Unrecognised searches on Noddle

ripplyuk

I checked my Noddle credit report and noticed there are four searches on it recently that I don't understand. One was an identity check and another was a consumer credit file request. I haven't applied for any credit recently.

I bought car insurance in April and those searches are listed but I'm worried these new searches could be a sign of identity theft. I reported them to Noddle but they say they'll get back to me within a month which is a long time to be worrying!

The dates of these searches roughly correspond to when my meerkat toy was posted out from compare the market. I got the email to say my toy was coming within 7 days on the same date as the last of these unidentified searches. Would this explain anything? It seems strange that they would run all these checks just to send a toy.

Is there any way I could find out what company these searches were done for?

poppasmurf_bewdley

They will all be related to using comparison sites. When I looked for car insurance, content insurance and life insurance earlier this year my credit report had about 40 or more searches of all kinds.

GingerBob_3

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

They will all be related to using comparison sites. When I looked for car insurance, content insurance and life insurance earlier this year my credit report had about 40 or more searches of all kinds.

When using these sites you should sign up with bogus, but realistic, information. It DOES work and you get just as many quotes as when using your real identity. Only when you're ready to purchase should you go to your chosen provider with genuine details.

poppasmurf_bewdley

GingerBob wrote: »

When using these sites you should sign up with bogus, but realistic, information. It DOES work and you get just as many quotes as when using your real identity. Only when you're ready to purchase should you go to your chosen provider with genuine details.

I understand what you mean, and I do ALWAYS enter a false telephone number after my first experience of Comparison Sites resulted in lots (and I mean lots) of telephone calls from insurance companies. However, after you buy insurance, you have an 'account' with the Comparison Site and when you go back the following year that links in with your Credit Report.

GingerBob_3

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

I understand what you mean, and I do ALWAYS enter a false telephone number after my first experience of Comparison Sites resulted in lots (and I mean lots) of telephone calls from insurance companies. However, after you buy insurance, you have an 'account' with the Comparison Site and when you go back the following year that links in with your Credit Report.

Yes, and they snoop on you every year thereafter, I think. Perhaps the best policy is to use the comparison sites with bogus data, then go direct to the company, bypassing the comparison site. I know in some cases the quote then differs, but you can always query this with them.

ripplyuk

Is it likely to be harmless then? If it is the comparison site, why would they run more checks almost two months after I bought the policy?

GingerBob_3

ripplyuk wrote: »

Is it likely to be harmless then? If it is the comparison site, why would they run more checks almost two months after I bought the policy?

Most punters on this site say it's harmless, and the searches aren't even seen by potential lenders. However, others state the opposite, that the searches are seen and can affect your ability to obtain credit. My view would be to err on the side of safety. If they aren't there in the first place then there's nothing to worry about.

ripplyuk

How can I tell that it's not some fraudster applying for or buying something in my name? If it is the comparison site, they already ran a lot of checks when I bought the policy. It seems odd that they would decide to run more checks a couple of months later.