MP rails at 'abuse' after unsolicited Wonga offer

Britain's most-profitable payday lender Wonga tried to offer an MP a loan, even though her details had been fraudulently obtained.

Now the MP is demanding that "aggressive marketing tactics" be stamped out with proper regulation.

During a debate on payday loans in the House of Commons on Monday, East Belfast MP Naomi Long reported: "I wrote to [Wonga] because I was concerned that I got what appeared to be a marketing mailshot from them claiming that I had previously applied for credit with them."

The Northern Ireland MP said that she had never applied for a loan with the high-cost credit company but was alarmed by what she was then told by the firm.

"It now transpires they are claiming that the information that they had of mine had been used fraudulently to try and obtain credit in my name."

The MP said she would pass the case on to the Financial Conduct Authority and the Information Commissioner's Office. "I've asked whether this has been reported to the police. I've also asked them why they didn't contact me directly," Ms Long said.

"I believe this kind of abuse could lead people to think that perhaps this is something they haven't gone seeking but they are now getting unsolicited mailshots to their homes," she told the Commons.

"Others perhaps would be fooled into thinking it is something they previously applied for and thinking it was something they wanted and would now wish to take up. I think it is hugely important aggressive marketing tactics are stamped out and dealt with through proper regulation," the MP demanded.

Wonga said it is now dealing directly with Ms Long's questions.