Strange goings-on.....

[mangerton]

....... at mangerton towers.

It occurred to me that you might be able to offer some advice, please.

I returned home yesterday to find that two "something for you cards" had been put through the letterbox, one from Royal Mail, and one from Parcelforce. The information on the cards indicated that they'd been correctly addressed, but the addressee is a woman, with a name nothing like mine.

At 6.30 yesterday evening, a delivery man arrived from a courier firm, with a parcel - a laptop, apparently - addressed to my address, but with the same addressee. I refused to accept it, and it will be (presumably) returned to sender. I have not yet investigated the cards, and shall try to do so tomorrow.

I should say that mangerton towers is in fact a flat in a tenement building. Eight flats share the same street number, and each flat has its own location-based designation, eg Ground floor right, 2nd floor left. This is a very common setup in Scotland. I have lived here for 15 years. There is no-one of the addressee's name living here, as far as I can tell.

My first thought was card fraud, but after checking, I can say that whoever paid for the goods, it wasn't me.

What, if any, is the racket or scam? What is the point? Can anyone shed any light on what appears to be a pointless exercise?

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

a simple mistake is not entirely out of the question is it?

[mangerton]

a simple mistake is not entirely out of the question is it?

No, but there appear to be three. I know companies will deliver to an address different from the a/c holder, but it seems odd for three items to arrive all on the same day.

[Anna]

I would have thought a simple mistake as well, mis-transcription of postcode possibly? Or, someone just about to move it to your block who has got the flat code wrong? Just refuse to accept anything and let whoever sent the goods sort it out. If you have a management committee for the flats then ask them perhaps? Edit: Or if not, just to be on the safe side, show a neighbour the cards and what you've done.

[Flay]

The house next door to us (no 4) was turned into flats . One tenant in flat 2 appears to have put her address as "number 2" which is ours. Then she left apparently with bills. I frequently receive mail addressed to her but mailed to my address. They say "to be opened by addressee" but it do not say that a powerful light should not be shone through. This shows that they are demands from debt collectors...

I have returned all to senders, but they keep coming. I do worry that this could affect the credit rating for my address.

[mangerton]

The house next door to us (no 4) was turned into flats . One tenant in flat 2 appears to have put her address as "number 2" which is ours. Then she left apparently with bills. I frequently receive mail addressed to her but mailed to my address. They say "to be opened by addressee" but it do not say that a powerful light should not be shone through. This shows that they are demands from debt collectors...

I have returned all to senders, but they keep coming. I do worry that this could affect the credit rating for my address.

I must remember the bright light dodge. The credit rating/address aspect worries me too. When I phoned my CC company, they said they go by name, not address, but I remain to be convinced.

[Anna]

I must remember the bright light dodge. The credit rating/address aspect worries me too. When I phoned my CC company, they said they go by name, not address, but I remain to be convinced.

I always thought CCJs went by the address, but perhaps it's changed, but back to your problem. I cannot see it's any sort of scam and it must be a simple case of wrong address (better than a bright light is a steaming kettle and then a pritt-stick!)

[Sir Velo]

I have returned all to senders, but they keep coming. I do worry that this could affect the credit rating for my address.

Credit ratings are given for individuals not addresses. Fear not.

[mangerton]

I always thought CCJs went by the address, but perhaps it's changed, but back to your problem. I cannot see it's any sort of scam and it must be a simple case of wrong address (better than a bright light is a steaming kettle and then a pritt-stick!)

You obviously have experience in these matters! Perhaps I'm just overly suspicious. It'll be interesting to see what the other items were.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Or, someone just about to move it to your block who has got the flat code wrong?

As the deliveries have only just started happening, Anna's suggestion sound plausible. (If you're unlucky, mangerton, your new neighbour will come pounding on your door demanding that you hand over her goods!)

[Serial_Apologist]

I get regular mail for an italian family who apparently owned this flat 20 years ago! It is mostly voting papers for Italian elections, which I mail off to the Italian Embassy with a rude message in biro on the outside saying isn't it about time they cleared up their records!

[LeMartinPecheur]

Credit ratings are given for individuals not addresses. Fear not.

The credit reference co's had to be stopped not so many years ago from rating people by address (dodgy address = dodgy person) because IIRC the data protection ombudsman or someone similar thought it was a tad unfair!

WOT- no guilt by association any more?

[salymap]

I've had puzzled delivery men unloading big blocks outside my small bungalow more than once because the purchaser had letter headed paper with an uppercase B in the address which always gets taken for an '8'.


Not as odd as your atory mangerton, hope you soon get it sorted.

[Don Petter]

Beware of Greeks bearing gifts?

[mangerton]

As the deliveries have only just started happening, Anna's suggestion sound plausible.

Well, yes, indeed. I do hope this is so. On the other hand the addressee's name - not particularly common, I should have thought - is Chloe Bain. And I kid you not. Just out of interest I looked her up in google.

(If you're unlucky, mangerton, your new neighbour will come pounding on your door demanding that you hand over her goods!)