O/T: unexpected credit card arrivals

[PHCgull]

two new (not renewals) santander visa cards have just arrived at our house.

One of them is for a previous resident, one is for someone we've never heard of.

We rang santander to tell them and they weren't interested. But I can't understand how they could have applied for them without a recent bill in their name at our address.

What does NSC think we should do next? Cut them up and ignore them?

(nb "sell them to the junkies on London Road" is not the correct answer)

 

[Common as Mook]

Sign the back and spend spend spend

 

[middletoenail]

If you have called Santander and have told them that your address is being used fraudently then they are obliged (under the terms of their membership to CIFAS) to file a fraud marker at your address within 48 hours. This marker will then alert other companies when they pull a credit bureau at your address that it i being used fraudently.

 

[PHCgull]

If you have called Santander and have told them that your address is being used fraudently then they are obliged (under the terms of their membership to CIFAS) to file a fraud marker at your address within 48 hours. This marker will then alert other companies when they pull a credit bureau at your address that it i being used fraudently.

thats interesting, thanks. They really couldnt have given less of a toss when we called earlier...

 

[Colossal Squid]

I once received a credit card with a £5,000 limit in a variation on my name that wasn't quite right. Intrigued as to whether it would work I rang the activation number and started spending. £5,000 later it stopped working.

When I started getting threatening letters through the post I pointed out that a) it wasn't technically in my name and b) I had never signed any credit agreement.

This was about 5 years ago and I never heard anything more.

I say SPEND like you've never spent before. It isn't like you owe Santander any favours

 

[dannyboy]

spend !!!! wish i had one of those through the door.. the person who's card it is wont end up paying for it santander will .

 

[clapham_gull]

I would also imagine they are obliged under the Data Protection Act to have correct address details for their customers.

Obviously this is often the fault of the customer, but the Act still applies to them.

 

[Notters]

I can't believe people are saying spend. Ever heard of fraud?

 

[Colossal Squid]

I can't believe people are saying spend. Ever heard of fraud?

Yeah, it's how the banks have been operating for the past twenty years. They should be held accountable for their mistakes

 

[Arthur]

two new (not renewals) santander visa cards have just arrived at our house.

One of them is for a previous resident, one is for someone we've never heard of.

We rang santander to tell them and they weren't interested. But I can't understand how they could have applied for them without a recent bill in their name at our address.

What does NSC think we should do next? Cut them up and ignore them?

(nb "sell them to the junkies on London Road" is not the correct answer)

If you are opening mail addresses to someone else then you are already clearly a bit dodgy anyway. Spend away!

 

[sean_o]

Check your credit file with experian first.

Send a letter to Santander explaining what has happened demanding a full explanation. Head your letter complaint and send it recorded delivery.

Dont use the cards that would be fraud. The cards will not be activated anyway!

Don't worry, I expect the cards are for a valid application but by mistake your address has been entered into th banks system.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

thats interesting, thanks. They really couldnt have given less of a toss when we called earlier...

That's because they are the WORST bank in the world - they were previously known as Shabby National for VERY good reasons. Their customer services department in staffed by brainless mongs that would probably struggle to tie their own shoelaces. Their mission statement is "The customer is always wrong and we couldn't give a shite".

I say report them for not following the correct procedures. Also make sure they haven't added anything to you credit record - if they have I suggest you ask the credit agencies to add a note saying you dispute the entry and write to Santander to get them to correct it ( charge them £25 for every letter you send or every phone call you make - I made over £500 from them just because they wanted to argue the toss ).

 

[Westdene Seagull]

send it recorded delivery.

I would suggest special delivery as recorded delivery isn't tracked - it only requires someone to sign for it.

 

[PHCgull]

thanks for all the input guys.

In the distant past I might have been up to Bluewater like a rat up a drainpipe but these days there is too much to lose.

I am struggling to work out how two completely separate names should receive a card at our address on the same day from the same bank and it be an admin mistake.

Middletoenail's advice has been duly taken.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

That's because they are the WORST bank in the world - they were previously known as Shabby National for VERY good reasons. Their customer services department in staffed by brainless mongs that would probably struggle to tie their own shoelaces. Their mission statement is "The customer is always wrong and we couldn't give a shite".

I say report them for not following the correct procedures. Also make sure they haven't added anything to you credit record - if they have I suggest you ask the credit agencies to add a note saying you dispute the entry and write to Santander to get them to correct it ( charge them £25 for every letter you send or every phone call you make - I made over £500 from them just because they wanted to argue the toss ).

now, charging incompetent banks £25 for me sending them a letter or making a phone call, that I like. How did you do that, just send them an invoice. Why did they pay?

 

[Westdene Seagull]

now, charging incompetent banks £25 for me sending them a letter or making a phone call, that I like. How did you do that, just send them an invoice. Why did they pay?

I wrote to them giving them 7 days to resolve the multiple issues and advising them that after that period any letters I had to write them or phone calls I had to make to them would incur the charge for my time and associated stress. I just kept a log of the letters and calls, and once they finally resolved the issues, I sent an invoice with covering letter refering them to my previous letter. Got a cheque in the post around 10 days later. I did something similar to Lloyds around credit card errors and conditions they tried to impose that weren't in the paperwork when I signed up but they solved everything within 7 days ( they did give £50 as a goodwill gesture though ! )

 

[csider]

wait for the pin numbers then clean out the account at 11.59pm then at 00.01am.