BT Default

lord_tyrannus

just looked on my equifax credit file and BT have registered x2 defaults on me that look like old accounts that i had closed

after speaking to equifax apparently BT are now reporting data to them

I think this is going to be a fight to get rid of them as i have no record of any money outstanding and i haven't had any threatening letters from BT

JustinCredibleGillespie

What dates are the defaults from?

JCG

xx

lord_tyrannus

JustinCredibleGillespie wrote: »

What dates are the defaults from?

JCG

xx

29/05/2010 and 29/09/2010

Gordon_Hose

Did you move house after cancelling? Any letters BT sent could have gone to your old address.

I had a DCA chasing me for a random BT debt. I called BT who confirmed there was no debt. I even still had my telephone line with them. They called off the DCA and updated their records.

lord_tyrannus

Gordon_Hose wrote: »

Did you move house after cancelling? Any letters BT sent could have gone to your old address.

I had a DCA chasing me for a random BT debt. I called BT who confirmed there was no debt. I even still had my telephone line with them. They called off the DCA and updated their records.

no thats the weird thing i have a current BT account at the same address and i remember when i phoned up to start it they did the credit check and didnt say anything

smarkmith

Hi lord tyrannus / anyone able to help

Do you happen to have any updates on this at all?

I've just noticed that BT have updated my equifax report this month with a supposed default from January 2010. I moved home in November 2009 and BT ordered my services at the wrong address, rather than my actual new address. I ended up with a new account number and never heard anything about my old account (the final payment came out of my bank on DD).

Apparently I defaulted by £28, but they obviously have my new address as i still have active service and I've never heard of anything to do with an outstanding balance before now. If I had, I would have paid it.

There's two issues here.

1. Are companies allowed to drop a bomb on your credit report 2 years after the 'default'?
2. Am I able to have the default removed from my report? And if so, how do you go about that?

Thanks

Mark

izools

Join the club.

I have two BT Defaults and one active BT account reported to Equifax - for accounts that I never held or agreed to open.

The worst thing is I wrote to Equifax in November - they removed them from my credit file and then RE-ADDED them in December.

So I wrote to them in January, and they removed the defaults again.

Guess what? Yep. 6th Feb, they re-added them for a third time.

I've now raised the issue with ian.livingston@bt.com, the ICO, and the OS:C (the new OTELO).

Here's a copy of my most recent letter if anyone's interested:

FAO: Data Controller (BT Retail)
BT Centre
81 Newgate Street
London
EC1A 7AJ

7th February 2013

To Whom It May Concern:

I have written to you twice already regarding your continued breach of data protection and your repeat reporting of accounts that I never held with BT Retail to Equifax. You have admitted that you are incorrect on two basis' and agreed to remove the data and advised that it will not be re-reported.

I now find that for the third time you have once again re-added default data regarding accounts I never held with BT Retail to my Equifax credit file. As you have failed to resolve the system issues that are causing this data to be reported I am taking my complaint against you to the Information Commissioner and will be seeking significant damages for your repeat defamation of character resultant from your blatant disregard for the Data Protection Act.

Originally when I wrote to you on 1st November 2012 the complaint was regarding an account I never opened that you had falsely reported as defaulted. You removed the data but subsequently re-added the data to my Equifax credit file. I wrote to you again on 11th January regarding this breach of data protection and you once again apologised and removed the data from my credit file.

Now I find that for the third time you have added false, inaccurate, and defamatory data to my Equifax file in the form of a default for an account I never opened. You have also added a second default for another account that I never held. I find it fascinating that this second ghost account that I never opened is recorded against an address with a start date of "xx/xx/2008". Fascinating, considering I didn't move to that address until Xx 2009.

I do not recognise these accounts. I never opened them. I never defaulted on any accounts that I agreed be opened with BT retail. You are already aware of this issue, yet three months on you continue to defame my reputation by posting false, inaccurate, and defamatory data on my Equifax credit file. You have now doubled the negative effect your false inaccurate data is having on my reputation by recording two defaults for accounts I never held.

You clearly have absolutely no ability whatsoever to resolve the issues on your systems. You clearly have no ability to make the required changes to ensure that your legal obligations under the Data Protection Act are observed. As reasonably requested and stated in prior correspondence you had reasonable time to resolve these issues however the time has come for me to refer this matter not only to your regulatory bodies but also legal counsel to ensure that appropriate reparation is paid to me to account for the severe detrimental effect you are having on my reputation.

You must respond to me in writing to the following address:

• Mr X X Xxxxxxxxxx, X Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxx, XXX XXX

You have recorded the false, inaccurate, and defamatory data at the following address:

• XXXXXXX, XX Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxx, XXX XXX

The false, inaccurate, and defamatory data I refer to is recorded against my Equifax credit file, which is a fresh copy as of today, as follows:

<Removed Personal Data>


As you can see, you have now added not only one but two defaults to my Equifax file on 6th February 2012. One is for an account that you already admitted should never have been opened or reported - you removed it from my credit file twice already - but you failed still to resolve the system issue that is causing the false and inaccurate data to be reported.

The second ghost account is also recorded at XXXXXXX, XX Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxx, XXX XXX - however this can't possibly be mine as I didn't move in to that address until Xx 2009. This account has a start date of XX/XX/2008. Prior to this I was living with my mother and using her phone line and internet connection - I would have had no use for a BT account at that time, and never opened one at that time.

I am absolutely gobsmacked that you have a system in place that can cause such severe repeat damage to an individual's credit rating and therefore reputation. I am also astonished that despite admitting these issues are your fault and your error, you have not figured out a way to fix the problems.

I trust you are aware that Equifax actually banned you from reporting customer data to them due to the severe inaccuracies you were sending over to them? And that this embargo existed for many years and was only very recently lifted? Did you not think that perhaps you would have to, umm I don't know, fix the issues to save the same thing from happening again?

Well let me make it clear to you this is one data subject that will not stand for his legal rights being trampled upon willy nilly for months and months on end. You have 14 days to fulfil all of the following reasonable requirements I place upon you to save my solicitor from being given further instruction on the matter from me:

• The data will be expunged from Equifax and any other Credit Reference Agency you deal with immediately
• You will explain in full why this error has come about in the first place
• You will also explain in full why your previous actions failed to prevent re-reporting of the data to Equifax
• You will subsequently explain what you previously did incorrectly and what you are doing differently this time to ensure that the data never gets re-reported to Equifax or any other credit reference agency again
• You will also launch a full investigation in to how your system is able to make such mistakes and explain fully to me what measures you will put in place to prevent both myself and other customers from suffering at the hand of your faulty systems in the future
• You will also pay to me by cheque sent to the address of X Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxx, XXX XXX a suitable sum of compensation to cover the time, stress, and resources expended by me in having to get this matter resolved and a suitable sum to cover the Civil Offence you have committed against me of Defamation of Character. I would suggest a sum in the region of £700 to be suitable to prevent regulatory and legal action being taken

I have enclosed my prior two letters sent to you and actioned by you for your reference.

I look forward to your immediate and full resolution and completion of all matters and requests raised.


Yours Sincerely,

Good luck all!

Figtree

Thanks izools!

Just spotted this thread but it's quite timely as I've only just noticed a 'missed payment' from March 2011 followed by the account being closed in April.

I'd had a problem with BT at the time as they said they'd had no record of me closing the account (but when they listened to recordings of the calls I'd made, they accepted that one of their employees was to blame who had since left the company).

Now I'm completely stumped as to why they'd put a missing payment on my record when they accept the account was closed at least a month before. I'll write to them at the address you provided and see what happens... Thanks!