My address being used for a fraud...

[sleepezy]

...anyone know if there's anything I should do?

We've had two people turn up today to collect purchases where they've been given our address (not our names) - looks like they've unfortunately fallen victims to a fraud. 1st guy was hoping to pick up a motorhome - so I presume not insignificant sums involved - don't know what the 2nd was looking for but I think he was clearly already expecting a problem given his body language and he immediately said 'Oh it is a fraud then'.

It can't be a case of someone using an old address - we've been here 10 years and the only previous owner is unlikely to be 'the perpetrator' on account of them being distinctly dead (and I would recognise the name if it was used). I know all the neighbours in the street so none of them either.

Does anyone know if there's anything I need to do - I am concerned about an adverse report being made on the address while it's (understandably) being looked into.

Police are already aware - 1st guy reported it and I told the 2nd guy to do the same.

Thanks in advance.

[Simbu]

You can report to Action Fraud; I would do this regardless of what your unexpected visitors have done. You are also a potential victim in this scenario.

Did either person tell you how they were given your address, and how they contacted the individual giving it to them?

If you're concerned about financial loss you have a few options:

- Freeze your credit (becomes annoying if you want any in the near future)
- Cifas Protective Registration
- Change passwords with financial institutions
- Cancel cards and have them re-issued

In future:

- Destroy any letters you receive via the post with your name and address, or any other PII on.
- Check your email addresses against https://haveibeenpwned.com/ to see if your data (including address) appears in a breach.

[Canon_Fodder]

Were they ebayers do you know?

[V8 Bob]

One of the recent scams is to create an eBay account and purchase a few low value items to crate a positive profile before starting the selling scam. Have you received any surprise parcels?

[sleepezy]

thanks all

will let Action Fraud know

Don't know if it was eBay - didn't think to ask - they both seemed to already expect it was a fraud to some extent - no unusual parcels

[Jamescrs]

I have seen something similar being reported on a Facebook group for Mini owners where essentially in this case a person advertises an engine for sale, or something similar which is of a a decent value and bulky/ heavy so they don't want to ship it, the "seller" asks for a deposit of a couple of hundred quid with payment on collection and they give an address which unsurprisingly is a false address.

I guess in this case the amounts may be higher if Motorhomes are mentioned but the principle is the same