Littlewoods should have done something about it when they were first notified a year ago but they continued sending out goods. In the circumstances they were given my address for correspondence but failed to respond, even to say they could not send to my address. They should have acted more responsibly when notified of the problem.

Yes, I have no absolute proof of when the account was opened. Most of the paperwork has obviously been intercepted by the sister and the only indication I have of the account being opened before her 18th birthday is that there is a statement showing late charges just about a month after her 18th birthday, hardly giving any time for opening the account, credit checks and ordering items before late charges accrued.

I think she is prepared to go to the police now but feel that it would be preferential if the company itself were to involve the police. She still has to live with her sister and would prefer to say that it was not her that contacted the police. I am not sure as there is lack of paperwork but it would appear that this account was opened whilst she was only 17 - how would that be possible with all the credit checks that are supposed to be carried out?

My daughter's friend found an invoice by chance at home addressed to her from Littlewoods for items ordered from the catalogue. She discovered that her sister had opened an account in her name (her sister already had an account in her own name that she had defaulted on payment). She wrote to Littlewoods indicating what had happened. For a year she was passed around from department to department until this week she received a letter from Lowells indicating that as she knew the person involved it was not treated as fraud, it was a civil matter, and that the company would be chasing her for the debt. I cannot believe that this is the case and would appreciate any comments.