Credit report searched/account opened frauduently

[ChilliPeppered]

Thanks, that's what I thought. Only my name and old address was correct, true to me. The rest was made up.

 

Will update tomorrow

[ChilliPeppered]

Spoke to some idiot on Tuesday who said they still hadn't got my letter (written and sent on 27th July) but would write to me once they had. They said a manager would phone me back as I made it clear how angry I am getting. Been over 48 hours now and no ring back.

 

I am beyond angry that this credit account is now showing on my experian and equifax. I spoke to equifax and have lodged a complaint about the incorrect credit account on there, but am still awaiting an email back.

 

Any ideas what I can do to bring this forward? I am so angry thinking that Studio are going to start putting late payment markers on this account which reflects on me, and no amount of the 'advisor' saying that they will rectify my account pacifies me at the moment. I am just so angry and frustrated that this has happened and no one seems to give a damn.

 

Why aren't my smilies working, I want an angry smiley - grrrrrrrr

[patrickq1]

contact the ICO by phone they should ring you back, contact the FSO they will ring you back you need to demand urget action from this company also the FSA ..i would also be tempted to ring trading standards, remind studio by e mail that you are puting in a serious complaint concerning their credit licence and you may consider an injunction to have their credit licence suspended lol i wonder if this avenue has ever been considered , when you think of the trauma it is causing you they should be held liable for compensation to cover the mental stress and costs it has entailed due to their innability to pacify you///

patrickq1

[ChilliPeppered]

Thanks Patrick!

 

I found the receipt for the recorded letter I sent to Studio on the 27th July, and tracked it and it showed it was delivered on the 29th July, so the other advisors who told me nothing had been received were either lying or not taking it seriously enough to actually find out, which annoys me. I rang them today and spoke to someone who actually had some brain cells, and he has confirmed they have got my letter and that their credit investigations department is dealing with it now. He confirmed again that the account has been blocked, and also told me that someone (the fraudster) had tried to change the address on the account unsuccessfully! Studio haven't let them know that the account is being investigated, so this is definitely getting more and more suspicious. Are they hoping I won't have noticed and then try and change the address to theirs, but at the same time have me carry teir debt????

 

He has put in an urgent call back for the credit investigations team to ring me back and tell me what is going on. I can't believe how long this has taken already and am saddened that in this day and age identity theft is still happening. Disgusting.

[Bazooka Boo]

It is unfortunate that nothing ever seems to happen overnight, all you can do is to make the relevant complaints to the relevant organisations about this and exhaust their complaionts procedures,

http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/contact

These guys pass it direct to the OFT and TS in your area, so three birds with one stone.

 

You should also open a complaint with Studio and most definitely the credit reference agencies, who are on my hate list in second under DCA's and just above banks, exhaust the CRA's complaints procedure fully, with a view to claiming damages for their attrocious handling of peoples private data.

[ChilliPeppered]

Thanks I don't expect things to happen overnight, but over 3 weeks is taking the wee-wee. It's taken them that long to admit they got my letter!

 

I shall certainly be complaining about this. It is very wrong that someone was able to open a credit account just using these small details and bogus the rest of them. What is the point of having alerts, etc on CR's when they don't alert for fraudulent activity? Surely if my D.O.B and address is wrong they shouldn't have been able to search my account, let alone open a credit agreement!

[ChilliPeppered]

Got a letter from Studio, finally, on Saturday. Dated 13th August, so the day I last spoke to them

 

They confirm that their records have been amended to show that I am not responsible for the debt incurred on the account. They also confirm that the account will be deleted from my credit files within the next 28 days.

 

Obviously, I am pleased with this. However, I still want answers as to how this happened in the first place.

So, today I want to compose a letter asking them why - has anyone got any thoughts that could be included? I.e. if you know anything about regulations that are followed by credit reference agencies when searching.

 

I am going to write to Experian as well to ask why they authorised such a search, as the email they sent me was not a good enough answer. And send a copy of Studio's letter to Equifax and Call Credit to get them on the case of removing this account from my credit files. Equifax still haven't replied to my email lodged through their system telling them that this account on my report is fraudulent.

 

Also, has anyone got any advice on how to safe guard this happening in the future? It may still be possible for me to get a mail forwarder setup from my old address - is it worth it? Also is CIFAS protection worth it, as I don't really want any delays when I apply for future credit products.

[ChilliPeppered]

Just checked my Equifax, and the account has been deleted from there - good.

 

Checked my Experian, and Express Gifts Ltd searched my report AGAIN on 13/08/2010! Without my permission! It does say unrecorded enquiry though, so will lenders be able to see this?

 

I am STILL not listed on the electoral roll on either report

[Bazooka Boo]

Unrecorded entries are only visible to you, and the company who did the search.

 

Glad to hear it has been removed from you file, I would think you would get more mileage out of complaining to the CRA's as to why they allow incorrect data to be added to your files with little or no checks or recompense.

I do believe their one liner will be along the lines of, 'it is up to the company/creditor to ensure the info is correct'

 

Which makes me think of 'See no, speak no, hear no' talk about sloping shoulders, so you need to exhaust their fallable complaints procedure, and copy in your local MP aswell.

[patrickq1]

good news for u then chilli, But not good enough , perhaps we should now all be looking at section 140 unfair relationships

In addition, where unfair relationships harm the collective interests of consumers, the OFT and other enforcers (including local authority trading standards services) can take enforcement action under Part 8 of the Enterprise Act 2002.

The OFT has published guidance on Part 8 action and unfair relationships. See Unfair relationships - Enforcement action under Part 8 of the Enterprise Act 2002 (pdf 179 kb).

we neither agreed to have our credit s destroyed by unlawful defaults nor have we made any provisions for and agreement with the CRAs after all it is our data they are playing a game with and just because it suits them whenever or whatever they seem to rely on a clause entered into a contract that is in itself a and we have absolutely no input , so for once it may be that these agreements are unfair .. due to the fact that is we have no choice , unles we look at an old law that may just cover this clause that being the REPUGNANT RULE

patrickq1

[ChilliPeppered]

I'm going to send a letter tomorrow or Wednesday (may be tied up all tomorrow) to Studio, asking how/why this happened. I am also going to write to Experian/Credit Expert wanting to know why they allowed the search to be carried out in the first place. If they had flagged up inconsistencies then the account could never have been opened. I hold both companies responsible. There are always going to be a££holes out there trying to steal etc off others, but these companies are in a position of power and should prevent it. They won't accept responsibility though, it's always pass the buck. At the end of the day though, it is our data they hold and our future can be affected by them allowing companies to search/create accounts without permission.

 

I'll update this thread when I have some news. Please, if anyone has any thoughts/experiences, add them to this thread.