Experian/Equifax - Identification/validation problems?

WLITC

Has anyone else had a similar problem to this?

I signed up to the Experian Credit Expert service online in Nov 2004 and did the 30 days free trial and then cancelled it. Then in January this year I decided to sign up for it again just to check up on my credit file. Like last time I signed up online and it said that I would get an email shortly saying when my account had been activated, but instead, a few days later I got a letter saying they could not verify my identity and that I would have to send in proof of identity/address, etc. I was rather annoyed with this as I didn't need to send in anything last time and I'd used the bl**dy service previously so how could they not verify my identity. Anyway, I just cancelled my signup for Credit Expert as I couldn’t be bothered having to send proof in.

Then a few weeks later after reading about Zopa on this site and how signing up for them was a free way (via Equifax) to get a credit rating/score. I decided to sign up with Zopa. However when it came to do the credit score bit it took me to the Equifax page and then after entering my details, it came up saying they couldn't verify my identity. I even tried signing up for Equifax's online service (not via Zopa) and got the same couldn't verify me problem. Peeved with not getting anywhere with these and then worried why I was getting this problem I decided to apply for my £2 statutory credit reports. I noticed I could order these online and it seemed to work and I got an email from both Equifax and Experian (I did both), saying I should get the reports in 7 days. But then today I get a letter for Equifax saying they can't validate my application unless I supply to forms of identification. What the heck is going on? I have been at this address for over 5 years and on the electoral role for the entire time. I have even previously signed up with and got my credit report from Experian. Why suddenly can none of these places verify my identity?

The only thing I can think of is that my housemate (who owns the house) has had probs in the past year with someone fraudulently using his Barclaycard. When sorting this out with Barclaycard, he reckons that they offered to put some kind of restriction on people who apply for credit using this address, ensuring they have to provide proof of address/identity first. Firstly has anyone heard of this service? and if so, could this be why even the credit reference agencies are even asking for proof of address?

file_wizzard

The CRA’s will ask for extra identification in number of situations, the main few things that trigger a manual identification on a file / credit application are;

1) Not on electoral at address
2) No previous credit account history for the given name / address
3) CIFAS flags specifically Cat 0 protective registration ( is probably what was added to your address after your friends Barclaycard issues) see http://www.cifas.org.uk/

There are other factors as well but these are the main few

Lydia.42

Maybe it's a sneaky way of confirming you are someone who got a freebie previously???!!!!

Can't give any advice i'm afraid. They told me they couldn't give me free months trial as my file was too large!!!!!!! :eek:

kalfy1

Lydia.42 wrote:

Maybe it's a sneaky way of confirming you are someone who got a freebie previously???!!!!

Can't give any advice i'm afraid. They told me they couldn't give me free months trial as my file was too large!!!!!!! :eek:

I couldn't get mine on the internet either as it was too large!!!, so I just emailed them and I got one thorugh the post...in a whopping big envelope I might add..but it was all there! and it was FREE still!!!

kalfy1

welshladinthecity

This happened to me with Equifax. I couldn't be bothered either to send stuff in, so left it. As someone else has already posted...I think mine was becuase I was not on the elctoral role at the time.

WLITC

Thanks everyone, given I do have a credit history and I am definitely on the electoral role, I think its almost certainly as File_Wizzards suggests, a CIFAS flag on the address. Thankfully on the Equifax letter it said I could email in scanned copies of the verification documents, so having done this today, I should hopefully get my credit file in a few days and if it is indeed a CIFAS flag, then hopefully this will appears somewhere on it.

loubie_lou

I had a CIFAS flag on my file. Some guy who moved out a year before I moved in was still trying to apply for credit under his old address. Silly boy.

I've still managed to get my credit file and a new egg card without any queries!

WLITC

loubie_lou wrote:

I had a CIFAS flag on my file. Some guy who moved out a year before I moved in was still trying to apply for credit under his old address. Silly boy.

I've still managed to get my credit file and a new egg card without any queries!

Well I thinking that perhaps once I prove my identity to Equifax and Experian that perhaps I won't have to prove my identity all the time??.

Do you know what type of CIFAS flag you had on your address? From what I understand from reading the CIFAS site, only a CIFAS Category 0 protective registration flag would require someone to provide proof of address when applying for credit, etc. You could for example have a CIFAS category 2 flag on your credit file if you've been a victim of impersonation (i.e. someone using your card pretending to be you), but I don't believe that would require you to provide proof of address, unless there was also a category 0 flag on there too.

loubie_lou

Your right WLITC. I do believe it was a category 2. But hopefully when you prove who you are this will be sorted for you!