credit card company letter received to MY address but in my dad's name?

Question

hi all,
i have received a letter from MBNA credit card addressed to my dad, but sent to my address ( i live alone and own the property) i opened it and it is demanding money. i phoned the company who would not remove my address from their records, even though i told them my dad doesnt and has NEVER lived with me. My dad has his own house and has lived in the same house for 10+ years. They asked for his address, which i did not give them, as we are not on speaking terms, i advised them that i am a police officer (which i am) and they became extremely rude and stated that as an officer, surely i could find out where my father was ( i retaliated that my personal life was none of their concern and that i would not abuse my position of authority) they refused to remove my address from his name and stated that they would continue to send letters out and eventually the bailiffs, anyone got any ideas what i should do? Civil law im rubbish with!

Answer 1

It seems to me that MBNA may have breached the data protection Regulations. In the first instance you should write to MBNA asking them to remove your details from their records. MBNA should reply in 21 days and explain what, if anything, they are going to do in response. They should also give their reasons if they think your demand is not justified in any way.

If you are not satisfied with the response you can then apply to the Information Comissioners' Office, who will conduct an assessment and, if necessary, serve an enforcement notice.

If the Information Comissioner decides that MBNA has broken the rules, then you may be entitled to compensation.

Answer 2

Well this depends a lot on where you live. I'd let them send the letters. It is easy to throw them in the trash. Send them a letter yourself saying that they are in error and you are not the person the letter is addressed to.

Don't tell them it is a relative, it is none of their business. Just that the person doesn't live there and you have no idea where if they ask. If they ask if you know them tell them that you have no idea if they even who they are talking about since they are that messed up. Question rather they are even a credit company and say the whole thing is probably a scam and that you are going to report it that way.

It becomes harassment after you notify them in writing at least in the US.

Answer 3

Contact the "Big Three" credit reporting agencies and put in a fraud alert.
Here's some infor I found on the Discover Card website:
"Prevent future fraud.
The minute you learn your identity is being used fraudulently, place a fraud alert on your name and identity. This helps prevent future fraud and further tarnishing of your personal and financial records. Call the three national credit-reporting organizations and the Federal Trade Commission immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and identity. The numbers are:

* Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
* Experian: 1-888-397-3742
* TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289
* Federal Trade Commission: 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338)"

Perhaps your father has put your address as his way to skip out on payments and mess up your credit.

This could be a form of identity theft.
Sometimes family members will scam other kinfolk!

Answer 4

Oh well first of all - you really had no right to open the letter. (Kind of a little federal law thing about opening other people's mail.) Secondly, it should have been marked (and all other mail to that person coming to you) "no such person at this address" and put back in the mail box.

End of the story really - enough of them get returned to the company they will soon realize that what they are doing is futile and take other means to find the right person.

Answer 5

If the letters are addressed in your father's name, throw them away. They're of no concern to you. As long as you are an adult and you didn't co-sign for the credit. You are under no obligation to act as an agent of the collection agency to help collect a debt someone else owes them.

Answer 6

That is ridiculous, I would try to speak with someone else. I had phone several places about my ex-husbands mail coming to my house and they removed it. If that doesn't work maybe forward that info to your father and state with a note to please have the company remove his name from your address or maybe your father did it on purpose to get you to contact him? Good Luck.