A fraud most foul

Rebecca Johnson has fallen prey to fraudsters who 'steal' addresses to make false benefit claims

WHEN did you last see your neighbours? Do you know what they look like? Most people have no idea, and that provides many chances for crime. The police admit fraud is rising and that the property market is playing its part. All those To Let signs are red lights to the benefit fraudster. And if your address is targeted by one, you could end up with a blacklisted address. I know, because it nearly happened to me.

I live in a converted Victorian house in north London, which has three flats accessed via one front door. Two are owned, and one is tenanted.

Over the summer, the rented flat was unoccupied. During this time my neighbour answered the front door to two people asking if they could pick up their post. He was suspicious, as we usually know who lives in the rented flat. One gave his name, explaining that the previous tenants, who he identified correctly as Australian, had been looking after his mail. At that point, he pushed through the door and and started flicking through the post.

There were a couple of items with his name on them, which he carried away.

My neighbour said of the incident: "It was quite threatening. They moved so quickly it was hard to take it in. It was only some time later that what they were doing sunk in. And now I'm on my guard all the time."

The plan was fraud. One signed up for a raft of utility bills, which were followed by a number of other financially linked items, including a failed application for a credit card.

A few weeks later I answered the door to a couple of young men. They asked, nicely, if they could pick up some post. It was clearly them. They told the same tale, mentioned the "Australians" and were persistent in the extreme. I asked for the names of their friends. They gave a name, but the wrong one. I told them there was nothing for them and they had no business using this address. Despite this, they pushed past and looked through the mail. This time they left empty handed. The police's view is that this type of fraud is on the increase. People find empty flats to use as a bogus address, then, when a utility bill or other such document is sent there in their name, they can use that letter to apply for, say, a credit card. The creditcard bill is sent to the bogus address and is not honoured. It's highly likely properties are targeted because of estate agent boards sitting, almost permanently, outside.

The police say they are aware of how people obtain third-party details and the way they are used for fraud. However, they will not discuss what these are, to prevent copycat offences.

The Metropolitan Police believes it's likely our two callers were not acting alone, but were simply agents for a Mr Big who would know what to do with any successful spoils. It is trying to get a firmer handle on these issues. Its fraud squad recently held a seminar with 70 businesses to discuss the matter.

Although a call to the benefits office stopped much of the mail, a few rogue items have since appeared. One was an unpaid utility account that was clearly used as a linchpin in establishing the flat's (and therefore-our) address as his own. This lettershowed the bill had not been paid and gave the account holder seven days to pay or face a county court judgment. If this happens, there's a risk the credit ratings of the other inhabitants of the house will be affected. There was also a (failed) credit card application.

The debt collection agency's view was that the utility companies could do more to stop this happening. The agency, ITC, said it was often obvious to it when there was something wrong with the account holder's details, although Mickey Mouse and his ilk have long been deemed unworthy customers.

Credit-rating agencies concede that your own rating can be affected by such activities, depending on the amount run up and the type of borrowing you need.

But, as it's you and your address that stands to suffer the most, the moral of this tale is simple. Get to know the people who do live in your property.

Copyright 2002
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