged for a reputed DVLA approved / registered scrap merchant to pick up and scrap my vehicle, they sent a certificate of destruction and a letter saying that a cheque for ?200 was sent out to me on the 9th june if I dont receive it call us.
Guess what. No cheque. Just rang them up and they say according to them it was cashed on the 16th June and that was it as far as they were concerned. It was addressed to me at my home. Id already had one letter from them so I know the address is right. Now I know that neither I or the wife has done this, so where has it gone. if it was sent?
My first thought was the company was trying to put one over on me. However on the 16th June my bank called to say they had stopped my debit card as there was some strange transactions and I did I recognise them (which I didnt, this is not the first time)
Now I'm starting to think. I also had post go missing as well recently I was expecting some invoice receipts from another company I waited weeks for them, rang up and they sent them 3 times and never received any of them.
I'm starting to worry that somehow my ID has been cloned. someone has definatley had a cheque with my name and cash it somehow.
Short of going to the police I'm not sure what to do
Any one got any ideas?

[Robusto]

Bad luck, Sir Hog.

Did you have one of those ID Protection things for your debit cards, and so on? Some voice from the bank advised we should have this, so I fell.

We've got them here. They seem silly money, mind. I hope they are worth the payout.

I don't know what to say, mate, except I hope the offender's testicles can be par-boiled and fed to caged budgies by your good self down the line.

[Pantomimehorse]

Boss I would have thought your bank could advise you the best, allthough if you bank with Lloyds like I do the first step is getting through to someone that isn't a moron!

Bry I remember reading about those things in the paper, never been offered one myself, how do they work?

[Robusto]

I was hassled ans psychoanalysed by my bank when I was talking to someone about something or other. We had the phone on speakerphone, and my wife and I nodded to each other and caved in. (We've had cards stolen, chequebooks nicked, that sort of thing).

It covers us for online theft, too.

I have to admit I get very bored with the detail of things like this. I sort of die in a chair in front of some very nice staff when we go to the Building Society when moving house, and so on. I do not understand people speaking all financial stuff at me. We seem solvent, so nothing lost.

So - Chris. I don't really know.
I think I'm protected against what I don't comprehend, though.
Which SEEMS secure.

We remembered we could cancel the dog's insurance last night.
That was bizarre.

[Boss Hog]

I think it's more than just the bank this time, I've got missing post and a cheque in my name that's been cashed by someone. The company who sent me the cheque said it was cashed and suggested I go to the police and they will investigate further with their bank also which makes me think there not pulling a fast one.
There's probably some low life Nigerian immigrant scammer swanning around town pretending to be me.
There always Nigerian. most of the worlds id theft / fraud/ scams comes from there.
I have friends who are Nigerian and they said they wouldnt trust themselves as far as they could throw themselves!

[G-man]

That is gut wrenching Boss !


I hope the flees of a thousand camels infest their croches .

[Mr Moore]

Jesus Mark, l can't believe this is still going on mate.

[whisky77]

Does happen.

Boss, my workmate died about ten years ago, and when our employer sent the death benefit out to his family in the post, it was delivered to the wrong house number in the street he had lived in.

His neighbour duly managed to get the cheque cashed, and attempted to pull a fast one, so it can and does happen mate.

[celsis]

Just been told my CC has been cloned and somebody paid nearly $500US at the Sony Centre in New York.

Bastards!

[Simon-JG-hr]

That's an absolutely pants situation to be in Boss... I'd definitely get in touch with the plod though.

I'm thankful that my Building Society (Nationwide) seem to be heads up. They cancelled my debit card due to 'unusual' use. Then phoned me to tell me (I'd been wondering why it hadn't been working). Surely they could have phoned me to check if it was me or not though (given that they phoned me anyway)...

[Lou3]

Boss, I hope you can get this resolved soon. Some of these scammers are very clever and tenacious, and keeping ahead of them can be a challenge.

[Stevieboy]

LOL!!! That's a great quote Boss!!

I have friends who are Nigerian and they said they wouldnt trust themselves as far as they could throw themselves!