betting firms appearing on search history

Rollers_63

Hi, I have checked my Noddle report and see that searches were done by 3 different betting firms in a 10 day period around Christmas. This is very odd as I never bet and would never have anything to do with such companies. Is it normal for searches like this to appear?
I have checked all of my bank accounts and they are fine and I have had no strange letters in the post at all.
I have written to the three firms involved asking for more info, but they are either slow or not forthcoming.
I am not sure what to do about this and would welcome any suggestions.
Thanks

KoshB5

Betting firms use CRA's for identity and in particular age verification for when a person opens an account with them for any of the sites they provide to gamble, including gaming sites that a number run e.g. poker playing.

If you've not used any of their online sites including their gaming sites then somebody could be impersonating your identity to gain entry to them. Are you seeing Identity checks?

Rollers_63

Not sure what you mean by identity checks, but it is showing as a personal search, not as a hard search, but still worrying all the same. I have done a check with clearscore and found another 7 checks, all subsidiaries' of one large company, GB Group.

KoshB5

On your search history it will say the company that made the search, the search purpose (type) and date of the search. The search purpose will say things like Identification Check, Quotation Search, Administration Review.....

GB Group aren't a betting company they specialise in identify verification and Fraud prevention but they do provide services to some betting firms. https://www.gbgplc.com/uk/

Rollers_63

I have got to the bottom of it now as one of the firms have replied to me. It is identity theft, now reported to Action Fraud.
I am thankful I checked my credit report as otherwise I wouldn't have known about it. Seems they had a splurge in a 7 day period. 10 found so far............I bet that's only the tip of the iceberg.

DCFC79

Check clearscore and Experian too.

Rollers_63

Thanks, did clearscore and got another 7 from them

KoshB5

Rollers_63 wrote: »

I have got to the bottom of it now as one of the firms have replied to me. It is identity theft, now reported to Action Fraud.
I am thankful I checked my credit report as otherwise I wouldn't have known about it. Seems they had a splurge in a 7 day period. 10 found so far............I bet that's only the tip of the iceberg.

You should get a CIFAS marker (Identity theft) through your interaction with Action Fraud, which will show on your credit file from all 3 CRA's. A CIFAS marker will mean that any application you make for credit will go through additional checks - https://www.cifas.org.uk/how_does_cifas_protect_people

Rollers_63

KoshB5 wrote: »

You should get a CIFAS marker (Identity theft) through your interaction with Action Fraud, which will show on your credit file from all 3 CRA's. A CIFAS marker will mean that any application you make for credit will go through additional checks -

Thanks, I have paid up and now have this in place. It gives me a bit of peace of mind.
Hopefully from my experience it will highlight to people the importance of just keeping an eye on your credit records, without which I wouldn't even be aware yet.

KoshB5

Definitely and the reason you need to see all 3 CRA's report, which anybody can now do for free, is that a search footprint is unique to the CRA that received the request (as you have seen), companies that do a search will not necessarily use all 3 (most don't).

All CRA's will show any accounts opened but only if the provider of the service sends data at all 3 and some don't send to all (a small number e.g. some utility and mobile providers), there isn't a statutory requirement to do so.

This is a good link to read on CRA's and credit - https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/credit/, the ICO regulates CRA's from a data perspective.