Property identity fraud

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Discussion

TROOPER88

Original Poster:

1,767 posts

179 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
quotequote all
Hi Guys
Apologise if this is in the wrong section.

I own a flat in Surbiton and a note was left through the door yesterday. The note asked me to call a number with regard a business that had something to do with my address.

I called the number and an Indian gentleman informed me that an online financial investment company was using my address.

I checked out the website he gave me (www.x-binary.com) and checked out companies house.

I was shocked to see my full address listed on companies house (since September 2016).
I have just filled out a form and returned it to companies house to have my details removed.

I called the gentleman back and he said that he had invested over 100k in this business. I looked into the website in more detail and there is no contact number at all. There is simply a 'contact' box and again my home address is there!

I called Action Fraud and have filed an 0nline report. I just tried calling them and after 30 minutes waiting I was informed that there was no more they could do but my report would now be looked into.

On the website there is a tab that says 'representatives'. I clicked on this and then the UK icon and there are half a dozen or so contacts. I called a couple of them and they are genuine people who have invested into this business but had no idea they were listed on the site as representatives.

I have searched online and found another Surbiton address linked to the business.

I called there on my way into work this morning and an elderly lady answered. I was looking for an Ellis Dunn as this is what name comes up as company director. The lady explained how her son (a Doctor) is called David Ellis Dunn but he has nothing to do with it.

It must be a huge online scam where they have picked a real address and a real person to front the operation?

My flat is currently being sold (due to complete in circa 4-6 weeks). I just hope this does not cause any issues.

To be honest I am lost now as there seems to be no more that I can do?

Since my address is the only available address on their website you would think that if this is a massive scam. lots of investors would be turning up at the property seeking their money!

The companies facebook page apparently has thousands of followers etc; is this also all just fake?

Any advice?

TooLateForAName

4,742 posts

184 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
quotequote all
Have you spoken to companies house?
HMRC?
Facebook?


Actually, I'd get together with the Dr and try to take control of their bank accounts smile

Edited by TooLateForAName on Wednesday 8th March 12:53

TROOPER88

Original Poster:

1,767 posts

179 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
quotequote all
TooLateForAName said:
Have you spoken to companies house?
HMRC?
Facebook?


Actually, I'd get together with the Dr and try to take control of their bank accounts smile

Edited by TooLateForAName on Wednesday 8th March 12:53
Hi
I have spoken with companies house and sent the relevant forms back. They then take up to 10 days to look into it and remove my address.

I have not spoken with HMRC or Facebook?

Tbh I am shocked that people would invest large amounts of money into a company such as this with no telephone number on the site at all!!



TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

126 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
quotequote all
TROOPER88 said:
I own a flat in Surbiton and a note was left through the door yesterday.
...
I was shocked to see my full address listed on companies house (since September 2016).

My flat is currently being sold (due to complete in circa 4-6 weeks).
Is this flat your home, or an investment property? Have you owned it long? Could a previous tenant/owner/occupant have had anything to do with this? What's happened to the post that would inevitably have been sent there as part of the Companies House registration? Postal redirection still in place?

TROOPER88 said:
I have searched online and found another Surbiton address linked to the business.

I called there on my way into work this morning and an elderly lady answered. I was looking for an Ellis Dunn as this is what name comes up as company director. The lady explained how her son (a Doctor) is called David Ellis Dunn but he has nothing to do with it.
A cynic might think "fraudster's mum tells random stranger that her son's a good boy"...

TROOPER88 said:
Tbh I am shocked that people would invest large amounts of money into a company such as this with no telephone number on the site at all!!
Looking at that dog's breakfast of a site, the lack of phone number wouldn't be the biggest clue that you should run screaming... Sometimes, I think that there are people so gullible they deserve to be scammed.

Bigyoke

152 posts

132 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
quotequote all
Report to action fraud. You might want to check with the credit reference agencies as well.

TROOPER88

Original Poster:

1,767 posts

179 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
A cynic might think "fraudster's mum tells random stranger that her son's a good boy"...
Owned since April 2016

Company set up September 2016

Yes it is my home

No paperwork at all.....

I left my number for the Doctor. He has not called yet so will re-visit the property tonight.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

126 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
quotequote all
TROOPER88 said:
Owned since April 2016
So there could easily have been a 12mo postal redirection set up before sale...

Rude-boy

22,227 posts

233 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
quotequote all
Regarding the Property -

Do you have a mortgage on it? If not you need to call your conveyancer as soon as lunch is over and either they or you need to make sure that a restriction on form RQ is lodged TODAY against your title.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...


TROOPER88

Original Poster:

1,767 posts

179 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
quotequote all
The owner prior to me is deceased.

No mail forwarding in place as far as I am aware.


TROOPER88

Original Poster:

1,767 posts

179 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
quotequote all


Rude-boy said:
Regarding the Property -

Do you have a mortgage on it? If not you need to call your conveyancer as soon as lunch is over and either they or you need to make sure that a restriction on form RQ is lodged TODAY against your title.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...
Yes there is a mortgage on the property

Act as above?

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

126 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
quotequote all
TROOPER88 said:
The owner prior to me is deceased.

No mail forwarding in place as far as I am aware.
When you set a postal redirection up, a letter's sent to the address being redirected-from. You have no way of knowing if anybody else had access to pick that up.

TROOPER88

Original Poster:

1,767 posts

179 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
When you set a postal redirection up, a letter's sent to the address being redirected-from. You have no way of knowing if anybody else had access to pick that up.
The property was empty for circa a year

I lived in the ground floor flat at the time.

TROOPER88

Original Poster:

1,767 posts

179 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
quotequote all
Rude-boy said:
Regarding the Property -

Do you have a mortgage on it? If not you need to call your conveyancer as soon as lunch is over and either they or you need to make sure that a restriction on form RQ is lodged TODAY against your title.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...
That form is if you are 'not' living at the property.

I am....

IIIRestorerIII

842 posts

228 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
quotequote all
Your address is on here also so you might want to contact Facebook. Maybe you can dig some more info on the scam from here too...

https://www.facebook.com/xbinary/

Neonblau

875 posts

133 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
quotequote all
Afraid it looks like a simple straightforward scam. Not even a Ponzi just a site to collect deposits. I doubt any of the names or addresses you find will be legit and the money is long gone.

http://binaryscamwatchmonitor.com/x-binary-review-...

TROOPER88

Original Poster:

1,767 posts

179 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
quotequote all
[quote=Neonblau]Afraid it looks like a simple straightforward scam. Not even a Ponzi just a site to collect deposits. I doubt any of the names or addresses you find will be legit and the money is long gone.

http://binaryscamwatchmonitor.com/x-binary-review-...

I just hope the site and everything associated is pulled down very promptly.

I bet more people will be turning up at my address looking for their investment......




imagineifyeswill

1,226 posts

166 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
quotequote all
Looking on that site it would appear to be a scam set up by someone who,s first language isnt english. Binary trading seems to be the latest supposedly quick way to riches.

matjk

1,102 posts

140 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
quotequote all
Id try posting a letter, via royal mail to myself but with the company name on it to see if it arrives. If it doesnt you can be fairly sure a divert has been set up.
Google maps has another business operating at your address (17b)Brabant House Clinic, with a Doctor running it, but his website indicates its actual just 17 (no b) probably no link.
I do wonder is 87, QUEENS DRIVE is being upfront, in some ways i wonder what would have happened if you had not found out and just sold it, i cant see how there could be any comeback if you sold in good faith. No you know so its a different story.
Its way to easy to set up a limited company in this country, odering a pizza is harder . Hope you get it sorted, you don't want angry "investors" turning up and demanding money or extracting revenge.

QuickQuack

2,172 posts

101 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
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There is no David Ellis Dunn or Ellis Dunn in the List of Registered Medical Practitioners (ie the list of doctors registered with the General Medical Council).

CoolHands

18,604 posts

195 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
quotequote all
I suggest you sign up to land registry alerts. It will alert you if someone tries to mortgage your property or changed your lease or the freehold or anything. Since you are at risk of dubious practice I would keep an eye on everything

https://propertyalert.landregistry.gov.uk