What is a "Trace Enquiry" on my Equifax report

Sayva

I've received my credit report from Equifax and it generally seems pretty good, and everything on there makes sense.

Apart from one thing...

There's something marked as a "trace enquiry" by a company I've never heard of for an address I haven't lived in for 9 years. It's listed as "linked addresses" rather than previous addresses.

What is a trace enquiry? Is it bad? If I were to apply for credit, would lenders see it?

If I haven't lived there in so long, should it still be listed on my credit report? I thought it only included information from the last 6 years? I've lived at other addresses since that one, and none of them show up apart from my current address and the previous one.

DCFC79

You say " I've lived at other addresses since that one, and none of them show up " but had you registered on the Electoral Roll at them addresses ?

AJG384521

Addresses stay on your account for 8 years.


Trace searches only appear to you, it means someone is searching for you (or someone with your name).

Sayva

DCFC79, yup, you've got it. I hadn't registered on the electoral roll because they were only for a few months each.

AJG384521, does it definitely have to be someone with my name? Any chance it could be something to do with my ex-wife who lived at that address? We didn't have any joint accounts and she's not listed under "Financial Associates"

happy_bunny_2

Who is the company? What do they specialise in?

eddddy

Hi Sayva

Here's a factsheet for the 'Credit Services Association' which explains why companies do these trace enqiries and how they work: http://www.csa-uk.com/assets/documents/factsheets/trace_factsheet_2014.pdf

(But I think they're trying to paint a rosy picture when they say "to advise you of a windfall" or "to locate beneficiaries" - I suspect it's usually "to locate someone who owes money")

GingerBob_3

I don't get this. We are told time and again by the CRAs that searches can only be carried out WITH YOUR PERMISSION. However, it seems from this that any Tom, !!!!!! or Harry can ask for a search to be carried out (in effect, doing it themselves) and obtain your personal data, without any permission whatsoever.

Also, good old Yorkshire Water again. How do they manage to carry out a credit check on new customers - given that there's no T&Cs when you become one of their customers?

AJG384521

GingerBob wrote: »

I don't get this. We are told time and again by the CRAs that searches can only be carried out WITH YOUR PERMISSION. However, it seems from this that any Tom, !!!!!! or Harry can ask for a search to be carried out (in effect, doing it themselves) and obtain your personal data, without any permission whatsoever.

e

When you take out any form of credit you agree that the company can check your file over the course of the credit i.e to offer you credit increases. If you default on said credit and it is sold to collection agencys then the access to your credit file moves with the debt. People don't just search for you for no reason.

GingerBob_3

AJG384521 wrote: »

When you take out any form of credit you agree that the company can check your file over the course of the credit i.e to offer you credit increases. If you default on said credit and it is sold to collection agencys then the access to your credit file moves with the debt. People don't just search for you for no reason.

I know that. How about people with whom you have no credit arrangements and who don't have your permission?