Wrong address

mstorres

I got a letter two years ago from the department of social protection asking me to sign up for the public services card. I hadn’t ever claimed social welfare so I thought this a bit odd but even more strange was it was sent to a family member’s address (where I have never lived). This was a data protection issue but due to a bereavement at the time I didn’t push it, and I just called into the offices and explained that I had never lived at the address and the person I spoke to was very apologetic and changed the address.

Recently another member of my household contacted the department of social protection, proceeded
to give our home address and was told the address they had in file was the address of the family member who received the letter belonging to me previously. The address was again changed to our actual home address when it was explained that we never lived at the address listed.

The time it happened to me I just put it down as a genuine mistake but now it has happened to another member of the household I’m concerned. Has anybody had something similar happen? I’ve told my family member to ring the department again but they are reluctant to do so because they think it’s sorted now the address has been changed.

dartboardio

Used to happen from time to time in the medical card section too. Usually you'd just ring them up with the details, give them your phone number, and the name and address on the letter, explain you have no connections etc to that address and they'd investigate it further and basically ring you back to tell you all is sorted

Can be something silly like human error, or computer, or maybe just genuine confusion somewhere along the lines.

I'd deffo ring them and they can send it up to their DP department or whatever.

mstorres

Thanks for that. I know the most likely reason is probably a computer error or something, just thought it was odd that neither of us have ever lived at that address and yet this is the address they had for us. At least it’s a family member’s address and not a random stranger!

dartboardio

mstorres wrote: »

Thanks for that. I know the most likely reason is probably a computer error or something, just thought it was odd that neither of us have ever lived at that address and yet this is the address they had for us. At least it’s a family member’s address and not a random stranger!

Yeah it's strange but these things happen, wires get crossed. I wouldn't worry about it anyway, they'll sort it out if you contact them