It's not stolen identity, but somebody is using his address..

[KingOfMercia]

I'm writing this on behalf of a friend's son. He moved into a private block of flats (8 flats altogether) just before last Christmas. Like most other people in the block James orders stuff from catalogues and the Internet, and because he is out most of the time when the stuff is delivered, the post/deivery men tend to leave parcels in a meter cupboard in the basement that leads out into the gardens. The front door that leads into the communial hall way is locked and on an intercom system, as is the basement door. Somebody - a previous tennant perhaps is still ordering stuff and collecting it from the meter cupboard - they must still have a key to the front communial door. thing is James is getting threatening letters from companies saying he owes them hundreds of pounds and he doesn't. He's asked previous tennants about who lived at his address in the past, but got very non-commital answers, and he contacted the police, but they said unless he catches anybody retrieving the stuff then theres nothing they can do. The last straw for him was when the baliffs knocked on his door at tea-time the other evening. it wasn't until he'd produced his birth cert, driving license, and his tennancy agreement showing he's only been a resident for 5 months there that the baliffs went. he's written to as many companies that have sent him letters, he's made numerous phone calls and sent emails to them too. He can't stay off work and look out of the window all day on the off-chance that somebody might turn up - to pick up a parcel so has anybody any suggestions as to what he can do next? - He doesn't want to move, it's convenient for his work and such. He got onto his 'landlord' and he said as long as the flat was left clean, and well maintained, and all keys were handed in when the tennants leave, they do not keep information about them.

[factor-fiction]

If he isn't paying for the goods and the debts aren't in his name then there is nothing debt collectors/bailiffs can do, although i realise it can be a hassle.
Possible things to do:
- make sure James is on the electoral roll in place of the past tenant
- get the lock changed
-instruct the post office not to leave post in the meter cupboard

[saxy_jag]

If he finds any post in there addressed to his flat but not for him, he's perfectly entitled to return it to the post office/courier company marked 'not at this address' or whatever.

However, factor is correct - James is not legally liable for these debts.

I remember when we went bankrupt some years ago, my boys, who were teenagers at the time, both received papers from the court stating that our debts were nothing to do with them and vice versa. I don't know whether James would be able to obtain something similar. Perhaps a legal advice centre could help?

[woofgang]

Is your son getting the letters addressed to him by name? If he is, how did the person get his name? Does other mail still arrive for the previous tenant? If he has arranged for mail to be forwarded to a new address then the postman shouldn't be leaving parcels there. Who lets the postman in? would they help him?
Your son should certainly get a credit check...ours gave information about other people living at our address which was incorrect (we own the house) and we got ti corrected...this might also give him info about the name of any previous tenant...if that previus tenant has arranged for mail forwarding then a letter addressed to him at his old (your son's address) should be forwarded and reach him. While I would never suggest threats, something on the lines of stop messing with my life or i will have the law on you might help?

[alavahalf]

People go to great lengths to defraud mail order companies ... Having spent 15 years as a self employed courier handling around 150-200 packages per day... the public and their dishonesty never ceased to amaze me.
Dont know if I should say this but...it's so easy and the large companies expect to loose around 10% of their goods to fraud and deceipt...all the other honest customers pay for it.
If you were to get an individuals details, say a utility bill or a bank statement , all you do is apply for a credit a/c with a catalogue company where you pay with monthly payments...The catalogue will give you a credit limit of say £250 as a new customer...place an order and ask for next day delivery...this will be charged to your a/c...The following day just hang around outside the flats (in your sons friends case ) until you see the courier arrive. When he enters you just follow him in... he goes to the basement to leave the parcels... and you carry on up the stairs...when he's gone, you just go down to the basement and collect your new trainers and jeans...easy peasy.
Your friends son then gets a bill at the end of the month for something he never ordered...which of course he does'nt want to pay.
These catalogue companies are not interestedin fraud, they expect it... They just sell the debt onto a debt collecting agency...who in turn employ the ballifs.

[woofgang]

I tell you what, If other tenants are in the habit of letting couriers into the building as well as the postman (how else do they get in?) I'd be dead worried about security.

[bushbaby_de]

Whilst I haven't experienced fraud from previous tenants, we were having problems with packages left in a communal hallway disappearing. All it took was a couple of complaints to the Post Office and they no longer leave the parcels but leave a card instead asking the addressee to collect the parcel from the Post Office on production of ID - maybe this approach would help? Or as the landlord to change the locks?

[KingOfMercia]

what you describe alavahalf this is what seems to be happening. And it isn't just the Post office that deliver, it's most courier firms, FedEx, CityLinks, Lynx, UPS etc - they all do it. All James is worried about really is getting a bad credit rating when it isn't his fault - that and the baliffs breaking in while he's at work and taking his stuff

[Prudie]

If you really want to pursue it try writing to Tony Hetherington (the people's champion in daily mail finance) he's always chasing up identity mistakes with bailiffs. Or probably the other papers do something similar.

[woofgang]

again, if the building is secure how do they get in? I reckon that if people are letting deliverers in willy nilly and unsupervised, that might negate any insurance that folk have.

[joko]

you could perhaps print a sign up instructing the PO not to leave parcels there, but tleave a card...then keep the cards...or collect the stuff yourself...

you get some free things...and the fraudster gets taught a lesson and stops ordering things...

also write a recorded delivery letter to the companies involved, included proof of your ID and state n futher correspondence will be entered into, and that you will not be responsible for any further mail sent.

[merciasounds]

We're hoping it's stopped- there has been nothing now for three weeks, so perhaps some of the letters/emails and phone calls have been good. We think the who ever is doing this has a front door key which he had copied before he left - that's how he gets in. Thanks for all the answers

[woofgang]

yes i can see how the ex tenant get sin but how do all the delivery people get in? If the doors can only be opened by telling someone who you are on the intercom, who lets them in and doesn't check who they are and who makes sure they have left again?

[factor-fiction]

KingOfMercia - has your identity been stolen by merciasounds?