Question about Cifas?

pce967

About over a year ago my bank account was hacked and someone started to transfer money out online. Thankfully this was immediately identified by Santander who blocked the transfer and everything was sorted out very well.

When the security team spoke to me to reassure me that everything had been sorted and there was nothing to worry about they informed me that a record of this would be put for my account so that other banks would be made aware or something that my account had been a victim of the hack. They said it was a done as an extra protection for me. I didn't quite get the gist of it but he said the alert would remain for a few years.

Now I'm in the process of applying for another account with another bank and I've just read about Cifas markers and I'm worried that would that record that they put in relation to my account be a cifas marker or something even though I was the victim of the fraud/hack and this will prevent me from opening a new account with another bank? I've just become paranoid about it and worrying for no reason hopefully?

glosoli

The organisation you are dealing with may request additional forms of identification without explaining to you why, so as long as your able to comply with their requests it should be okay.

Dobbibill

There are different categories of fraud - you have been a victim so will fall into one category whereas application fraud (like using fraudulent documents to obtain a mortgage) will fall into another category. The latter causing applications to decline.

It's used to protect both the bank and the customer in your scenario.

Anthorn

pce967 wrote: »

About over a year ago my bank account was hacked and someone started to transfer money out online. Thankfully this was immediately identified by Santander who blocked the transfer and everything was sorted out very well.

When the security team spoke to me to reassure me that everything had been sorted and there was nothing to worry about they informed me that a record of this would be put for my account so that other banks would be made aware or something that my account had been a victim of the hack. They said it was a done as an extra protection for me. I didn't quite get the gist of it but he said the alert would remain for a few years.

Now I'm in the process of applying for another account with another bank and I've just read about Cifas markers and I'm worried that would that record that they put in relation to my account be a cifas marker or something even though I was the victim of the fraud/hack and this will prevent me from opening a new account with another bank? I've just become paranoid about it and worrying for no reason hopefully?

You need to check your current report to see if it's there. CIFAS registration lasts for two years after which it drops off your credit file.
https://www.cifas.org.uk/pr_faqs

CIFAS registration as a victim is protective and shouldn't affect your rating with lenders. At worst CIFAS tells lenders to make sure the application is actually from you and they need to verify it.
https://help.creditexpert.co.uk/help/sv635/Credit_report/whats_cifas

There is a lot of confusion about CIFAS on MSE with many people thinking that a CIFAS registration as a victim affects the ability to obtain credit: It doesn't.

Marker is the new MSE word of the moment.

JuicyJesus

Anthorn is right. CIFAS protective registration is a trigger for banks to do additional fraud vetting of any applications are made in your name. It shouldn't cause any applications to be declined but you may find that you don't get instant decisions.

grumbler

JuicyJesus wrote: »

Anthorn is right. CIFAS protective registration

This sort of 'registration'

• is used in cases of ID fraud to prevent new fraudulent applications,
• AFAIK, is normally requested by the victim (customer), not a bank.

Neither is the case here.

Any type of marker originating from a bank is likely to cause much more problems than just a delay with decision.

Anthorn

grumbler wrote: »

This sort of 'registration'

• is used in cases of ID fraud to prevent new fraudulent applications,
• AFAIK, is normally requested by the victim (customer), not a bank.

Neither is the case here.

Any type of marker originating from a bank is likely to cause much more problems than just a delay with decision.

A prime example of the confusion about CIFAS protective registration which exists on MSE. Really it's this sort of misinformation which needs to be stamped out. Both CIFAS itself and Experian Credit Reference Agency disagree with the above. Check out the links I posted in my previous post in this thread.

Marker is the new MSE word of the moment.

grumbler

Anthorn wrote: »

A prime example of the confusion about CIFAS protective registration which exists on MSE. Really it's this sort of misinformation which needs to be stamped out. Both CIFAS itself and Experian Credit Reference Agency disagree with the above. Check out the links I posted in my previous post in this thread.

Disagree with what? ID fraud/theft? Person/bank? Both?
Typically, instead of posting some quotes, you keep referring people to links that don't prove anything.
CIFAS:

The Cifas Protective Registration Service enables a person who is at greater risk of being, or already is, a victim of identity theft or identity fraud to place a protective warning on their credit file.

Experian:

If you think you may be a victim of identity fraud you can ask CIFAS to put you on their database (for a small fee). Banks and financial institutions will then take extra care when processing credit applications made in your name.
To apply for ‘Protective Registration’ you will need to supply proof of identity and a few other pieces of information.

Re affecting the 'score', even for the 'protective registration' it doesn't matter what they say as neither is a lender. The actual lenders often either don't have human resources to deal with problematic customers or simply avoid them just in case.

Anthorn wrote: »

Marker is the new MSE word of the moment.

You have to add this to your signature.

Anthorn

grumbler wrote: »

Disagree with what? ID fraud/theft? Person/bank? Both?
Typically, instead of posting some quotes, you keep referring people to links that don't prove anything.
CIFAS: Experian:
Re affecting the 'score', even for the 'protective registration' it doesn't matter what they say as neither is a lender. The actual lenders often either don't have human resources to deal with problematic customers or simply avoid them just in case.
You have to add this to your signature.

I have already proved that you are wrong. There is really nothing left to discuss. Really, how much longer are you going to spread this fallacy?

There are basically two ways to get the CIFAS warning as a victim of fraud: It can be placed on there by oneself or more likely placed by a participating organisation. But there is still no cause for alarm. It says that one is a victim not a criminal who has committed fraud.

[QUOTEIf you see 'Victim of Impersonation' recorded on your credit file, this is no cause for undue alarm. This warning will have been placed on your credit file by one of the organisations that uses Cifas to protect your identity. Such warnings are used when a third party has either used, tried to use, or is likely to use, your personal details to commit identity fraud.
][/QUOTE]
https://www.cifas.org.uk/voi_on_credit_file_whatdoesitmean

Probably a waste of time quoting again from any credit reference agency since you discount their advice on the grounds that they are "not lenders". Incredible to say the least!

grumbler

Anthorn wrote: »

I have already proved that you are wrong.

Of course - if you say so...

There are basically two ways to get the CIFAS warning as a victim of fraud: It can be placed on there by oneself or more likely placed by a participating organisation.

Any proof of an organisation being able to apply for 'protective registration' on it's own?

It says that one is a victim not a criminal who has committed fraud.

Nobody argued about this.
However, many victims of fraud reported here being unable to open a new account (read: blacklisted) despite being victims, not criminals.

If you see 'Victim of Impersonation' recorded on your credit file, this is no cause for undue alarm.

Define 'undue'.
It is the case for some alarm.

This warning will have been placed on your credit file by one of the organisations that uses Cifas to protect your identity.

Indeed, this sort of warning can be placed by a lender, but to a credit file (and to CIFAS?), not a 'Protective Registration' that we were talking about.
Not to mention that the topic was a hacked account, not ID fraud.

I have just noticed 'Victim of Impersonation - Cifas' on my credit file and I don't know what it means. Can you explain?
I've been impersonated. How can Cifas help me?
I am concerned that a late relative has been impersonated. What can I do?

Probably a waste of time quoting again from any credit reference agency since you discount their advice on the grounds that they are "not lenders".

It's not only some of their 'advice' that I disregard. Like many other people, I also disregard their so called 'score' that they keep selling to people to make money for themselves.

Anthorn

grumbler wrote: »

Of course - if you say so...

Any proof of an organisation being able to apply for 'protective registration' on it's own?

Nobody argued about this.
However, many victims of fraud reported here being unable to open a new account (read: blacklisted) despite being victims, not criminals.
Define 'undue'.
It is the case for some alarm.
Indeed, this sort of warning can be placed by a lender, but to a credit file (and to CIFAS?), not a 'Protective Registration' that we were talking about.
Not to mention that the topic was a hacked account, not ID fraud.

I have just noticed 'Victim of Impersonation - Cifas' on my credit file and I don't know what it means. Can you explain?
I've been impersonated. How can Cifas help me?
I am concerned that a late relative has been impersonated. What can I do?
It's not only some of their 'advice' that I disregard. Like many other people, I also disregard their so called 'score' that they keep selling to people to make money for themselves.

Nothing but pedantry: Let's see some evidence.