Scam?

[SircatmaN]

Hi guys having some wierd stuff happening at the moment and wanted to see if it has happened to anyone on here and if its some sort of scam.

We have been getting mail addressed to a guy sent to our house. At first it was a credit card and I presume the key pin (i could feel the card) so we did the usual and wrote "Not at this address" and sent them back.

Next we got letters from synergy and now alinta.

When we got our bill from Synergy they told us they were cutting us off and we presumed we were late on our bill so I paid the outstanding amount and then rang to see if they could keep the power on. As it turns out this guy ha gone and set up a new account at our address and WITHOUT EVEN CALLING US they were shutting our power off and putting it under his name, they were then charging us diconection fees and all sorts of fees and they were going to charge us a reconnection fee when I told them he doesn't live here since the account wasn't in our name anymore - I got them to wave it.

Now I have received a massive letter in his name from Alinta which I can only presume is a setup or soemthing for Alinta, when I call Alinta its always out of bloody hours (how they dont have an after hours call centre I cant understand).

Anyway it sounds like this idiot doesn't even know his own address, first wrong address fair enough they might have heard the wrong number over the phone but I mean we are getting his magazine subscriptions and everything.
I know it sounds stupid but is this guy pulling some scam to say he lives at our address or something?
Has this happened to anyone else on here?

[TJ]

Identify theft.

[SircatmaN]

Identify theft.

What are they supposed to gain by paying my power and gas bills under their name?

[Jase]

I could understand maybe setting up power bills etc as they can be used for ID purposes, but if a credit card has been sent it would mean they have already proven identity?

...You may have a new dyslexic neighbour?

[Frenchy]

Waits for Rob to be on today tonight wondering how his house was sold under him ;)

Maybe bills in his name with a legit address is used along side other things for proof of identity....I'd be getting that shit sorted ASAP

[Pete]

Bloke at work is having this over the last month. Some chick has done the exact same thing to him. He reported it to the cops, and her name had come up before. He hasn't had anything for the last week now.

[TJ]

What are they supposed to gain by paying my power and gas bills under their name?

They would never pay your bill

They use your address and bill as proof of name - regain their "lost license"

fake some other details

loan, cc, store credit. spend it all, disappear.

[SircatmaN]

Ok well I got a hold of Synergy (Alinta is closed :/)

Apparently the reason they dont ring and ask is alot of times the people in the house have already moved, the person setting up the account is then responsible for the charges. I asked her to clarify what she meant and she said that between the end of the last bill and when I rang them this month (basically a month) any power used at the address will not be charged to me, I am not responsible for it and wont have to pay, it is Mr. Dumbfucks responsibility.

This is the same for Gas and everything else.

So I get a free months worth of power and gas, I should have left it longer...

[rhyshc]

Was the name Jason Bourne by chance?

[XF Falcon]

I've heard of stuff like this happening before (identity theft), they use your address to set up a fake account and get credit cards and stuff sent to your address. Usually they will start taking your mail and get access to the fake credit card and stuff they have sent to your address.

If you haven't done so already, get a good padlock on your letterbox or upgrade to a better one if you can easily reach in and get your mail.

I'd also be alerting the police and all the companies which have sent mail to your house already.

[wormbo2]

Or king Adim Moktuufoo of Swaziland?

[SircatmaN]

I rang the police, they don't care lol.

Oh well.

[Niva]

So it's identity theft or creating a new identity by building up ID piece by piece

[RICEY]

I rang the police, they don't care lol.

Oh well.

There's a surprise.

[Skitzo]

Hmmmm. Always gettin mail addressed to random people. Have mail from Alinta here for a Dianne Wilkinson.

[duste]

Same... I've never really thought much of it and have just thrown it in the bin.

[Poktrokt]

This is interesting!!
Keen for you to investigate and tell us your findings haha

[SircatmaN]

This is interesting!!
Keen for you to investigate and tell us your findings haha

I might end up homeless with some nigerian selling my house at this rate.

[Damo 69]

CSB had this in queensland, but i figured the bitch used to live in the townhouse. she had racked up 1,400 owing to telstra, 40k to amex, 20k to mastercard, and a GE money loan of around 20k and subsequent letters advising of taking legal action etc.

i usually dont read incorrectly addressed mail but me and some mates got drunk one night and i had a pile 50 envelopes high for this bitch for about 10 months and decided to read it, we also found a lovely size 10 sweater which my manly body fit into like a morphsuit.

if you just moved into a place and its happening i wouldnt be worried, but if you have owned/ lived in it more than a year i would be a touch concerned drop a dime to the companies sending letters to the address, you may find a debt collectorsat your place.

[SircatmaN]

CSB had this in queensland, but i figured the bitch used to live in the townhouse. she had racked up 1,400 owing to telstra, 40k to amex, 20k to mastercard, and a GE money loan of around 20k and subsequent letters advising of taking legal action etc.

i usually dont read incorrectly addressed mail but me and some mates got drunk one night and i had a pile 50 envelopes high for this bitch for about 10 months and decided to read it, we also found a lovely size 10 sweater which my manly body fit into like a morphsuit.

if you just moved into a place and its happening i wouldnt be worried, but if you have owned/ lived in it more than a year i would be a touch concerned drop a dime to the companies sending letters to the address, you may find a debt collectorsat your place.

We built the house 3-4 years ago.

[Damo 69]

thats a worry, protect your balls, document the fuck out of everything to each company that is sending mail to your address. send the letters etc, attach copies of the correspondance with the letters, record times and dates of phone calls about the issue

[TJ]

Bingo - no fucks will be given when they come knocking for their dollars.

[SircatmaN]

I can't see how I can be expected to pay for things that aren't in my name, thats why it makes no sense.

[Skitzo]

I rent, so don't give a fuck.

[d1mitch]

if its setting up a fake id then its not so you will pay but so they wont have to pay because they dont exist, they can just dissapear with all their id pointing to your house

[Lmx]

So are they still sending you your own bills?

[wormbo2]

Good point^^
Surely some kind of computer system would trigger 'wtf' message in at least 1 of the service providers?!

[SircatmaN]

So are they still sending you your own bills?

No, which according to them means he is liable for the money owing, not us.

[stumps.]

Maybe he will send 2kg of coke to your house

[TJ]

I can't see how I can be expected to pay for things that aren't in my name, thats why it makes no sense.

No it doesnt.

You own the place, you are using the electricity, but you think you have an out clause because someone change the mailing name?

They will want to get paid for the use, it will come back to you.

Be PROACTIVE about this, or you could get screwed.

[MRO]

No it doesnt.

You own the place, you are using the electricity, but you think you have an out clause because someone change the mailing name?

They will want to get paid for the use, it will come back to you.

Be PROACTIVE about this, or you could get screwed.

Do you work for a utility provider? Chill out.

[RICEY]

Do you work for a utility provider? Chill out.

I think he does actually lol!

[Brett_J]

Provided there is no disconnection/connection fee, pay what you owe for using the power, assuming you used power in your own house during that time.
Then speak to them about ensuring no one tries registering an account at your addy.

[ossie_21]

No it doesnt.

You own the place, you are using the electricity, but you think you have an out clause because someone change the mailing name?

They will want to get paid for the use, it will come back to you.

Be PROACTIVE about this, or you could get screwed.

Where did he say he doesn't want to pay his own bills?

[bjohnson]

Previous tenant of my place was a dodgy Vietnamese guy.

2 years after we moved in and we still get most of his mail. We've had the police rock up a few times looking for him, also had child protective services come and leave cards in the door (for his kids school attendance), Most recently a debt collector rocked up looking for him. I've never had a problem with any of them, I just explain the story and it's all fine. The second 9PM visit from the cops I explained that I've told them the story before, they were very apologetic and said they'd make sure it didn't happen again (haven't had anyone come back since).

For the first few months I sent all the mail back RTS but they keep sending it, My guess is that he has left the country and they don't know where else to send it so they just keep sending it to me.

[TJ]

Do you work for a utility provider? Chill out.

I do.

I'm more concerned that someone is using his address as part of I'd fraud.

[Ben Wha]

I usually make my silk road purchases in the name Jared Brooksbank.

[Skitzo]

hahahah this guy. Explains some of the online coupons i keep getting to my gmail account.

[SircatmaN]

No it doesnt.

You own the place, you are using the electricity, but you think you have an out clause because someone change the mailing name?

They will want to get paid for the use, it will come back to you.

Be PROACTIVE about this, or you could get screwed.

LOL I never said I didn't want to pay my bills? You think I set up this eloborate scam myself to not pay my tiny gas bill and half a months power? hahahah

I rang Alinta and the story takes a less exciting and more of a retarded turn.

My house is number 51, however it is LOT 61. Now you might think the confusion would be down at street number 61. WRONG. For some reason this has a huge effect on street number 81, this is were I started to get lost.

Either way my power and gas are back in my name correlated with correct meters and street number. Synergy has wiped my last months bill because they can't legally charge me for it, according to them. I accepted this arrangement, they also wiped any setup fees and cancellation fees.
Alinta just told me to ignore bills set in the other guys name, not that I even know they are bills except for the fact it has alinta stamped all over it, and starting next month my bill will be back in my name. They didn't carify if I'm paying for 2 months usage or what I dunno.

Once again I'm not trying to get out of my bills, but to be honest as far as I am concerned its there fuck up not mine, they should have done what any coherent organization would do and contact the current owner before setting off this clusterfuck and wasting so much of my time. I think i rang Alinta about 5 times today and was on hold and transferred all over the place. I've been on the phone to Synergy in a similar vein and haven't checked water corp yet, I can imagine it will be the same.

Anyway no big loss or nigerian scam artist so far...


I do.

I'm more concerned that someone is using his address as part of I'd fraud.

Sorry didn't see that post when I replied to the above one, thanks for your concern TJ, the more times I am scammed the less money I have to spend on suits!

[Frenchy]

You spoken to ol' mate at #81 ??

[SircatmaN]

You spoken to ol' mate at #81 ??

Not yet. I'm pissed at the amount of time this is taking up to fix so I'm thinking I might go all Quaker from 7 psychopaths on him and watch him sleep and shit until he goes crazy.

[carlos spicy wener]

i get my neighbors parcels all the time (small villa complex) last week i got me some new avon moisturiser, and every tuesday we get her lite' n' easy food order.

we also get randoms mail, and we are the first and only tenants, they usually end up in the bin, or if im feeling nice i put N.A.T.A. R.T.S. and send it back.