fraud in my name

[MrJuice]

So I get two letters today advising me about my new virgin media accounts. I have nothing to do with VM and both are frauds carried out in my name. They quote incorrect bank details but my name and address are right

I just spent ten minutes on hold to find out the fraud dept closes at 7. Should I bother telling them tomorrow or just leave it?

I really am pushed for time and can't be bothered with staying on hold for identity fraud when I'm not out of pocket.

[MrJuice]

I'm the OP and the fraud turned out to be bigger than expected. Someone took out some debenhams store cards (provided by a company called NewDay) and spent about £800. Nothing huge. Now there is something else with someone at my address being chased for an unpaid insurance bill. That person is called, let's say, Felix Karr. My name is, let's say, Fred Karr. So same initials..

So, tell me about cifas. when new day wrote to me to confirm that they won't be holding me responsible for the debenhams card fraud, they enclosed a leaflet about cifas. this leaflet made no sense to me. It sepaks about three different credit agencies and not much about how they can help you.

What steps should I take to protect myself now?

Sorry for appearing to come across as a lazy st by getting PH (instead of google) to answer my question...I just don't know where to start.

[MrJuice]

I see that cifas has a £20 joining fee. Is this a one off fee? and if I join cifas, does that they, most likely, protect me against these opportunist type frauds?

[MrJuice]

Thank you

But in the case of a debenhams type card, a form is filled out by an £8ph temp at the till and you get your credit. There is no contact with cifas, surely?

Or does that come later, in between letting someone walk off with £800 worth of tat from debehams and sending me a statement for the money someone else spent?

[MrJuice]

I'm on to all this properly now

Is it worth searching all three agencies (experian and the others?) Or will searching one suffice?