A 24-year-old woman was left with a £1,424.95 debt after scammers took out a mobile contract in her name. Grace, who is self-employed, discovered the fraud when she received a letter from debt collection agency Overdales in April, while she was planning to buy a home.
Fraud discovered after debt collector letter
Grace said she "knew straightaway" the iD Mobile account was fraudulent as she had never dealt with the company. She contacted Overdales, which directed her to iD Mobile, but she was then asked to enter an iD Mobile phone number she did not have.
After "going around in circles", she managed to report the fraud in May by contacting iD Mobile's Instagram page. However, she had to chase for updates a month later, by which time the debt had appeared on her credit report.
Credit file cleared after investigation
Speaking to MoneySavingExpert, Grace said: "I'd been working really hard on getting my finances in order as I was looking to buy a house, and then this happened. I just don't understand how it was allowed to get to this point, why there weren't further checks and then why I only found out when debt collectors started chasing me for overdue debt."
The mobile provider confirmed the account was fraudulent after a three-day investigation. Overdales closed the case, and the negative marker was removed from Grace's credit file in June, two months after she received the letter.
How to protect yourself from identity theft
Report Fraud, run by the City of London Police for England, Northern Ireland, and Wales, said the incident was likely identity fraud—a crime where stolen personal information is used to obtain goods or services.
MoneySavingExpert shared tips on how to protect yourself from such crime. These include destroying important documents before throwing them away, avoiding sharing too many personal details on social media, and never revealing passwords, login details or account numbers to unsolicited callers. If concerned about a call's source, say you'll get back to them, then call 159 or find your bank's number independently. Check bank statements regularly and report anything suspicious, and keep an eye on your credit report for false applications made in your name.
