Suffering an identity crisis at Barclays

Suffering an identity crisis at Barclays

Carla Louise Sharman thought her name was unique. But in 2006, she discovered a second Carla Sharman - due to an error by Barclays Bank.

Since then, despite several appeals to the bank, council tax collectors, debt chasers and even a potential employer have mixed up the two Carlas, causing Carla Louise, from Worthing, nearly two years of misery and the loss of a job. She is now taking legal action against the bank, demanding £26,000.

Carla Louise has no debts. "I've had a nightmare two years due to this confusion. I could have lived with it if it had stopped as soon as I spotted it, but it's blighted my life," she says. "The file on the other says she was born in 1962; I'm six years younger. We don't have the same middle name and I have never lived in the East Midlands. I know a lot about her affairs because I have been sent all her financial files."

The problem started in October 2006 when Carla Louise moved home.

"In January 2007, I noticed I had not received statements. I complained and was told I had moved to Leicester. I said this was a mistake and assumed the matter had been corrected. But in May 2007, Barclaycard closed my account. I had not paid anything because all the bills went to Leicester."

Barclaycard apologised and sent her £250 as a goodwill gesture.

In November 2007, she received a letter from Nottingham city council threatening bailiffs for unpaid council tax. In January 2008, Carla Louise was chased.....continued below

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by Thames Credit. Both have apologised.

But the biggest problem occurred in May when Carla, a mortgage broker, applied to join a new company. "The work was offered to someone else because an Experian credit record search threw up horrors," she says. Experian corrected the errors but there is no notice to point out the previous mistakes.

"I want £16,000 for the lost work and £10,000 for hassles - not the second £250 Barclays offered," she says.

Barclays says: "We are aware of her complaint which is being treated as a priority. We accept our handling of this has fallen short of our usual high standards. We have apologised and hope to resolve this matter very soon."

guardian.co.uk © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2008