Contact with Ruthbridge Ltd to remove linked address

[blooming_petals]

Hello everyone......


I hope that you may be able to advise me on how to proceed with this matter relating to a linked address on my Equifax Credit Report.....


To give you a brief background, to better understand my situation, i will begin by informing you that i was a victim of identity fraud. Basically, about 3 years ago i was contacted by the police and informed that someone had been using my I.D. to commit fraud. They had taken out mobile phones contracts, opened bank accounts, credit and store cards. Consequently, the person who committed the offence was sent to prison for a period of 8 months.


Anyway....fast forward to the present time and suddenly a linked address has appeared on my credit report with a host of defaulted accounts attached! I have also been receiving debt collection letters in the post, all of which i have marked "not known at this address, return to sender". It may be worth noting that this person stole and used my birth certificate and my birth surname is not one i have EVER used for anything as my mother changed my surname by deed poll when i was very young.


So i contacted Equifax and explained the situation and I was advised that they cannot remove a linked address on my request, it has to be requested to be removed by the agency who originally supplied the information. They then advised me that the info was supplied by a company called Ruthbridge Ltd and that i should contact them directly and i was supplied with a telephone number.


Instead of calling, i decided to draft a letter (i have not sent it as i am unsure that it is the best approach, and also if i have used appropriate wording). I have a couple reasons for being weary of contacting Ruthbridge, first being that, other than this linked address that is nothing to do with me, for the first time my adult life, i have a very very clean credit report. I recently finished paying off lots of debts and also some of my debt reached statute of limitation status and was automatically removed from my report. Also, im worried that a CIFAS alert could be attached to my credit file and make it hard for me to gain credit in the future.


I apologise if that this post is so long, but in essence, my questions are as follows:


Is sending a letter to Ruthbridge the best approach and what wording should be used?
Will a "Fraud alert" be attached to my credit file as a result of all of this? if it does, will it affect my ability to gain credit? (I'm hoping to apply for a mortgage some time this year).


If it turns out that Ruthbridge are/were separately handling debts that are/were genuinely my own, does this mean that my making contact with Ruthbridge, these debts can become re-enforceable, possible even re-applied to my credit report?


I do not have an address for the person who committed the fraud, but i do know their full name and i also have a crime reference number - Should i supply this information to Ruthbridge?




FYI - The linked address does not show up on my call credit file, I have not yet checked Equifax.

Thank you so much in advance for your help, please do let me know if you have any questions.

[blooming_petals]

Re: Contact with Ruthbridge Ltd to remove linked address

Can anyone help with this???

[Amethyst]

Re: Contact with Ruthbridge Ltd to remove linked address

Hi blooming petals, just having a read of your post, apologies for missing your thread. Sharon x

[Amethyst]

Re: Contact with Ruthbridge Ltd to remove linked address

It might be an idea to post what you have drafted up on here and we can go from there. If the linked address is one you have never had anything to do with and was solely used by the identity thief then there is no reason it should be linked to your credit file.

Regarding your own debts that ruthbridge previously handled these sound as though they have already been removed from your file and are stat barred therefore there is no reason they should be reapplied.

[blooming_petals]

Re: Contact with Ruthbridge Ltd to remove linked address

Thanks so much for giving this your attention Amethyst!
Please see my draft letter below:

Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is xxxxx and I reside at the address outlined above. After reviewing my credit report, I believe information you have submitted to credit reference agencies is incorrect.

A linked address of xxxxxxxx, London xxx has been incorrectly applied to my credit report, subsequently also adding a number of defaulted accounts in the name of xxxxxx. I have never lived or known anyone to reside at xxxxxxxx, nor have I ever used the surname xxxxxx for any credit applications.

I hope I may be able to assist you in locating the true fraudulent applicant that resided at xxxxx, as I was a victim of identity fraud committed by this resident. I have enclosed for your information, a copy of the police case docket (including crime reference number). This document outlines the brief details of the case and the name of the perpetrator – xxxxxxx. xxxxxxx made false credit applications using details the same (or similar) to mine and was subsequently jailed for this crime. In recent months, I have discovered that the fraudulent transactions and applications this person made are now appearing on my credit report incorrectly.

I have contacted credit reference agencies directly, who passed me your details to arrange for the details you submitted to them to be updated to reflect the true circumstances.

I have also enclosed a sheet detailing the incorrect account information that has been applied to my account.

I would also be happy to provide you with any further details you require and I hope that this matter will be resolved as quickly as possible.

I would like the matter investigated and for all credit reference agencies to by informed about incorrect the information on my account.

Yours faithfully,

xxxxx

[blooming_petals]

Re: Contact with Ruthbridge Ltd to remove linked address

Hello, in the end I just sent the letter but I never heard anything back. Please could someone advise me what I could do next? Are there any organisations I could complain to?? Thank you in advance.

[enquirer]

Re: Contact with Ruthbridge Ltd to remove linked address

A stiff letter from your solicitor, pointing out the consequences should they continue to disseminate information about you that they know to be incorrect. They should also be reminded of their obligations under the Data Protection Act.

[blooming_petals]

Re: Contact with Ruthbridge Ltd to remove linked address

Thanks for the reply but I don't have a solicitor, nor can I afford to hire one at the moment :-(