Checkmyfile, Aviva & 192.com

Jea_2

I'm sure many will have seen the website "checkmyfile.com". They offer all 3 credit agencies information for around the same fee as each of the 3 charge alone. Given they have to source the info from the other 3, there must be a catch - and there is.
Once you've signed up - they "cross-polenate" info held at the 3 agencies to each other. This may not be an issue to Mr&Mrs squeaky clean, but where erroneous information (of which there is plenty) used to be with one agency - all 3 now have it.
Trust me, it's hard enough removing one erroneous inaccurate entry from one agency - let alone 3.
Beware also of Aviva insurance. Whereas most car insurers register just an "audit" search when you get a quote (to check name address etc, Aviva register a full credit search. Bearing in mind that more than 3 of these in 3 months kills your credit - it may not pay to be a "clever shopper".
So in this case the adage that simply checking your record doesn't effect your score is entirely wrong. Using Checkmyfile.com may seriously affect your credit scores with individual agencies.
I'm sure all the perfect peters will come out of the woodwork now with their soapboxes how this is a fantastic thing to rid the world of bad bad people, but for people in similar situations as myself - this may well be noteworthy information.
There are many people who never owed a penny in their lives until circumstances changed significantly. One day - you may be one of them.
One further tip. AVOID 192.com. By simply registering with them to check other peoples names/addresses, they register a search against your credit file - extract the information (such as address records) and re-publish on their 192.com website. Equifax are the suppliers of the data here. It may not be a full search, but thats how they get their data. Even though I paid a nominal fee for the 192.com service, I didn't expect to see a search on my file - followed by data being published to their site. Yes I'm sure in their small print, it will mention this......but would you have expected have to happen?

192.com

Dear Jea

Thank you for your interest in 192.com but your description of our services is simply inaccurate.

192.com does not publish any information obtained from users during the process of registering on our site. The only information that we publish is from consented databases such as edited electoral rolls, director records and directory enquiries. Where the confusion arises is that as an anti-fraud measure we check the identity of every subscriber to 192.com. Most e-commerce sites do this. This involves a check against information held on an individual’s credit file. So that the individual is aware of who has searched their file, a note is left on the file to say that the search has been conducted. This does not affect a person’s credit rating in any way. No additional information is obtained by 192.com through this process and no such information is published – it would be illegal for us to do so. Please also note that 192.com takes data protection extremely seriously and is licensed and regulated by the Data Protection Act.

Yours sincerely

Alexander Clare
PR Executive, 192.com

meesh_2

So how can I have my details completely removed from 192.com? I'm not comfortable with the fact that anyone can pay a few quid and access my address, who I live with etc. I have already faxed you a form asking for you to do this but I still come up in the search! Not happy.

192.com

It may take a few days to remove your details once you have sent us the form, but please email me at press 'at'192.com and I will make sure your details are removed.

Alexander, PR Executive at 192.com