How to obtain credit reports

Experian_company_representative

I agree this is poor. I'm told it should be changed soon.

Chumana

richgirl wrote:

Yes, a free 30 day trial, but remember to cancel else you will be billed for a year !

According to the woman I spoke with at Experian yesterday, you only get billed monthly (£5.99 a month) and can cancel at any point during the month and still continue to check your credit files until that month expires!

gotroot

same here. so the 30-day trial should be cancelled... and i don't cancel it and don't pay too, what happens then? is the trial automatically cancelled?

KTF

Has anyone seen this?

https://www.annualcreditreport.co.uk/default.asp?section=home

There was a feature about it on newsbeat this evening but it seems that only one area is live. Does anyone in Cornwall want to try it

giggs11

has anyone got the phone number for equifax please so i can cancel the free trial credit watch gold before they charge a years fee please? thanks

ps i did search for the number but can't find it anywhere on their site

giggs11

oooops, don't worry managed to find it on saynoto0870.com

if anyone else needs it, it's 0800 7839421

James

There are many reasons for obtaining your credit report. ID theft is one of them and the following is the advice from the WHICH?, formerly the Consumers Association:

• Check your credit file annually (and especially just after you've moved). If you change address, make sure you pass on your new details to your bank and anyone else who sends you post. You should also ask Royal Mail to redirect post.


The system I use there’s no need to check your file annually, cost £6 + 3 Letters, 3 Stamps 3 Envelopes.

Crooks change your address for you – My system deters them doing this.

If someome uses you information to apply for a card or take a loan, you want to know about it. My system does this, and if it doesn't you're protected:


Cross Posted - Protect Yourself

It’s so frustrating knowing that people have the means of protecting themselves from ID theft yet maybe asked to fork out a small fortune for ID cards.

I have a proactive system in situ protecting me from ID theft:

Neil Munroe, a director at Equifax, said, “It is certainly one answer and makes a lot of sense.” (The Sunday Post, 04 Dec 2005)

BBC Radio York gave me some air time 12 July 06 on this subject. I am sure victims of ID theft would value this information.

Compare my system with CIFAS Protective Registration:

CIFAS run the Protective Registration System which victims of ID theft are advised to subscribe to. Cost £11.75 per year. It is a password based system, can slow up any application that’s made from your address and is ONLY available to organisations that are CIFAS members.

http://www.cifas.org.uk/protective_registration.asp

The system I have in situ costs less, works with ANY organisation that checks your credit file and it doesn’t matter if you move house or die, the information available to banks, lenders, card companies remains on your file, you are protected. In addition a proactive deterrent (something you know and something you do which provides an auditable trail) is more effective than a Password.

The NCC say ID theft victims 'need more help’ (12 Jul 06)

http://nccdev.keymedia.info/cgi-bin/...iewcurrent.htm

ID theft, governments answer is voluntary ID cards. ID cards look as if they are being moved right, further into the distant future. (13 July 06)

http://www.computing.co.uk/computing...s-id-card-plan

The introduction of chip-and-pin cards was supposed to reduce fraud, but according to the FOS, complaints involving disputed transactions have soared. (12 Jul 06)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/mai...2/cmbank12.xml

Questions are.

1. Can WE do more to protect ourselves from ID Theft?

2. Is there an alternative to ID cards? A cheaper and simpler means of preventing someone pretending to be you, and if they do increasing the chances of them being caught?

3. Can we greatly reduce incidences of ‘disputed transactions’? Is there a means, without being dragged over coals, to prove we didn’t sign or apply for a loan or credit card?

Biometric Solutions in Situ:

The Co-op is using biometrics to protect a specific card from being used fraudulently in some of their stores: (8 March 06)

http://software.silicon.com/security...9157057,00.htm

Another retailer has been using a much simpler biometric method for the last 5 years. The system deters fraud, works with ALL cards AND cheques and the retailer has suffered no incidences of fraud. (06 Feb 06)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/4684710.stm

I have the solution to the above 3 questions.

Utilising the Credit Reference Agencies databases and my own unique biometric, reduces my chances of becoming a victim of ID theft. I force any crook who steals my ID to leave their biometric at the crime scene – if they dare.

Here's how:

Taking Identity Fraud in Hand:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programme...ox/3574779.stm

The Simple Way to Foil Identity Theft:

http://www.techworld.com/security/fe...featureid=1954

I use the above system with my plastic for face-to-face transactions simply by signing the signature strip with my Thumbprint Signature. Therefore in addition to deterring application fraud, the system deters account takeover too. My plastic is certainly safer than carrying cash. The primary aim of plastic I believe.

It’s almost a no-brainer to adapt this method of ID theft prevention to cover several other types of card theft/fraud. Cards lost in the post would be rendered worthless, the theft of goods ordered by CNP methods greatly reduced.

The type of print pad used is similar to that used at Bluewater. The ink, leaves no residue, and dries almost immediately leaving no black stain or mark. The American Banks use the very same pads.


Total cost of putting the system in situ:

1 Pad providing approx 1500 prints: £5

3 x 1st Class Stamps £0.93

3 x Envelopes & Letters £1.00

Total cost £7.00 (if 1st class stamps are used). +voluntary donation. (£1.00) £8.00

If anyone wishes to use this system a small voluntary donation to Cancer Research or St. Catherine’s Hospice, SCARBOROUGH, or the charity of ones choice would be appreciated

vwman_3

KTF wrote:

Has anyone seen this?

https://www.annualcreditreport.co.uk/default.asp?section=home

There was a feature about it on newsbeat this evening but it seems that only one area is live. Does anyone in Cornwall want to try it

I signed up for this and viewed my report today, in fairness it looks good, they have a usefull links to products such as credit cards and loans which you can apply for and on the basis of your report how sucessful my applications for credit will be, I just dont know, but we will see.........

Ps Wales is now live on this sytem and it's free, rest of the U.K. in due course

andyboyo

KTF wrote:

Has anyone seen this?

https://www.annualcreditreport.co.uk/default.asp?section=home

There was a feature about it on newsbeat this evening but it seems that only one area is live. Does anyone in Cornwall want to try it

I live in Wales, I've tried it and it does exactly what it says on the tin !

happyformonths

I thought I'd leave some feedback on annualcreditreport.co.uk, as I've just signed up for the service (being a "westerner"!) and tried it out.

It looks very good, is easy to use, and as far as I have seen the information they have about me is accurate.

Not only do they list your payment history with the "0/1/2..." system that you see on your statutory report, they also include information about your credit limit and balance for each month of payment, so there is quite a thorough history shown for how you've "behaved". That's interesting for me if no-one else.

For the sake of research, I did what I wouldn't normally do and paid the £3.77 to see my "credit score" and "credit rating" (yes, I know there is no such thing and all financial bodies score you differently) - having carefully checked for any repeat fees I might be charged. This part also seemed very clear and in the T&Cs there was no sign of hidden charges or anything. I am a careful T&C reader.

My "credit score" came out as 799 - a "3-star" rating, which is apparently average, and "in the target market for many lenders" (presumably because I'm a not-bad credit risk but also in a not-too-good financial situation, perfect for making money). Sounds okay. They were right about me having a completely clear payment history, no CCJs or anything - but I do have rather a lot of credit available to me (and am using £12.5k of it, unfortunately). I'd be interested to know, though, whether it's much more than a random-number generator or whether it's actually quite a good reflection of how lenders rate a person. Others' experiences may elucidate this.

One further thing - it said there were no credit searches or footprints on my file from the last 12 months. I'm surprised about this as I applied for an HSBC credit card in March and was turned down (after a couple of weeks). Perhaps they just in-house scored me and didn't bother going for the full credit search.

Oh - and it certainly seems true that some companies are very up-to-the-minute with giving information to the CRAs whilst others can take a while. Some accounts (e.g. Egg card) showed information relating to transactions I've made in the last 3 weeks, whereas others (e.g. Virgin card) were over a month out of date. Actually thinking about it, that's not that different is it? Maybe they just do it on a different day of the month.

Basically it's fine, and a useful service which means in theory you don't need to pay your £2 fee direct to the CRAs. I signed up with a "junky" email account I use for things like this, in case they start bombarding me with offers and things. I'm not 100% convinced the "credit score" fee is worth paying, but it's only £3.77 after all, and interesting for the curious.

I am also sending off for my statutory reports though, to compare and contrast - and to be on the safe side in case there's anything missing from annualcreditreport.

HFM