Thread: Credit search wrongly logged on credit file

I have checked my credit file with Experian and have found that a search has been registered on my file for an application for hire purchase.

This application was NOT made by me and the details that the company in question have submitted to Experian are incorrect. Name and parts of my address are spelt incorrectly (this I know may just be a typo by the data in putter). However, the most concerning bit for me is that my date of birth is totally wrong date month and year (cheeky sods put me at 6 years older than I am).

I am going to write to the company and ask them for all the details that they have regarding this search that they have logged with Experian. I want this search removed from my credit file which has subsequently lowered my credit score (which was not great to start with I admit) and also if somebody has carried out a search in my name I want to throw the book at them if they are at all traceable.

Question is, rather than me just simply asking for the details in a letter for me then to be potentially fobbed off or it taking them weeks if not months to respond are there any Acts that I can quote them to force them into a speedy and full response.

Regards

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Thinking about it, I could send them a 1.00 Postal Order and ask them to send me a true copy of the original application under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 (assuming it was not a telephone application of course, but surley they would have made and filed some kind notes).

Comments/guidance would be appreciated.

Regards

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Originally Posted by jo5ephedward5

i think if you contact experian etc they will look into it for you - after all its potentially fraud

Thats exactly what I thought, so I did contact them and I got the following response.

Credit reference agencies simply store credit account records on behalf of lenders. As a result, if you have any queries about a previous search you should contact the company direct. I cannot change these records without the lender's consent. The contact details you may need are:

I'm now hoping I can get the information out of the company that carried out the search.

An unauthorised search on your file is a good indicatior of attempted application fraud (id theft).

If you want to deter this and be warned of these attempts then have a read at my posting yesterday (31 August 2006) at 1739.

ID Theft Help

As far as I was aware, ANY company holding personal data MUST have a Data Controller, and is subject to the Data Protection Act (with the obvious exceptions, medical, educational, security etc). Therefore in my mind both the credit database and the lender company are required to ensure that the data they hold is accurate and up to date. If information is in dispute, it should be withdrawn until details are verified.

Had a reply yesterday from the company that carried out the credit search.

"Your comments have been noted and the matter is presently being investigated. We will write to you shortly with our findings and, meanwhile, please be assured of our best attention at all times."


Fobbed off letter I think, they have failed to send me the information that they hold on the application made, they have made no mention of the search being removed from my credit file as I do consider the matter very much in dispute.

They may well be carrying out there own internal investigations, but I want to carry out my own also. I will write back to them once again asking for the application details and request that they remove the search from my credit file.

If they fail a second time what's next, how can I force them to comply with my requests which I do not see as being unreasonable.

I have a similar problem. A default notice has been incorrectly put on my wife's credit file as a result of an mail order account set up fraudulently at her old address. The debt has been sold onto a debt collection agency. We have managed to get the default notice from the mail order company removed but the debt collection agency is not moving despite instruction from the mail order company who has bought the debt back. As in your case the wrong date of birth was used. All we have achieved is that the debt collection agency has corrected the date of birth and changed the address to our current address. I have complained to the credit services assoc. and am threatening legal action against the debt collection agency. I will post further news

raise a complaint to the Informtion Commissioner as they will be able to force the debt collection Agency to remove the incorrect information from your credit file.

Thanks Fred. I have somewhat hijacked the thread and have started a new one as a result. - 'Incorrect default notice'. I will raise the complaint as suggested and post results there as they happen.