Credit reference agency
Discussion
Simpo Two said:
Thanks Sarnie - are they effectively all the same and I just pick the cheapest, or are some more appropriate for the purpose?
Basically, Equifax & Experian are the main credit reference agency's that credit providers report data to. Call credit are the third one trying to muscle in on the other two.Checkmyfile will give you all of the info from all three agencies but costs about £8pm from memory.
Noddle is free but only reports info from Callcredit, it can also be 2-3 months out of date.
Lenders do NOT usually report to all three agencies. This means that if Barclaycard only reported their data via Equifax for example, it would not show on an Experian report, so if someone took something out in your name and you only had an Experian account, you would be unlikely to find out about it in that way.
Good subject.
I'd be keen on something that's pretty good at detecting identity theft in particular (over the normal stuff about erroneous claims that you still owe someone a fiver from 2001 or so - which is what I was told when I had a free trial recently). It's someone trying to clone me that worries me because I know how it can be done, and how lax some providers can be.
I'd be keen on something that's pretty good at detecting identity theft in particular (over the normal stuff about erroneous claims that you still owe someone a fiver from 2001 or so - which is what I was told when I had a free trial recently). It's someone trying to clone me that worries me because I know how it can be done, and how lax some providers can be.
I was surprised at the approach of one company. When I advised them of the issue, asked them to put a flag on it and call me if anything unusual happened, they said I'd have to write them a letter.
'How would you know the letter is from me and not from Mr Imposter?'
'Because it would have your signature on it'
'But Mr Imposter might have found my signature in the bin and forged it'
'Erm... well you'll still have to write in.'
'How would you know the letter is from me and not from Mr Imposter?'
'Because it would have your signature on it'
'But Mr Imposter might have found my signature in the bin and forged it'
'Erm... well you'll still have to write in.'
If you are concerned about avoiding identify theft rather than your current credit rating, join up to CIFAS
https://www.cifas.org.uk/pr_for_individuals
I had fraudulent accounts opened in my name, and I was added to CIFAS to avoid further intrusions.
https://www.cifas.org.uk/pr_for_individuals
I had fraudulent accounts opened in my name, and I was added to CIFAS to avoid further intrusions.
NicD said:
If you are concerned about avoiding identify theft rather than your current credit rating, join up to CIFAS
https://www.cifas.org.uk/pr_for_individuals
Thanks Nic - before I part with £20 can anyone confirm its effectiveness and/or how it fits in with the others?https://www.cifas.org.uk/pr_for_individuals
Simpo Two said:
What I'd actually like them (the various institutions) to do is ring me if they get any request to do anything and ask if I authorised it.
That's not realistically going to happen, because many of the processes are entirely automated. There usually isn't an actual person sifting through each application.NicD said:
My Equifax search showed a CIFAS section, as victim of fraud. The idea is to put on notice the card company etc performing a credit check on you . So they will make extra checks before opening an account in your name.
There was a thread on here a good few years ago where the OP had been declined a mortgage for an unknown reason. Spent months fighting the usual "check your credit file" responses from lenders, only to eventually find that a previous lender had suspected him of a fraudulent application and placed him on the CIFAS register meaning that ALL subsequent lenders flatly refused to even consider him.I can't remember how it finally turned out but I remember him involving the FOS and considering sueing the lender who put him on the CIFAS (wrongly) in the first place.......be careful about voluntarily putting yourself on that!
Sarnie said:
NicD said:
My Equifax search showed a CIFAS section, as victim of fraud. The idea is to put on notice the card company etc performing a credit check on you . So they will make extra checks before opening an account in your name.
There was a thread on here a good few years ago where the OP had been declined a mortgage for an unknown reason. Spent months fighting the usual "check your credit file" responses from lenders, only to eventually find that a previous lender had suspected him of a fraudulent application and placed him on the CIFAS register meaning that ALL subsequent lenders flatly refused to even consider him.I can't remember how it finally turned out but I remember him involving the FOS and considering sueing the lender who put him on the CIFAS (wrongly) in the first place.......be careful about voluntarily putting yourself on that!
The one mentioned above was likely something else.
But hey, its your identity.
Sarnie said:
There was a thread on here a good few years ago where the OP had been declined a mortgage for an unknown reason. Spent months fighting the usual "check your credit file" responses from lenders, only to eventually find that a previous lender had suspected him of a fraudulent application and placed him on the CIFAS register meaning that ALL subsequent lenders flatly refused to even consider him.
I can't remember how it finally turned out but I remember him involving the FOS and considering sueing the lender who put him on the CIFAS (wrongly) in the first place.......be careful about voluntarily putting yourself on that!
Sarnie,I can't remember how it finally turned out but I remember him involving the FOS and considering sueing the lender who put him on the CIFAS (wrongly) in the first place.......be careful about voluntarily putting yourself on that!
You've given some great info on this thread - thank you very much.
May I clarify what I now thick I understand about CIFAS with you please? It seems it has two functions:
1) If you are worried about identity Fraud then add yourself to the register and this means no lender can lend to you without calling you and getting your CIFAS code (or so is my understanding of how it works). Presumably there is a charge for this?
2) If a lender takes an application from someone and suspects that it is fraudulent or that the applicant is a fraudster they can add this person's name to some other part of the CIFAS register that lenders can access and in so doing warn other lenders about lending to them. Is this correct? That's some pretty awesome and potentially life-ruining power they have there. if, as per the example you cited, someone is on the register as an alert for other lenders, surely it is in breech of their Data protection rights for them not to be told, no? How does this work?
Have I got the right end of the stick here about CIFAS?
Thank you for your advice on this.
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