Identity Fraud - No Reply from Equifax/ActionFraud

Efficiency

Hello All,

About a month ago, I received two letters through the post - one for a o2 phone contract (iPhone 64gb 24 month) and one for a Debenhams credit card. I immediately rang the two companies and specified that I never signed up for these services, they cancelled the accounts and then I rang 101 - who put me through to ActionFraud where two separate cases of fraud were registered.

Unfortunately I was going on holiday the day after receiving these letters, so was gone for two weeks and could not actively push the police to investigate further (if that was even possible) - such as retrieving CCTV. I have since checked my credit report and two hard searches are showing up, with about 3 soft searches from other phone related companies - I get a feeling the fraudster tried to sign up for multiple phone contracts in different places.

I have no idea how this person was able to create identity documents that allowed them to sign up for these services, but after speaking with a person at Mastercard, apparently people who run businesses and have their personal details in the public domain are more susceptible to this.

Anyway, to the point - I use clearscore to check on my credit report and a couple weeks ago it started showing these credit searches that were never requested by me. I rang up equifax to ask them what can be done - they told me to a submit a correction request through the clearscore system and it was done shortly afterwards. I included the two ActionFraud reference numbers, described which credit searches were fraudulent and requested they be removed.

Fast forward two weeks and there is not a single email from equifax, to either acknowledge the request has been received or that any action has been taken on it. It is as if they are totally ignoring the situation, so I will be stuck with these black marks on my credit report forever. ActionFraud has been just as useless, when you ring up to find out what action is being taken - they tell you to email contact@actionfraud.co.uk, but there is exactly the same situation - zero response.

It is as if the police have totally absolved themselves of all responsibility for investigating fraud that has taken place, and credit reference agencies have zero incentive to investigate and fix any fraudulent credit report searches. Frankly, I can live with not hearing back from ActionFraud - although it is still disturbing that someone is presumably walking around with a fake identity document with my details and their photo on it.

What I cannot accept is a total lack of response from Equifax - What can I do to get them to fix the credit report? Also, will I need to contact other credit reporting agencies to check the details are correct with them too?

[Deleted User]

Escalate a complaint to Equifax and check your other files.

[Deleted User]

You will also need to check your reports with Experian and Call Credit

Efficiency

So I ended up using the equifax "ask" page in order to submit a new correction, as apparently nothing had gone from Clearscore to Equifax to register the corrections required. Even though I was told by someone on an Equifax phone line to submit the request through Clearscore's website.

I have checked CallCredit and it doesn't look like anything fraudulent searches were registered with them.

It looks like Experian are running a nice extortion racket where you have to pay £14.99 a month in order to see your credit report, in case any corrections are needed? Is there a way to get one free report a year or anything like that? I'll pay if I have to, but along with paying a CIFAS fee, it's nasty having to pay money to correct someone else stealing your identity.

Arleen

http://www.experian.co.uk/consumer/statutory-report.html

Resolving this will take time, months+, so you have to gear yourself with patience.

Efficiency

Might have jumped the gun a bit with Experian - found that 30 day free trial they offer, but why do I get the feeling that an extra month will still need to be paid for later in the year to check it is all cleared. I can be very patient, it's just annoying all the different companies that need to be contacted independently in order to make sure different credit reports are accurate and I have no idea if the same thing will happen again in future.

On top of that it looks like the police can't be bothered to do basic investigative work to find the perpetrator or update me on this, someone on the 101 number even had the cheek to say it wasn't a crime - that it was to do with the company and the fraudster (using my details!!).

glentoran99

You can get your Experian credit file on here, MSE credit club


No need to pay for any of them no


Clearscore - Equifax
Noddle - Call Credit
MSE Credit club - Experian