Is someone using my home address for fraud?

Lstevenmartiiin on 01/06/2023 - 16:18
Last edited 05/06/2023 - 12:16 by 1 other user

So today I get 3 letters in the post, they are not addressed to me by name but all had my address on them.

After opening all 3, I find they are all from Latitude telling the letter recipient that their information was compromised in the recent malicious cyber-attack.

2 of the letters are addressed to a female with the first name of Lynnley with different surnames. The 3rd is addressed to a male.

So in my non-criminal thinking mind, someone is using my address to open multiple accounts with Latitude. Neither I nor anyone in my family have a Latitude account.

Any suggestions or ideas other than contacting Latitude to tell them that the persons don't reside at my address?

Thanks

Financial

closed Comments

  • coffeeinmyveins on 01/06/2023 - 16:26
    +2

    How long have you lived there?

    Previous residents?

    • stevenmartiiin on 01/06/2023 - 16:32
      +1

      Lived here for 6 years and knew the previous owner who had it for 3.

      • seannami on 01/06/2023 - 22:14
        +13

        I was caught up in the latitude thing and my information was from around 15 years prior, so could still be from earlier residents who never updated their account

        • stevenmartiiin on 02/06/2023 - 06:28
          +2

          Could be I suppose but the fact that 2 of the letters are addressed to a female called Lynnley with different surnames makes me think more of it. I mean, what are the chances of 2 different Lynnleys residing at the same address, it's not a very common name.

          • ellea on 02/06/2023 - 07:28
            +41

            @stevenmartiiin: I just assumed it was one letter to a maiden name, then one to a married name.

          • Tiller76 on 02/06/2023 - 14:51
            +6

            @stevenmartiiin: My wife just received a letter from Latitude in her maiden name addressed to her childhood home to advise about the latitude breach. We've lived at our house and been married nearly 20 years, so my vote goes to being for previous residents.

          • hawkshead on 03/06/2023 - 21:01

            @stevenmartiiin: people change their surnames all the time

      • Ziggy28 on 03/06/2023 - 14:23

        Likely from previous residents who lived there many years ago. I did get an email from Latitude about the cyber attack leaks but no letter. I suppose it was sent to one of my previous addresses.

    • Cheap Gamer on 03/06/2023 - 07:25

      I got one for my mum who passed away 12 years ago. These guys are hopeless.

      • Willy Beamish on 04/06/2023 - 01:14
        -1

        To be fair it's not their job to track the breathing status of every person, if anything you should have notified all relevant parties of that fact at the time (if she was a customer at the time) How about we just say it's no one's "fault" and be glad they notified you at all.

        • Cheap Gamer on 04/06/2023 - 11:49

          You assume we didn't. We still get letters from another company after they were notified. Some companies just suck at updating customer records.

          • archieduh on 04/06/2023 - 12:03

            @Cheap Gamer: What a dignified response..hats off..
            If someone replied to me with "breathing status" comment, i would have lost it…

  • barge-in hunter on 01/06/2023 - 16:26
    +69

    I'm pretty sure it's considered illegal to open someone else's mail…

    That aside, the Latitude data breach goes back a very long time - unless you've lived at the address for 20+ years, chances are those letters are addressed to past residents/tenants/owners.

    • coffeeinmyveins on 01/06/2023 - 21:37
      +6

      I'm pretty sure it's considered illegal to open someone else's mail

      Oh no!….. anyway, straight in the bin.

    • trapper on 02/06/2023 - 12:25
      +5

      Get someone under 10 to open it without your knowledge, then it's legal :D

      • OMGJL on 02/06/2023 - 18:41

        Quite a hassle to have a baby every 10 years until you get a grand kid

    • Brianqpr on 02/06/2023 - 16:42
      +5

      One of the exceptions to this so called law is, and I quote, "You may have ripped open the envelope before checking the address".

      Based on this I'm not expecting too many convictions.

  • [Deactivated] on 01/06/2023 - 16:27
    +2

    By any chance, was the male addressee's name: Ruprecht?

    ;)

    • blitz on 01/06/2023 - 23:44
      +6

      He'll enjoy Oklahoma's wide-open spaces. He loves to run and run and run.

  • djsweet on 01/06/2023 - 16:31
    +11

    Um you shouldn't be opening mail addressed to someone else. Can land you in jail for up to 5 years.

    • Daabido on 01/06/2023 - 17:07
      +13

      Can? Yes.
      Would in this situation? No.

    • coffeeinmyveins on 01/06/2023 - 21:38
      +3

      lol yeah ok mate. If someone hasn't updated their address and it's been 9+ years since they may have lived there, that's their problem for not updating their address.

      • Randolph Duke on 02/06/2023 - 14:29
        +3

        Still doesn’t mean you should open their mail.

        • tonsta on 02/06/2023 - 16:59

          Apply’s to emails also?

    • Brianqpr on 02/06/2023 - 17:44

      See my post above, never going to happen.

  • lewislardboy on 01/06/2023 - 16:31
    +1

    I got the same Lattitude letter too — couldn't think for the life of me when I'd signed up. Did lattitude take over customer info from old Harvey Norman interest free purchases from over a decade ago?

    • spackbace on 01/06/2023 - 16:45
      +3

      Same, I wasn't expecting it and it was an old mailing address (my folks)

    • redforever on 01/06/2023 - 16:55
      +6

      They took over GEmoney and Wizard before that. I believe they were and prob still are also the main finance provider for those interest free purchases.

    • djkelly69 on 01/06/2023 - 17:16
      +2

      Did lattitude take over customer info from old Harvey Norman interest free purchases from over a decade ago?

      Yes - according to the news reports (and my own experience), Latitude retained records from the companies they bought out/took over going back to around 2005 and these appear to form part of the data leak.

    • seannami on 01/06/2023 - 22:16

      Yep, that's how mine happened- HN interest free via Go Mastercard or whatever it was called before.

  • Sideswipe on 01/06/2023 - 16:41

    any suspicious crim neighbours?

    • stevenmartiiin on 02/06/2023 - 06:30

      No, only 4 houses in the street and they are all legit (as far as I know)

  • Rukiata on 01/06/2023 - 17:02

    its clearly a scam , call support i bet its overseas. and scammers.

    • Cheap Gamer on 03/06/2023 - 07:44

      Scammers are much smarter and more organized. This is too embarrassing for them.

  • AustriaBargain on 01/06/2023 - 17:13
    +7

    If they aren't using your name then it doesn't really affect you. Australia Post says you should mark them as "return to sender - unknown at this address" and put them in a red post box or hand them in at a post office. You should put a padlock on your letterbox if you don't already have one. Security cam that covers your letterbox would be nice too.

    • Loopholio on 02/06/2023 - 09:11
      +2

      I still get mail from the previous tenants a year after I moved in. I put N.A.T.A R.T.S on them all and post it. The constant flow is now a trickle.

      • Name on 02/06/2023 - 14:24
        +1

        same with everything except for NAB. They ignored the "not at this address return to sender" and keep sending mail. So now I just throw it in the bin (I was doing RTS for 2 years before I stopped).

        • Subere on 03/06/2023 - 08:35

          Heh, I kept RTS ANZ from a previous tenant a few years ago and they just kept coming.
          Complained on twitter, they DMd me and it suddenly stopped….
          /Facepalm

  • CyberMurning on 01/06/2023 - 17:13

    Is someone using my home address for fraud?
    what is your address ? so i can check if me or one of my friends.

  • djkelly69 on 01/06/2023 - 17:17
    +2

    Seems most likely to be the last known address for Latitude/GE Money/etc customers, who are being notified about the recent data leak.

    Just RTS them and be done with it.

  • MS Paint on 01/06/2023 - 17:54
    +1

    Your house was probably a rental property at some stage in its life and had many tenants who used cheap expensive credit.

  • loropy9 on 01/06/2023 - 18:33
    +2

    A few years back I had a similar thing with a letter from Optus. My address, different name. I opened it without reading the recipient name as I had an account with Optus at the time. It was about some person's Optus account being suspended due to debt. The property had ever had only two residents including myself, no one by the name on the letter.
    I was dead scared that my identity might have been stolen. Optus said that someone used my ID to create an account with my address. However they didn't want to tell what type of ID was used so I could cancel that document and get a new one. They cited privacy laws.
    I reported the letter to the Federal police through their online reporting facility. I never heard back from Optus or the police. I checked my credit score soon after that, all was ok, no new credit taken in my name. The big Optus data breach occurred afterwards.

  • blueyez on 01/06/2023 - 18:58
    +6

    Should've addressed it return to sender instead of opening mail not addressed to yourself.

    If the letters are just informing the recipient they are victims, I don't know why you think this is fraudulent?

    They are probably trying their best to inform all former customers.

    If you think people have opened accounts under your file using a different name, then why aren't you in the phone to latitude to clear it up? I don't even think it is even possible because ID needs to be verified in the account holders name, not a random name that is someone else's.

    Check and lock your credit file if you're worried about fraud.

  • tsunamisurfer on 01/06/2023 - 18:59
    +2

    OP stop opening my letters.

    Would you mind forwarding those parcels as well? I will PM you.

  • freefall101 on 01/06/2023 - 19:23
    +3

    Latitude were keeping data going back for years and years, could well be from someone who lived there more than 9 years ago.

    And stop opening mail for other people.

  • Heaps for Cheaps on 01/06/2023 - 19:55
    +2

    OP should go to jail. Should have returned to sender instead of assuming peoples identities and opening their letters.

  • Hybroid on 01/06/2023 - 20:48
    +3

    So in my non-criminal thinking mind…

    The irony. Opening other people's mail is a crime. Mark as "not at address - return to sender" and pop it back into a post box.

  • mskeggs on 01/06/2023 - 20:55
    +3

    The latitude breach went all the way back to 2003 I think. Lots of “not at this address” returned to sender mail.

  • vince088 on 01/06/2023 - 22:45
    +1

    create an account on creditsavvy and check if anyone's been accessing your credit file.
    you can also put a 21 day ban through the app so no one can access it

  • JIMB0 on 02/06/2023 - 05:08
    +1

    Lucky for these people that Lattitude didn't have their current address. Scammers are now missing part of the identity.

  • stevenmartiiin on 02/06/2023 - 06:37

    If I had received 3 letters addressed to 3 completely different people, I wouldn't think too much of it. The fact that 2 of the letters are addressed to a female Lynnley (which is not a common name) with 2 different surnames makes me query the idea of some type of fraud.

    Anyway, I have resealed all letters and as suggested, returned the letters to sender. I am on the phone with Latitude now to inform them.

    • cashless on 02/06/2023 - 07:16
      +11

      It sounds like Lynnley lived there many years ago & may have got married while she did. That would account for surname change.
      Really don’t know why you’re getting so upset OP. Simply RTS

      • capslock janitor on 03/06/2023 - 12:46

        Anyway, I have resealed all letters and as suggested, returned the letters to sender. I am on the phone with Latitude now to inform them.

        maybe he tampered them

    • factor on 02/06/2023 - 10:06
      +1

      I'm bored today too, maybe I'll also call up Latitude to listen to their on-hold music.

    • Randolph Duke on 02/06/2023 - 14:32
      +9

      I can’t think of a single reason a surname could change for females other than fraud. Nope, not one.

    • xsacha on 04/06/2023 - 07:48

      100% first thought is she got married. Not at all suspicious

  • BigBirdy on 02/06/2023 - 09:08

    I received a letter from Latitude addressed to the previous owner, from nearly 8 years ago, so that's not an issue. Re name change, maybe marriage, so that's not an issue. RTS

  • Chewy2221 on 02/06/2023 - 09:46
    +1

    My previous employer would have lots of mail returned. This then prompted some investigation into the bona fides of the addressee. By not returning this mail, you are aiding and abetting the potential fraud committed by the addressee . Please return the mail to sender ASAP.

  • jonkvh on 02/06/2023 - 09:50
    +1

    Got the same letter yestee. Did a purchase with Hardley Normal 20 years ago. So that's how far back this crap went. Why they never deleted old accounts, I'll never know… considering other companies I've dealt with, make you set up a new account if you haven't used their services for a few years.

  • 2esc on 02/06/2023 - 10:57
    +2

    Well you never open someones mail without their permission.
    Cross across address then mark,

    "Return to Sender"

    Drop in a Aus post mailbox or at the counter and they can mark it.

    It is not a scam directed at you possibly a address mix up.

    In our case we got a lot of the previous residents mail it doesn't cost much to have Australia Post redirect your mail for a while in case you forget to notify everyone. People often forget their Superannuation.

    Sometimes it takes a while some companies can be slow to update addresses across all its departments or workers cant be bothered dating the details.

  • meong on 02/06/2023 - 13:31

    i too would like to find out..

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/705930

    My address has been used for fake license and end up getting a lot of speeding fines.

    I contacted Vicroads, they told me to contact Fines Victoria cause the fines are coming from them.

    I contacted Fines Victoria, they pointed me to VicPol website to download a form raise a fraud case.

  • payless69 on 02/06/2023 - 14:10
    +1

    Latitude is in a perpetual mess, we are sorry for ever dealing with them!

  • spal on 02/06/2023 - 15:48
    +1

    Lattitude must be writing at the last known address. Today I received a letter with a cheque from CBA addressed to the previous owner. We have owned the house for 17 years. It is clear that that our house is probably the last know address of the previous owners on CBA's records.

    • Embaloo on 02/06/2023 - 21:25
      +1

      How did you know it had a cheque in it?? Again, opening others' mail??

  • drfuzzy on 02/06/2023 - 16:54
    +1

    There is a crime going on.
    You are opening the mail of another person without consent.

  • Rako on 02/06/2023 - 18:54

    While my friends rental property was vacant during renovations I was maintaining the yard, letters from Banks with credit card applications started arriving with names neither the owner or i have heard of. I did an online search of one of them & found him, I contacted him & he contacted his bank who confirmed criminals were attempting to open accounts in his name using empty rental properties.

  • sintro on 02/06/2023 - 21:13

    Don't worry about it, it's a mass mail out. Got the same letter with the previous owner's name.

  • Davo1111 on 03/06/2023 - 03:09

    Lived in house for 6 years, thinks he's the only person that lived there

  • Sinnerator on 03/06/2023 - 08:35

    toss a coin
    heads - yes
    tails - no, you are paranoid

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 03/06/2023 - 08:53

    Maybe - for ages i got letters from my pervious owners for debts they owed

  • bjt on 03/06/2023 - 23:14

    It doesn't sound likely. But if you want to be sure, go to equifax.com.au, and get a free copy of your credit history - this will show if someone has taken a credit card out in your name.

  • hasher22 on 03/06/2023 - 23:33

    If it's under someone else's name but your address, it shouldn't be too much of a concern. Since name, address, DOB etc are usually the things to identify someone with a credit check etc….

    But to make sure if it's identify theft (highly doubt it), get a credit check done.

    I used to work for a few companies that had people's address wrong or re-directed to the wrong address but I assured the account holder that address does not affect one's credit rating unless everything is in their name.

    But go get the report, if nothing is done, I wouldn't be too worried, I'll only be worried if it was your name and address and you never had a product or service with X company before, then that's when I'll call the company directly and say what's up….

  • picket23 on 03/06/2023 - 23:47
    +1

    They own the house now, you are merely squatting.

  • Heaps for Cheaps on 04/06/2023 - 20:46
    +1

    "Please close the thread, advice taken on board and dealt with."
    How did you deal with it? You opened somebodies private letters illegally…
    Did you turn yourself into the police?

  • jonkvh on 05/06/2023 - 12:02

    OP, I commiserate with you!

    I"ve had to open letters, twice it's happened. Even after contacting the return to sender address, advising the bank & Aus Post, and you still get more letters… go ahead open them! It was the only way to solve being inundated with letters, via someone's piss poor ability at manageing their own shit.

    btw, Aus Post didn't give a rats about legality.

  • kerfuffle on 05/06/2023 - 12:03

    Like other people's mail, OP vandalised their own thread.

  • Moderatorscrimshaw on 05/06/2023 - 12:16

    Thread closed

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