Strange search on equifax credit report

Ellie83

Hello everyone. My husband and I are looking at buying our first house soon. Our broker asked us to get our credit reports so he can start looking for suitable deals and lenders. I noticed that on the equifax one, under the section entitled "other searches", a company called Capita Hartshead ran a search end of December, using my maiden name (I have only been married for a year though). Looking on their website, I understood that they are looking for long lost customers of dormant accounts or even worse, debts! But I don't have any debts (not that I know of anyway), and I certainly don't have any shares or anything of the sort that I would have forgotten about. Very confused.... Now it's got me rather paranoid that it will have a negative impact on our mortgage application.

PS: I never agreed for anyone to check my credit report by the way...

betmunch

Have you googled them?

Looks like theres something to do with pensions, you could always call them up and ask why they are credit searching you, and why they are using the wrong name.

Ellie83

Yes I googled them, hence why I know they look for long lost customers. And I will call them tomorrow. I am more worried about my mortgage application to be honest

If they look for long lost customers, it would seem logical to use my maiden name, but the thing is, I don't have any dormant account or shares or a pension for that matter.

And am I not supposed to give my permission before someone can look at my credit file?

betmunch

I believe so, I always ask and inform clients of the risks of multiple searches before I go ahead.

It does seem odd whats happened here

Ellie83

Indeed, especially as they searched first my previous address and then, the following day, my current address.

On my complete report, it does not appear under the "credit search" category though, but only under "Other searches", where my own search appears.

In addition, my own search has "authentication" given as a "search reason", but the Capita one has "unclassified".

How strange, I hope it is not going to compromise our application! Or worse, I hope no one is trying something illegal :eek:

Hopefully a phone call tomorrow will shed some light on my situation, but I can't help but worry now.

kingstreet

This sounds like a name & address search which does not appear as a credit search and is not visible to lenders, only to you. It used to show as "unrecorded enquiry" but I'm not sure if that's still the case.

Quotations for insurance sometimes feature such checks.

teffers

It shouldn't affect your credit reference as it's not a credit search as such.

2sides2everystory

teffers wrote: »

It shouldn't affect your credit reference as it's not a credit search as such.

Well it does. It is in the credit reference agnecy file, isn't it ?

I have revitalised this thread because it is clear to me today that credit reference agencies are now out of control and are totally untrustworthy.

I have just received a credit alert which notified me that Capita Hartshead accessed my file too. I gave no permission so Equifax and Capita are crooked. What are they doing? Why the hell should I have to struggle to find out?

A further check of my credit file shows that three insurance companies whith which I have NO business have also accessed by credit report recently, Swinton, Halifax and Admiral. I gave no permission.

It is time to outlaw Credit Reference Agencies. They serve no good purpose other than for crooks to exploit.