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Credit rating question

thefullstory
thefullstory Posts: 19 Forumite
edited 8 June 2015 at 3:36PM in Credit file & ratings
Hi

I have defaults from 4 and a half years ago and I'm moving back to the UK after being out the country for 4 years. I'm wondering if rather than wait 18 months to be free of these evil defaults if I could simply tell a bit of a fib on any applications and say I have been out the UK for over 6 years.

This way as I understand it they couldn't credit search, assuming I could manage to get a place to rent and a basic bank account with no ties to my old addresses or credit records I could theoretically start building a "new credit record" for myself unattached to the dodgy old one.

Not looking for ethical or moral advice on this one, just wondering would it work? ;)

Comments

  • bengal-stripe
    bengal-stripe Posts: 3,358 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    ......I could simply tell a bit of a fib on any applications and say I have been out the UK for over 6 years.

    What you call "a fib", others might call "fraud".

    You could well end-up with a CIFAS marker, which means no bank will touch you (not even for a basic account).
  • thefullstory
    thefullstory Posts: 19 Forumite
    What you call "a fib", others might call "fraud".

    You could well end-up with a CIFAS marker, which means no bank will touch you (not even for a basic account).

    Possibly. :eek:

    Unless I'm missing something it would be highly unlikely though, I guess that is the point of asking the question. Am I missing something or is this a loophole in the credit rating system?

    I understand some people may not agree with this approach and may see it as unethical but there is a strong argument that banning someone from access to credit for 6 years for a couple of mall amounts defaulted is unethical too. For this reason I would rather avoid that debate and just focus on whether they would be able to connect my "new" credit record to my "old" one or not.
  • MallyGirl
    MallyGirl Posts: 7,523 Senior Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    if you have same name, DOB and any common previous addresses then they will eventually link you up I would have thought. Just because defaults are only shown for 6 years it doesn't mean they only hold other data for the last 6 years.
    I’m a Senior Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Pensions, Annuities & Retirement Planning, Loans
    & Credit Cards boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.
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  • thefullstory
    thefullstory Posts: 19 Forumite
    MallyGirl wrote: »
    if you have same name, DOB and any common previous addresses then they will eventually link you up I would have thought. Just because defaults are only shown for 6 years it doesn't mean they only hold other data for the last 6 years.

    But.....if I didn't have any common previous addresses as had been outwith the country for 6 years I'm guessing impossible to link?
  • SeduLOUs
    SeduLOUs Posts: 2,171 Forumite
    edited 8 June 2015 at 4:50PM
    My fella moved to Cyprus and left behind a Vodaphone mobile phone bill that he didn't think much of. When he moved back to the UK about 6 years later he opened a bank account and we put him on the electoral register, and within about 5 weeks the letter from the debt collector arrived.

    Even if you lie and say you've lived out of the country for over 6 years, the banks will still want a last known UK address to 'find' your credit file and all the linked addresses and defaults etc will then appear.
  • Thrugelmir
    Thrugelmir Posts: 89,546 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Not looking for ethical or moral advice on this one, just wondering would it work? ;)

    Google. GAIN

    the Gone Away Information Network
  • thefullstory
    thefullstory Posts: 19 Forumite
    Thrugelmir wrote: »
    Google. GAIN

    the Gone Away Information Network

    Again all seems to be based on linked addresses though so for example if you only provide your name, date of birth and addresses which were never linked on your credit report you are effectively a new person.

    Interesting. :D
  • SeduLOUs
    SeduLOUs Posts: 2,171 Forumite
    Again all seems to be based on linked addresses though so for example if you only provide your name, date of birth and addresses which were never linked on your credit report you are effectively a new person.

    Interesting. :D

    But you're not actually a new person, and pretending to be would be fraud, whether or not you get caught doing it.

    I cannot see for a second how risking it is worth it when instead you can just wait for a few more months for everything to legitimately fall off your file.
  • glentoran99
    glentoran99 Posts: 5,825 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Debt-free and Proud!
    Just because accounts are removed after 6 years doesn't mean you don't have a credit file, You wouldn't be able to get a basic bank account without providing ID which will then link you to your 'old' credit history,
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