HFO Services & Experian – in The Times

[DonkeyB]

I’ve posted this on a thread elsewhere, but for anyone new with a similar problem...

 

Here’s a story from Troubleshooter, in the Money section of today’s Times:

 

Mistaken identity

 

I discovered an incorrect entry on my Equifax Credit Report in November last year and have been trying to remove it ever since. HFO Services has registered a default without carrying out an investigation to ensure that it has the right individual. This has already led to a struggle just to get a new £10-a-month mobile phone contract. Can you help?

MARK TAYLOR

Via e-mail

 

A Google search of HFO Services shows that Mark is not alone in finding a mysterious entry on his credit report without any warning.

 

When I contacted Equifax it said that it had already been in touch with HFO Services, which confirmed that the entry was correct, but when it went back to check that this was the case (after Troubleshooter rang) HFO changed its mind.

 

In a letter to Mark, HFO said: “In your location, your name and age group is a common occurence. Based on the inaccurate information that was provided to us by what is considered assured sources, the account was traced to you.” Quite why HFO didn’t call Mark to check that it had the right guy before slapping a big, black blot on his credit record is anyone’s guess. The entry has now been removed and he has been offered £100 as an apology.

 

So, if you have a similar complaint, you can add this story in to your complaint bundle for the OFT and TS.

 

In the meantime, I wonder who or what is HFOS’s “assured sources”? Maybe that’s a fib too – they probably just used 192.com. Can’t see HFO spending money on a proper trace service.

[Jasper1965]

What odds there are other Mark Taylors in that area with a similar default registered against them? "Your name and age group" being quoted certainly does support your theory that 192.com might have been used DB. One might reasonably expect that a default should not be registered unless they can positively identify an individual and establish liability. To use a service which narrows it down as far as name, area (unspecified size) and "age group" quite frankly is in my opinion a breach of the DPA principles on accuracy

[coledog]

I wonder if it is worth contacting this journalist about other HFO 'abuses'.

[DonkeyB]

She said she’ Googled them – so I’m sure she has a very good idea.

 

So, HFO make it into the Mail twice and now The Times. Cracking!

[sillygirl1]

Experian should now be pro active and stop HFO marking ANYONES files, and review about 1,000 files they have marked to see what the true error rate is, bet it runs quite high.

[daisy lighter]

Why only £100 as an apology? After a years work and lack of credit. Seems very little for such a lot of inconvenience.

[DonkeyB]

If he sued, he probably get £1,000+.

[daisy lighter]

If he sued, he probably get £1,000+.

 

Yes. Maybe that's what the journalist should be told. If that was made public HFO might be worried enough to stop libeling people.

[merlin100]

So logically, based on HFOs grovelling explanation, it stands to reason that everyone called Mark Taylor in that area would have recieved a black mark on their credit file? And if not, then why that particular Mark Taylor?

Doesnt add up as usual does it?

[cashins]

If he sued, he probably get £1,000+.

 

I would agree, as well as the going rate for damage to reputation, he can also show actual damage in that he couldn't even get a poxy little phone contract.

 

David

[broken arrow]

HFO tend to record defaults in the name of HFO Services, when the accounts were actually bought by HFO Capital, a separate company altogether, my file is recorded as HFO Services, even though HFO have admitted in court it was owned by one of the Capital companies and not Services.

[coledog]

Mine is Services too

[broken arrow]

I bet they all are CD not checked mine for a while, might have a look next week.

[DonkeyB]

They are entitled to record it in the name of their agent if they are administering the account.

 

The interesting thing with this case is that HFO must have initiated the recording of the default, because if they had taken it over from the OC it would by definition have been accurate. It is HFO’s alterations and updates which must have been deliberately wrong, proving that they are using the registering of defaults as a debt collection tool. They are ****. I wouldn’t *** on them if they were on fire.

[Jasper1965]

It is HFO’s alterations and updates which must have been deliberately wrong, proving that they are using the registering of defaults as a debt collection tool.

 

I wonder if HHJ Waksman and others take "The Times"?