I have recently found out that someone has applied for a credit account with JD Williams on my behalf. They had filled in the online application form with my Name, Date of Birth, a random London address and claimed I had just moved there from an address 4 years ago. Now, with every credit application I have ever made, from a Loan or Credit Card to a mobile phone contract, there has always been a process of verification to confirm I am infact living at the address given and who I say I am. These searches show on my credit report as soft searches as they were used to confirm my identity. If I apply for any credit accounts soon after moving, I struggle myself as the verification processes fail until my existing accounts feed the updated info back to the credit reference agencies. My concern with JD Williams and the 12+ other sub sites they operate is that there is no identity check performed and from a search online, a lot of people are having the same issue as me, many more finding out when a debt is passed to a collection agency and the victim is found. I am 100% confident that JD Williams do no due diligence checks prior to processing the Hard Credit Search which adds the new linked address to your report. If they did attempt to check my identity electronically before processing the credit application, it would have failed as I was not known at the address supplied. The concern I have is that a fraudster can easily manipulate someones credit report without needing to verify anything, not even your email address. The company generally offers very high APR rates of 50%+ so I would assume this is targeted at those with bad credit histories and its likely most people are granted credit. I have reported to the FSA & ICO but they suggest that action would only be taken if they receive enough reports. I just feel not enough people are aware of why they were victims of fraud so easily because anyone that knows you personally and where you live, can easily order products on credit under your name and they dont even need to have any communication sent to your actual address.

Hello! didnt know where else to post this but are credit card companies meant to carry out credit checks and if so does anyone know generally what information they look for? i have a one with Vanquis thats been passed to moorcroft.

Hi, Hope this is the correct forum just for advice on dealing with a future purchase. If a dealer says they have carried out a 60,75,150 check on a vehicle is it reasonable to ask for a copy of the check when you go to view the vehicle so you can double check what they claim to have checked ..... I might sound a bit untrusting of car salesmen but my recent dealings with a large franchise has definitely not done anything to make me think they have suddenly become more trustworthy than Arthur Daley when it comes to telling the truth. Any advice on a purchase would be appreciated.

I hired an arbitrator as an ADR between me and my accountant. However it turns out that the contract between me and my accountant does not have a clause for arbitration. The arbitrator took on the job without checking this. He says he doesn't work for free! Given that almost all other professionals would do such a check, as it saves a lot of time - is there is legal requirement for him to do this check?

Hello everyone. About 4.5 years ago I was caught stealing some clothing from a high street store (tough period of my life, which I am luckily out of now. It was done to sell on to try and pay some bailiffs) The police were called, I was arrested and given a caution. I didn't have to pay an £80 fine. I'm going to apply for a job now and as far as I know they perform fairly stringent checks on their employees. This role won't be handling cash, or being around vulnerable adults/children. I think they will do an enhanced DBS check at the least. Will this be flagged up in the check? I'm lucky enough that I'm doing pretty well now, after quite a few hard and miserable years and I really, really want this job. Hope you can help.

Hi, someone can help ! Over the weekend I put in an offer to rent a property, and was given a date as to when i could move in providing referencing went through ok etc etc. The problem now is that my boss, who is my referrer, is now on holiday and wont be able to sign anything until he is back. I need to move out and into a new place before he is back. Perhaps naively, I actually thought that they would simply call or email him and ask to confirm any details that I put down, he is contactable this way, but wont be able to print and sign anything off before he gets back. Which leaves me in a bit of a pickle. I can move my stuff out and and move somewhere else, but once ive moved somewhere else I wont be able to (or want to for that matter) move my belongings again. The lettings company charged me £400 pretty much immediately, and i am wondering if i am within my right to ask for a refund. I didnt sign anything when i sent over the £400. No checks have been made as yet, i found this all out just now as ive received the landlord hub referencing form. thanks in advance

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35383037

Eldest daughter is just about to move out of a house she rents with three friends in London- it's rented and managed by one of the bigger London agents. They are all listed on the tenancy agreement. She's been there several years and the tenancy agreement has been extended etc. There is provision in the contract to move out mid tenancy, subject to a charge, and various conditions, including finding a replacement tenant. She's been made aware of the Right to Rent legislation which appears to apply from 1st Feb by the agent. Now, she's planning to move before 1st Feb, and they have a new tenant lined up and approved by the agency / landlord.. However, she's being told that the other three tenants (who are also within contract) have to have the Right to Rent check done- at a not inconsiderable charge - and that she's likely to have to bear the cost of this. As I understand it, the legislation applies to new tenancies. I would also have thought that said managing agent would have all the documents already on file to satisfy the legislation, taken as part of the screening and reference procedure when they moved in... She's also been told that the fee to change tenant is £50 more than it says in the contract that she signed.. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Here you go. http://www.motortrader.com/motor-trader-news/automotive-news/ford-technicians-praised-rac-high-quality-standards-18-11-2015 H

A Police officer recently informed me that a criminal PNC check will be shown on a person's credit report and damage that person's credit rating. I this true? I thought that county court prosecutions had nothing to do with magistrate court criminal prosecutions. Am I wrong or is the Police officer talking rubbish?

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?452870-Bailiffs-demand-reverse-checks-from-DVLA From our media section ^^^^^ Full story HERE

There is often a lot of confusion, fear and trepidation when those of us with less than perfect credit files have to go through the process of being referenced and credit checked for a new tenancy. A simple google will show that there is conflicting information out there about what landlord and letting agencies can and cannot see. WHAT LANDLORDS CAN SEE When you are credit checked for a tenancy only the public data can be seen and shared: Electoral Roll CCJs Bankruptcies Name/DOB confirmation WHAT LANDLORDS CANNOT SEE Any private credit data is not allowed to be shared: Defaults Missed Payments Arrangements To Pay Number of open/closed accounts Type of open/closed accounts As landlords do not share credit data they are unable to see credit data shared by other companies about you. It all comes down to reciprocity. To allay any further doubts Experian state on their website what can and cannot be shared to landlords: http://www.experian.co.uk/consumer/questions/askjames370.html And from Equifax

just wondering if anyone else is having this problem of robinson way doing credit report address history checks everyday for the past month? i have already cca'd and heard nothing back except we cannot retrieve your consumer credit agreement. anyones views or advice would be really helpful.

Hello, if it's your first offence and you have been given a Restorative Justice, does it show up on a CRB check/ Advanced CRB check? I think they are called DRB or DSB checks now. Many thanks.

I have applied for a position with British Gas. They asked if I had any CCJ's or IVA's against me within the past 6 years. I said no. However I have progressed a bit further now and have to fill in forms for a full check by Experian, and the question is now worded differently - Have you ever received any County Court Judgments or Individual Voluntary Arrangements against you? My CCJ was over 6 years ago, and has dropped off of ALL of the credit reports I have paid for to check, so my question is - Do I have to tick yes? Thanks in Advance. Tony.

Hello, I work for a large organisation, and my name is on a list of people to potentially have a company credit card. This will be used to make it easier to purchase consumables and admin related items. It would make my work life much easier too. However, I have terrible credit, which I'd rather my work didn't know about. If they want to give me a company credit card, will I have to go through a credit check, or is it the organisation that goes through the credit check rather than the individual holding it?

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/police-officers-fear-new-strict-2952145

Hi, I started working for a large energy supplier on the 3rd June 2013, on the 3rd July I received an email asking me to complete some pre-employment checks, which I found strange considering both myself and the company signed my contract of employment in May. I have a poor credit history and can almost guarantee that I will fail a Credit Check, which they are carrying out on me. Where do I stand on this if I do indeed fail the check and I lose my job? I am still in my probationary period with the company, but whilst there has been no performance issues, I feel they may use the credit check result to terminate my employment. Cheers Gary

Hopefully I'm posting on the right forum: Does anybody know if there is any way of checking if a HPI check has been done on my vehicle? Cheers in advance

Ive had to send off 5 enhanced DBS checks, as i registering to be a childminder. Four of them have been returned and we are still waiting for the 5th, my sons. We didn't list any convictions as he, as far as we know, didn't have any, but the delay has now made us wonder a couple of the. Firstly he accidentally drove down a bus lane, paid the fine - should this have been listed. It was a few years ago and he was caught on camera, not pulled over by police so cant remember who the fine was from -council or police Secondly on a drunken night out with the lads he was put in the back of the police van, drove up the road, and let out again - is this a caution? As he was drunk he doesn't remember all the details - whether his name and address were taken - he wasn't fined, taken to court etc Thirdly he was punched a couple of years ago, in a night club, ended up in hospital, thrown out of court as judge said it was too dark to be able to identify the attacker properly!!!!, he wasn't charged or arrested as he didn't retaliate, but the fact that this is down on some police computer should we have listed that. Ofsted and DBS aren't really much help telling me anything as its not my DBS and because my sons at work all day he is unable to ring them

Hi all not sure if this is posted in the right thing but here is my question hope you can help. my husband was arrested on the grounds of conspirey on suspicion to burgely but whilst out on bail all chrges were dropped and no further action taken will this show up on a enhanced crb check. thk u

I have obtained a new job, the recruitment agent says they are only looking for bankruptcy and CCJ's. I have 3 defaults from 2008/2009. I remember in my current job I had to go through the same thing, this was in 2010 and it was fine. Has things changed, do they now look for defaults? I am panicing about this and cant sleep, the great credit crunch cost my my job and I didnt have enough in savings to keep on top of accounts and now its came back to bite me The banks of course that got bailed out are fine and dandy.

Hi there. I don't know if I am posting in the right forum, hopefully a moderator can help me if not. This is bit of a long story so please bear with me. I got made redundant through no fault of my own September last year and have been on Jobseekers Allowance since then. Everyone knows that when you have a job you have a better lifestyle, and when you lose that job, the lifestyle dramatically changes and you cannot afford the little luxuries anymore, this is where defaults start happening on your credit file and start to get harassed by the DCAs. Anyway, I was placed on a 2 week course with a provider called Working Links. I was told that if I completed the course to their satisfaction, I would be guaranteed a job interview whether in person or phone with the Student Loans Company. Apparently they do CRB checks, person checks and credit checks even though it is a temporary admin job. (talk about paranoia and the snoopers charter). I have an Enhanced CRB which is clean so that isn't a problem. I mentioned in the first instance on the course that we, as unemployed people who had lost their jobs recently would not have squeaky clean or positively glowing credit histories and if their selection process was so rigourous, why on earth are they recruiting this way. I was told as long as debts were being paid, everything will be fine. Now this is the gist of my problem. I have defaults and a CCJ, all but two are being addressed, the two I am in dispute with consist of:- One is a mobile phone where a DCA added an extra £300 to the balance, I have requested all paper work and everything associated with it but they will not give me this information. Secondly, a credit card to Vanquis Bank. The card had payment protection on it (or whatever version of payment protection they call it) and have refused to acknowlege it and have sent Moorcroft after me, I said to them that I would not pay anything to them when payments were supposed to be protected for 2 years. So the course finished, got glowing reports and going forward to next stage. However, the course manager phoned me today and the subject of the credit check came up. he said don't mention your defaults on the phone as they will turn you down flat. I said what the hell, I told you about my defaults and my situation, why on earth did you let me finish this course if I had no chance of the end result. Heres my quandary, should I just make the creditors I am in dispute with a token offer and hope for the best as this is not a guaranteed job offer, just an interview, or just totally forget about the interview and carry on being in dispute with those two creditors. And explain to the JC+ that my credit record prevented me. Otherwise I could be admitting to these debts and still have no job. So sorry for the long post. Has anyone out there on CAG been in the same position and can help me out? Many thanks jb000

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21942544 "Thousands of job applicants will no longer have to face their criminal past being disclosed to employers, under changes announced by the Home Office. Old and minor cautions and convictions will be filtered out of the information revealed in applications for jobs in England and Wales. It follows a Court of Appeal ruling in January that blanket checks did not comply with human rights laws. All serious violent and sexual offences will continue to be disclosed. The Home Office said the system would be implemented within weeks, following Parliamentary scrutiny. In 2011-12, more than four million people applied for a criminal records check. The changes follow a Court of Appeal hearing concerning a job applicant, known as T, who had to disclose police cautions he had received at the age of 11 over two stolen bicycles when he applied for a part-time job at a football club. Tougher criminal checks were brought in after mistakes were made with child murderer Ian Huntley The Master of the Rolls, Lord Dyson, said the disclosure of old convictions and cautions was designed to protect children and vulnerable adults. However, he said, "requiring the disclosure of all convictions and cautions relating to recordable offences is disproportionate to that legitimate aim".

Hello all. I need some advice as I have been endlessly searching the internet for information and I cannot find anything specific with regards to my issue. I have been living in Australia since 2009 and although initially I've been paying my UK debts during the first two years of living here, due to changes in my personal circumstances I couldn't keep up with the payments anymore. All these debts were credit cards, an unsecured loan and an overdraft. At the beginning I informed all my creditors that I will not be able to keep up with my payments, later on I'd been paying a reduced monthly amount, which was distributed amongst my creditors, then I couldn't afford those monthly payments either and offered token payments only, but the company who was dealing with my creditors just went silent after a while and the token payments were not taken out of my account via direct debit, so basically they just dropped me and never heard from them again. That was in 2011 and I haven't heard from any creditors or debt collection agencies ever since. My visa needs to be renewed here in Aus, and they want me to provide an ACPO police certificate from the UK. My question is, will these debts and non-payment show up on the certificate? Am I correct in thinking that, this is a civil matter and not a criminal, therefore it shouldn't show up on the police certificate? Many thanks.