'I was hounded by bailiffs and turned down for a mortgage - because of my credit file doppelganger'

Former_MSE_Callum

A man called Andy Smith who shares his name and date of birth with someone living in a completely different part of the country has told how his namesake's financial problems had a knock-on effect on his life for over a decade - causing him to be pursued by bailiffs, have his credit card limit reduced and be denied a mortgage...

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''I was hounded by bailiffs and turned down for a mortgage - because of my credit file doppelganger''

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peterbaker

This just shows the absolutely ludicrous situation we have got into in UK by letting the likes of Experian create huge databases containing ridiculous quantities of uncontrolled effectively unregulated false personal data.

They permit links based solely on name address and date of birth to be used to collect more data from further providers when they feel like it, but then they argue that if a false DoB is provided by e.g. a bank during an account application process, alongside a correct name or partial name and a correct address or partial address (unbeknown to them by fraudsters) they are entitled to treat the false DoB as a "mistake" and then record all the other new (false) data submitted for example online as kosher.


This may already have happened e.g. for a new Barclaycard application in your name by a fraudster, and if so will likely then have also recorded extra false data e.g. employment data in the process of returning an "ok to approve" signal on the application via their automated link to Barclaycard. Barclaycard then issue the card in your name to your address, also ignoring the existing data they have collected on you as a live existing customer over decades, and the new card is intercepted by the fraudster and maxed out. A few weeks later you receive an over-limit or late payment letter from Barclaycard, and its the first you know of a problem.

How can I point the finger so accurately at Experian and Barclaycard? I have seen a case file showing exactly that!

Experian should have their wings clipped by a powerful UK government (:rotfl:) and be forced to destroy all their data on us normal customers. Instead, a bad boys and girls only database should replace it, with a new law put on the books detailing exactly what the parameters are for being on that database. A government tender specification should then be organised to decide who will manage the limited database.

Experian may well win such a tender as has been set up in other developed European countries, but their power and carelessness would be much reduced. ICO resources might then be freed up to deal with other shysters such as those who continually call us up using what is obviously an underground off the shelf piece of nuisance software too easily obtained. That's the one plaguing us with interactive robot messages for the past three years or so, which nevertheless can be identified through its use of the same girl's voice "Hi yeah this is Amanda Lee* of XYZ services - yeah it's about the accident you had which wasn't your fault ..."

*insert any girl's name you like from the software provider's list

System

So.... Experian made mistakes and says that everyone should be checking their file.
...Which you must pay Experian to do.

Outrageous.

boo_star

beany_bot wrote: »

So.... Experian made mistakes and says that everyone should be checking their file.
...Which you must pay Experian to do.

Outrageous.

Erm, statutory reports have been free for a while now.