Credit card fraud/ letterbox alarm
Discussion
Someone is getting in to the mailboxes in our communal hallways and have carried out several instances of ID and other types fraud.
Police have as far as we are aware done nothing despite perpetrators withdrawing money from the very same bank branch years apart, various ATMs etc. Stuff that should be traceable. Even setting up fake employees under Ltd companies which I thought would be visible and traceable.
I'm looking for a) preventative and b) investigative measures really.
It's either this or a mousetrap.
Police have as far as we are aware done nothing despite perpetrators withdrawing money from the very same bank branch years apart, various ATMs etc. Stuff that should be traceable. Even setting up fake employees under Ltd companies which I thought would be visible and traceable.
I'm looking for a) preventative and b) investigative measures really.
It's either this or a mousetrap.
Bisley Mine Trap:
This device causes a loud bang and flash when used with a 12 bore saluting blank. All necessary steps must be taken to ensure safe deployment and use. Do not place in a position where the report or flash can cause injury to human or animal. Ensure the device is not placed where children can gain access. Do not deploy where a fire risk is possible. Unless you are certain that the above requirements are satisfied, do NOT deploy this device.
They are about £12
Spare tyre said:
Get your post diverted?
Will be someone in the block or the postman
Not the postie as we've planted decoy letters in our boxes which were taken. Post can be posted through our own doors but there's also hallway doors which should be locked. So it's a tossup between safe post and safe flatsWill be someone in the block or the postman
Same thing happened to me, communal letterboxes which are easy to access outside the building by just sticking your hand in the letter box flap.
I had about 6 credit cards taken out in my name, and several items of post went missing, including a debit card which was used to try and open an experian subscription!
I registered on CIFAS for 2 years protection, and did a lot of ringing around to lock down the damage already done, spoke to homeowners association about more secure letterboxes but doubt anything will be done.
Logged it with action fraud but haven't heard anything... I just keep a monthly eye on multiple credit agencies now to see what crops up and i just deal with it as it comes.
I figure if i make my details so widely flagged that they aren't really useable, then they'll just move onto someone else eventually.
I had about 6 credit cards taken out in my name, and several items of post went missing, including a debit card which was used to try and open an experian subscription!
I registered on CIFAS for 2 years protection, and did a lot of ringing around to lock down the damage already done, spoke to homeowners association about more secure letterboxes but doubt anything will be done.
Logged it with action fraud but haven't heard anything... I just keep a monthly eye on multiple credit agencies now to see what crops up and i just deal with it as it comes.
I figure if i make my details so widely flagged that they aren't really useable, then they'll just move onto someone else eventually.
Edited by designforlife on Wednesday 27th November 10:08
designforlife said:
Same thing happened to me, communal letterboxes which are easy to access outside the building by just sticking your hand in the letter box flap.
I had about 6 credit cards taken out in my name, and several items of post went missing, including a debit card which was used to try and open an experian subscription!
I registered on CIFAS for 2 years protection, and did a lot of ringing around to lock down the damage already done, spoke to homeowners association about more secure letterboxes but doubt anything will be done.
Logged it with action fraud but haven't heard anything... I just keep a monthly eye on multiple credit agencies now to see what crops up and i just deal with it as it comes.
I figure if i make my details so widely flagged that they aren't really useable, then they'll just move onto someone else eventually.
Looking at the CIFAS site I can't seen how it actually worksI had about 6 credit cards taken out in my name, and several items of post went missing, including a debit card which was used to try and open an experian subscription!
I registered on CIFAS for 2 years protection, and did a lot of ringing around to lock down the damage already done, spoke to homeowners association about more secure letterboxes but doubt anything will be done.
Logged it with action fraud but haven't heard anything... I just keep a monthly eye on multiple credit agencies now to see what crops up and i just deal with it as it comes.
I figure if i make my details so widely flagged that they aren't really useable, then they'll just move onto someone else eventually.
Edited by designforlife on Wednesday 27th November 10:08
Basically you pay £25ish and they stick you on their national database for 2 years (which is used and supported by all the banks, credit card companies and about 400 businesses in the UK), and also plonk a great big fraud warning onto your credit report, it's an extra layer of protection that kicks in whenever anyone tries to use your details to apply for credit or anything else, the company or retailer gets a red flag that your details have been compromised so extra checks get made.
It doesn't lower your credit rating, but it does mean that applying for credit yourself will take longer and be a bit more hassle due to the extra checks.
All the credit card companies that i had cards taken out in my name with have also logged it with CIFAS, so i have about 8 fraud warnings on my credit report!
I assume my details were used to check with credit agencies and see if there were fraud warnings in place. For £25 it's a no brainer IMO, and it's extra peace of mind.
It doesn't lower your credit rating, but it does mean that applying for credit yourself will take longer and be a bit more hassle due to the extra checks.
All the credit card companies that i had cards taken out in my name with have also logged it with CIFAS, so i have about 8 fraud warnings on my credit report!
I assume my details were used to check with credit agencies and see if there were fraud warnings in place. For £25 it's a no brainer IMO, and it's extra peace of mind.
R Mutt said:
I've signed up, but the premise of paying someone to tell the banks to ask you if it's actually you applying for a product seems bonkers.
I don't disagree, but for £12.50 a year i'm willing to concede just to minimise the risks a bit.It has worked so far, I had Equifax contact me 2 weeks ago saying it had triggered someone trying to register to view my credit score, and Nationwide contacted me to say they had a flag after an attempted application... before, when the initial application fraud happened they managed to complete sucessful application for 2 credit cards and intercept the cards as well, i only caught it because i recieved some post they missed about signing up for online banking.
Still waiting to see what else crops up, i doubt i've heard the last of it.
Yeah, amazingly the experian subscription payment made in my name using the stolen debit card was allowed to go through earlier this month, when the stolen card had been cancelled a month prior.
My bank told me that it was allowed through as only the last 4 digits are different between the stolen card and my replacement!!
They said that these payments are allowed through unchecked as it usually happens when someone has a card routinely replaced but doesn't update their payment details... WTF?! I'm amazed that a payment made using a cancelled card wasn't flagged until I spotted it and reported it as fraud.
They went on to say that for extra security they could send out a new card with completely new numbers... i'm amazed they don't do that anyway as a matter of course!
My bank told me that it was allowed through as only the last 4 digits are different between the stolen card and my replacement!!
They said that these payments are allowed through unchecked as it usually happens when someone has a card routinely replaced but doesn't update their payment details... WTF?! I'm amazed that a payment made using a cancelled card wasn't flagged until I spotted it and reported it as fraud.
They went on to say that for extra security they could send out a new card with completely new numbers... i'm amazed they don't do that anyway as a matter of course!
They're getting in through the Fire Brigade access switch and presumably some sort of skeleton key or pick for the mailboxes, which I'll be replacing for a tubular type lock.
How do we stop them getting in though? And who will actually investigate, because we actually have CCTV and the police aren't bothered.
How do we stop them getting in though? And who will actually investigate, because we actually have CCTV and the police aren't bothered.
R Mutt said:
Did CIFAS impact your score at all? I've lost 2 points and am trying to get my account on Equifax verified
Not at all and i've got about 8 or 10 CIFA notes/warnings on my account now.That's on checkmyfile which collates from Equifax, Experian, Transunion and one other which i forget.
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