Victim’s debts’ waived

THANKS to the Journal, an Exmouth pensioner, who was a victim of identity theft, has been let off the hook by the four companies who were hounding him for money.

The 72-year-old widower, who was first made aware his details had been stolen when his credit card company contacted him after noticing a flurry of spending on his account, had spent sleepless nights worrying about the debt run up fraudulently in his name.

When the Journal became involved, the companies who were owed money, run up by the fraudster, backed off, promising to leave the pensioner alone.

The great-grandfather, who does not want to be identified, had �5,000 of debt against his name, said: "Thanks to the Journal getting on their backs, they have all been very helpful and are doing something about it."

Although the police told the debt companies the pensioner was innocent, hundreds of letters dropped through his letter box demanding payments for electrical equipment he does not own, including a television and mobile phones.

Mobile telephone company 3 said it was closing the account set up in the pensioner's name.

A spokesman said: "We are sorry to hear of the distress caused to him.

"We have waived the balances on the accounts that were opened and he will not be receiving any more bills."

Telephone company O2 said it would also write off two accounts in the elderly man's name, saying it 'apologised for any inconvenience or concern' that had been caused to the pensioner.

A spokesman for JD Williams said: "Fraudulent activity is commonly reported in the UK and is a topic that we take very seriously as a catalogue and online retailer.

"As soon as this incident was brought to our attention, we resolved the situation as quickly as possible.

"All accounts in this gentleman's name have been closed."

A spokesman for Vodafone said the company was sympathetic to the pensioner's plight and was doing everything it could do to sort out the fraudulent activity being carried out in his name.