Unauthorised Credit Search and credit card application.

Bob_UK_2

Can anyone give me some information on a credit card company doing a search after I declined to let them do a credit search and asked them NOT to go ahead with the credit card application.

Vanquis Bank contacted me one day on the phone to say that my application for a Virgin card had been declined BUT they could help me get a card. He asked if I was interested and I said yes I gave my details then he came to the legal bit that he had to read out. I asked if this was for a credit search he said yes.

I then said NO I do not want to searches within one week as it would damage my credit file. He said if I did not allow him to finish reading the statement and I refused him permission to do a credit search he could not offer me a credit card. I said thats OK I do not want another search on my credit record that quick. He said Ok then I will delete this application and hung up.

Five days later I get a credit agreement from them and a letter stating I had been accepted for a credit card, sign and return to receive it. I rang them and asked why they had done this and did they do a search I was told that the application had gone through and a credit search was completed. I said I never wanted this and I declined to allow them to do the search and was told the application was scrapped.

I am sure some sort of law was broken by Vanquis by not reading the statement and not getting my agreement to do the search. I want to know what others think who know mote about the consumer credit laws. Maybe Martin could help me.

Thanks everyone

Bob

udydudy

Having experienced Vanquis I would say only a Strongly worded and threatening letter and telling them(not requesting ) to remove the unauthorised searches (which they can obviously listen to your recorded conversation.), will they remove it.

my OH had a vanquis, credit card issued in her name, though both of us have ample cards with good limits. We never received anything until we received a statement. Guess what, A card was applied for on a saturday,(limit £500), cash withdrawn on a tuesday(within 2 working days) and statement issued within a week of the card being issued!!

And they did not want to know it. They used all the possible data protection issues to not talk to either of us. the card was issued to a "Mr." with my OH name and I am sure she is a "Mrs". They refused to after that talk to us saying they could not discuss as the card holder was neither me or my wife!!!.

Only after a few strongly worded letters threatening to go to the ombudsman and to go legal did they remove the account form my wife's file and the searches from both our files!!. but unfortunately they insisted on putting a cifas (I think 1 & 2)record on both our files. This now reflects on our credit file as any online application results in automatic referral and most often rejection.

e.e. Vodafone just refused to issue a contract phone. no explanation, except check your file. so now I only apply for cards with banks I bank with and luckily i bank with 4 banks!!.

Bob_UK_2

Now I am getting worried about this Vanquis company...

I have written a letter today asking them to cancel the application again and to remove the credit search.

Who can I report them to if they do not remove the search record?