Experian Rep Please Answer Question

DarkConvict

Would it matter greatly if Wescott and Experian were the same. I do understand it would allow for quicker communication and hence faster tracking, but if Wescott have a reason to search your credit file then they can search it anyway, they do not need to be tied to Experian to do it.

I do however understand some concerns have been raised on the forum recently, about Experian asking for financial data to confirm identity only be to sent a letter by Wescott asking for higher monthly payments. If this was the case i can indeed see and issue under DPA for wrongful processing of data, but if Wescott are simply been alerted to credit file updates then it is nothing unusual or unlawful.
So long as data is lawfully processed I do not see a conflict of interest in a credit agency owning debt collectors, the only advantage is speed of data access which in honesty isn't going to be much faster if any so is only a minor competitive advantage. There maybe some advantage on more detailed searches to try and link up addresses between debtors who move around alot but I honestly have no clue how their system works so can't say if it can even be done.

With regards to questions been asked here, there is nothing wrong with them. The company reps are here to answer all sorts of questions, obviously they do not know all the answers and will talk to other people in the organisation to get that information. I know how hard it can be to do client facing work on a forum and the time delay in getting information from other departments and approval to post certain information.

I do not fear for credit reference agencies, or 3rd parties viewing credit reports for the intent of catching benefit cheats. A credit report is likely to show up information on time (watching rising in current account balances) and seeing spending habits on credit. There is after all only so much information these reports show. End of the day, people on the ground in cars watching people is more likely to catch benefit cheats as they can see on paper what they say, but see in person what they do. Its just automated processing of data showing up red flags is cheaper than men on the ground.

Don't get me wrong im not defending credit agencies for everything, but this is one area i do not see a problem with. Personally I would prefer they be 1 credit agency, but with greater powers to challenge the data reported. All to often debt collectors report incorrect information, fail to update reports, add unlawful defaults and its just a PITA to get it corrected. But this is a change to the system not a change to a company.

WRINKLES

DarkConvict wrote: »

Would it matter greatly if Wescott and Experian were the same. I do understand it would allow for quicker communication and hence faster tracking, but if Wescott have a reason to search your credit file then they can search it anyway, they do not need to be tied to Experian to do it.

I do however understand some concerns have been raised on the forum recently, about Experian asking for financial data to confirm identity only be to sent a letter by Wescott asking for higher monthly payments. If this was the case i can indeed see and issue under DPA for wrongful processing of data, but if Wescott are simply been alerted to credit file updates then it is nothing unusual or unlawful.
So long as data is lawfully processed I do not see a conflict of interest in a credit agency owning debt collectors, the only advantage is speed of data access which in honesty isn't going to be much faster if any so is only a minor competitive advantage. There maybe some advantage on more detailed searches to try and link up addresses between debtors who move around alot but I honestly have no clue how their system works so can't say if it can even be done.

With regards to questions been asked here, there is nothing wrong with them. The company reps are here to answer all sorts of questions, obviously they do not know all the answers and will talk to other people in the organisation to get that information. I know how hard it can be to do client facing work on a forum and the time delay in getting information from other departments and approval to post certain information.

I do not fear for credit reference agencies, or 3rd parties viewing credit reports for the intent of catching benefit cheats. A credit report is likely to show up information on time (watching rising in current account balances) and seeing spending habits on credit. There is after all only so much information these reports show. End of the day, people on the ground in cars watching people is more likely to catch benefit cheats as they can see on paper what they say, but see in person what they do. Its just automated processing of data showing up red flags is cheaper than men on the ground.

Don't get me wrong im not defending credit agencies for everything, but this is one area i do not see a problem with. Personally I would prefer they be 1 credit agency, but with greater powers to challenge the data reported. All to often debt collectors report incorrect information, fail to update reports, add unlawful defaults and its just a PITA to get it corrected. But this is a change to the system not a change to a company.

Ido not agree dark convict , i see something very wrong , I feel tracing benefit cheats is an excuse to take away one more freedom from us , one more way to keep a close eye on the population , if they can use it for benefit fraud , they can use it for tax avoidance against sole traders , they can use it as a weapon against anyone who disagrees with government policy , along with anti terrorist laws used by local councils who tracked the movements of a family they suspected of trying to get their child into a school outside the catchment area , secret police have been used in many countries history tells us it is the precursor of something far more sinister .

DarkConvict

Each to their own opinion, government polices can be thought provoking and really split opinions with people.

It is always a question of how the power is used.

Part of the problem with modern freedoms in society, is they do offer great benefits and I'm all for it, but with freedom available a select few people will abuse the system and ruin it for everyone. Its the same for everything, a small group of people ruin it for everyone and it applies to so so many situations. Then you still need to work out those who did stuff they didn't realise they shouldn't do against those who say that but did really know they shouldn't do it.

At the end of the day it then becomes necessary to police the system because of the problems caused by a minority. There are always extreme cases to under and over policing as the systems of policing people have grown organically with the needs at the time, they end up getting rather complex, over bueracratic and even pointless at times. Then it all gets scrapped and replaced since it was never well planned or maintained.

Im all for a change of government, a government with clear and well focused goals but also a more nationalised government. It would never work in the UK anymore given how we have progressed as a country. Sure competition is down when government are in control of more things, but my feeling is with businesses that they focus on profit, profit is not a measure of success for society, just a measure for business success.
Not to say what I would like to see as a government would be any better than what we have now, governments do have there problems with efficiently, but hopefully with good guidance they could work to get the task at hand completed, rather than fur-fill it with a shed load of paperwork.

I'm very tired and gone widely off track, but what I was going to get to was I do think the credit reference agency should be a single entity controlled by the government so that it is accountable to all actions. Getting problems resolved on your report between 2-3 different businesses and 2-3 other government organisations is just time confusing and time consuming. It gets to the point they know the public won't both to try because the system fights back so hard even if you are in the right.