24Studio.co.uk - no response to fraud

[veryAggravated]

10 days ago a courier arrived at my home with an unsolicited parcel from an online catalogue store 24Studio.co.uk. There was an invoice inside with my name and address on it.
I rang the company to say that someone had fraudulently opened an account under my name and address (where did they get that?) and requested that they take the item back. The person at 24Studio said that someone from their fraud department would contact me and that they would send a courier to collect the item. The following day a courier did collect the item for return to 24Studio - however despite repeated calls and emails to the company no one has contacted me regarding this.
I have reported this to Action Fraud and have an associated crime number.

Three days ago I got a letter a letter from 24Studio informing me of further credits set up against this fraudulent account and once again rang the company - again being told that someone from their fraud department would contact me. No one has yet done so.

A little research on the web led me to several complaints made previously about this company on the Legal Beagles web site and they are obviously aware of these scams.

Considering that 24Studio.co.uk seem to be doing nothing about this situation I expect to receive further invoices and/or demands for payment for goods that I did not request and are being fraudulently obtained by someone else using my name and address.

What further can I do to get this dealt with by 24Studio.co.uk and protect myself from harassment ?

many thanks for any info ....

[warwick65]

Re: 24Studio.co.uk - no response to fraud

Horrible question to ask I know but.....

Do you live alone?
Is there shared access i.e do you you live in flats or similar ?

[veryAggravated]

Re: 24Studio.co.uk - no response to fraud

Horrible question to ask I know but.....

Do you live alone?
Is there shared access i.e do you you live in flats or similar ?

No - it's my own house ... with my family...

[Amethyst]

Re: 24Studio.co.uk - no response to fraud

Studio @24studio 9m9 minutes ago
Replying to @LegalBeagles
We're sorry to read this. Please advise them to contact us directly. Thanks, C.



Presumably you have ( well I can see you have already tried this ) but if you have a Twitter account sometimes they pay a little more attention if you contact them via Social Media. Worth a shot.

(Not that you should have to !)

[slainte caragh]

Re: 24Studio.co.uk - no response to fraud

Hi,

I would firstly say that your details, sadly catalouge accounts are easy to set up. If you look up a random name in the Electoral register you can get loads of info. Sadly, companies take that they are speaking to this person for granted (act in good faith).

If you have any issues with being chased for payment, contact the company and ask for the transcript of all calls made from you (and on your account) to be sent to you. Do this within 6 months of discovery as companies tend to dispose of recordings after this timescale. SAR requests will also provide you with the notes a company hold about you, check every detail is right. From the spelling of your name to your date of birth.

You can argue that the account is in the name of Joe Bloggs when your name is Blogz and your dob is 12/12/2012 and the dob provided was 12/01/2012 things like that. also ensure they the Action Fraud reference number is on everything and ask the operator to read their notes back including the reference number. Ask for a note reference number and the agent's name (most places don't give surnames so please don't take offence if they don't)

[veryAggravated]

Re: 24Studio.co.uk - no response to fraud

thanks for the info ... what are SAR requests?

[Amethyst]

Re: 24Studio.co.uk - no response to fraud

Subject Access Request Letter

[veryAggravated]

Re: 24Studio.co.uk - no response to fraud

Thanks Amethyst ....

when you say please advise them to contact us directly .... the only people I can get through to on the phone are the so-called customer service people .... should I ask them to contact you (ie LegalBeagles) ? The only way I can send 24Studio an email is through a form on their website .... which of course does not allow me to keep a copy of what is sent.

thanks again

[slainte caragh]

Re: 24Studio.co.uk - no response to fraud

thanks for the info ... what are SAR requests?

Sorry, been in the business so long I assume everyone knows what I'm talking about!

SAR = Subject Access Request. It's a letter you send to access every note/piece of information a company holds about you. Costs £10 which every company charge and is compulsary for a company to comply with.

The response can take up to 28 days and a fun fact is, your notes cannot hold anything derogatory about you in them.

For example, an agent can say Customer was upset and angry, but cannot say Customer was a right miserable oik and should bury his head!

PLEASE NOTE: An agent CAN note if you were abusive or used foul language as a warning to other agents. this is NOT a derogatory remark unless it is untrue.

[veryAggravated]

Re: 24Studio.co.uk - no response to fraud

Studio @24studio 9m9 minutes ago
Replying to @LegalBeagles
We're sorry to read this. Please advise them to contact us directly. Thanks, C.



Presumably you have ( well I can see you have already tried this ) but if you have a Twitter account sometimes they pay a little more attention if you contact them via Social Media. Worth a shot.

(Not that you should have to !)

Sorry - I seem to have misread your post .... yes I have tried to contact them directly .... and will do so again at the email address you quoted ....

I will not try to direct 24Studio to you....

apologies for any confusion....

[Amethyst]

Re: 24Studio.co.uk - no response to fraud

Thanks Amethyst ....

when you say please advise them to contact us directly .... the only people I can get through to on the phone are the so-called customer service people .... should I ask them to contact you (ie LegalBeagles) ? The only way I can send 24Studio an email is through a form on their website .... which of course does not allow me to keep a copy of what is sent.

thanks again

Do you want to PM me the reference on the order you have and I can pass it to @24studio via direct message ( private ) on Twitter to get them to contact you? and will try get a number / email that will get answered.

[veryAggravated]

Re: 24Studio.co.uk - no response to fraud

again - a bit more confusion as posts crossed over time .... and yes I would appreciate anything you could do ... how do I send a private message to you?

[veryAggravated]

Re: 24Studio.co.uk - no response to fraud

...just found out how to PM ..... sorry - this is all a bit new to me....

[Kati]

Re: 24Studio.co.uk - no response to fraud

...just found out how to PM ..... sorry - this is all a bit new to me....

I'm sure [MENTION=6]Amethyst[/MENTION] will pick up on this soon xx

[Amethyst]

Re: 24Studio.co.uk - no response to fraud

Morning xxx Got your PM and have sent the details over, so fingers crossed it kicks them into action.

So, if you don't hear from them today we need to get a formal letter sent so that your concerns are in writing.

Something like;

Your address

21/09/2017

FAO: Legal Department
Express Gifts Ltd t/as 24studio
2 Gregory Street, Hyde,
Cheshire SK14 4TH



Dear Express Gifts Ltd t/as 24Studio

Your Reference/s: xxxxxxxxxxx

FORMAL COMPLAINT - CEASE AND DESIST

On 03/06/2014 I received from you, at my address, an unsolicited parcel containing an invoice due for payment. I contacted you immediately to inform you I had not placed an order with your company, Express Gifts Ltd t/as 24studio or Studio or any associated company, that it was either an error in the address or a third party was attempting to commit fraud. You arranged a courier to collect the parcel and I expected that to be the end of the matter.

I was therefore horrified to receive a letter from you dated xx/xx2017 informing me that further orders had been placed using my details for billing and a credit account set up in my name. I have not received further goods and I have not authorised any third party to order goods for delivery to an alternative address.

I would like, again, to make it clear to you that I did not order these, or any other goods and they are therefore unsolicited. I also have not applied for any credit account or agreed any credit terms with your company.

Please cease accepting any orders for delivery to my address and cancel with immediate effect any credit agreement you may have set up fraudulently using my details. You do not have permission to conduct any searches or record any account data on my credit file and any attempt to do so will be reported to the Information Commissioner. All my personal data you hold should be removed other than for the purpose of ensuring further orders / applications are not accepted.

I have attempted to contact your fraud team by telephone on numerous occassions and have been promised that I will receive a call back. I have not.

I have reported the issue to Action Fraud ( Crime Reference #xxxxxxxxx ) and I expect a response, confirming that no further orders, invoices or credit terms will be set up using my personal data, and any current/past orders / accounts have been cancelled, within 7 days.

An apology for the complete failure of your fraud department to return my calls wouldn't go amiss too.

Yours sincerely

xxxxx

Others might have bits to add ( I haven't mentioned CPUT or USGA or CCA but I don't think you need to at this stage ) and I haven't mentioned costs/compensation (I don't really think that helps) so this is just a starting point, but you need to put something in writing ( recorded post ) so you have evidence that Studio are aware of the situation. Maybe also wants something adding in about FCA conc rules and verifying a customer identity/ checks for credit applications etc.

I might also be inclined to check your credit file and see if there are any searches on there.