Hello,
I've received a demand notice from a debt collecting demanding payment of around $1.5k for a debt handed over from Vodafone, due the same day.
Called up Vodafone and they've confirmed there was an account in my name, which closed in Dec 2018.
They had used my full name and licence number.
The address wasn't one I'd ever lived at, and just a few streets up the road. The phone number is one I've never heard of and disconnected when I tried to call.
Vodafone customer support suggested raising an identity fraud claim, which requires a police report. So I will be doing both of those immediately.
I'll also get a new drivers licence (with new number).
Should I be contacting the debt collectors to inform them I've received the demand and raised it as fraud at this point?
Anything else I should do at this point?
Obviously want to prove this is not my debt and get this cleared asap without hurting credit or anything.
Cheers!
Looks like your neighbour went through your mail or your trash for your details.
This is the relevant portion of the ACCC/ASIC debt collectors guide:
https://www.accc.gov.au/publications/debt-collection-guideli…
Basically at the same time as providing the police report to Vodafone, also write to the debt collector with the same information and stating that the debt was not incurred by you and is currently the subject of a police investigation.
The point is to raise a genuine dispute as to the validity of the debt, which freezes debt collection activity.