Scamwatch: 'A fraudster in the US is using my name and email'
Faye was Headline Money Consumer Money Journalist of 2023 and a Wincott Award finalist in 2025. She's been investigating scams for nearly a decade.
Dear Which?,
A fraudster in the United States is using my name and email address to open accounts and buy goods and services in the US.
Recent examples include a hotel booking and opening an account with an online store selling medicines and supplements.
I’m spending a lot of time trying to convince various retailers that this is a case of identity fraud and that they should shut down the offending accounts. Often, there is no clear way to contact the site to report identity fraud, and/or the retailer has no system for dealing with my reports
Name and address supplied
Faye Lipson, Which? senior researcher, says:
This shows the gaps in the current identity fraud protections. Fraudsters typically use victims’ details to obtain financial products such as credit cards or bank accounts. But in this unusual case, they are using your name and email address alongside their own payment method, not linked to you. Left with the burden of informing each retailer, you have now developed a template email to use for this purpose.
While this activity appears to be confined to online retailers and only uses your email address, it’s important to check your credit report to make absolutely sure that there are no unrecognised searches or accounts in your name.
With your permission, I spoke to Cifas, a UK fraud prevention database, about your case. While it doesn’t have a direct equivalent in the US, it highlighted reportfraud.ftc.gov and identitytheft.gov. Reporting your experience to these US government bodies could be helpful. Stop Scams Alliance in the US is not a governmental body, but it may also be able to offer further advice.
Even though it’s just your email that’s being used, you should still report this to Report Fraud, previously known as Action Fraud, and inform your bank. You can report fraud to the police if you live in Scotland. Cifas also offers an identity fraud prevention product, called Protective Registration, at the cost of £30 for two years. This service acts as an additional fraud check for businesses to carry out when someone applies for a financial product in your name.
How to avoid identity fraud
- Keep a check on your credit file for any new accounts opened in your name.
- If you spot any transaction or account that you don't recognise, contact your bank or credit card provider immediately.
- Ensure your online passwords are strong and unique, with two-factor authentication enabled where possible.
- Be wary of scam attempts as scammers will use snippets of information they already have on you to convince you they're calling from your bank or other trusted organisation. Don't be tempted to share any information without first verifying who is contacting you.
- Report scams to Report Fraud or call the police on 101 if you live in Scotland. If you've lost money to a scam, contact your bank using the number on the back of your card.
