CIFAS warning - cannot open bank accounts

8bits

Hi,
About one year ago I exchanged my foreign driving license with a UK one. In the meantime I ordered a cheque book from my bank to pay DVLA. Both never arrived and were used to commit a cheque fraud of about £10k. This was reported to the police.



This month I wanted to changed bank accounts (for ethical reasons) and tried to open current accounts online in BankA and BankB. Both were declined and I got CIFAS warnings from them on my credit file. I've called BankA, they told me they can't open an account for me.


What am I supposed to do if I want to change banks? How having my name in a CIFAS database will affect my life in the future? Why do the banks declined my application ? Can't they double check my ID/proof of address physically?

18cc

First thing to do is to get a copy of your CIFAS record.

If you are on there then you will be able to open a bank account but you will have to wait 6 years

8bits

Thanks. Do you mean a DSAR?

The CIFAS website says:

If you are looking to check whether you have been registered with us as a victim of fraud, you should check your credit report rather than make a Data Subject Access Request. Get in touch with any of the main credit reference agencies; your report will show Cifas 'victim markers' as well as lots of other useful information that will help you to spot if a fraudster is attempting to use your identity.
Victim markers – ‘Victim of Impersonation’ and ‘Victim of Takeover’ – remain in place for 13 months from the date of submission. Both will appear on credit reports.

This is indeed the case, it is written in my credit report as "Victim of impersonation". But then what do I do with that?

Ed-1

8bits wrote: »

Thanks. Do you mean a DSAR?


The CIFAS website says






This is indeed the case, it is written in my credit report as "Victim of impersonation". Do I still need to wait for 6 years? That is really annoying, especially being the victim here.

Send a DSAR to CIFAS to see if you have any other categories of CIFAS marker on there. Only 'victim' categories will display on credit files.

Willing2Learn

Have you checked your three credit files to see if you have CIFAS Victim markers on your file? If you have and there isn't then I recommend submitting a SAR request with CIFAS.

https://www.cifas.org.uk/contact-us/subject-access-request

Edit: Oh, I appear to have cross-posted with you both.

Edit #2: https://www.cifas.org.uk/services/identity-protection/victim-of-impersonation

jonnygee2

You should not be rejected because of a victim marker. Most likely either:

- The CIFAS marker on your account is wrong, or
- You were rejected for a different reason, not related to the victim marker

Investigate these two possibilities first, by checking your CIFAS record, and asking for clarification from the bank (they might not give any though).

8bits

Thanks all, this clarifies things. Will request the CIFAS record.

DCFC79

Keep the thread updated with any news, would be useful to other posters if they have a similar/same issue.

8bits

A quick update. I am still waiting for my bank statement to arrive to get the CIFAS SAR, but in the meantime, this is what I think happened: it looks like the fraudster coincidentally tried to open bank accounts about 2-3 weeks before me. Very coincidentally, one of the account he tried to open is the same current account I tried to open at BankA. I assume it is the same fraudster who kept my DL. He waited one year after his first cheque fraud (which happened in August 2018) to try opening new accounts. From a fraudster point of view it makes sense to wait one year or so.

I was confused with the 2 CIFAS warnings I got as I thought they were related to my applications (although one was from a bank I've never dealt with, I assumed it was related), also because it was the first time I've ever had these and so somehow misinterpreted them. But I called one of the bank and they confirmed me the date the fraudster made the application, which cannot be the date I have made my applications. The last few days I have dealt with both BankA and BankB and it looks like my accounts will be opened soon. They also both sent me letters to my address to confirm where I live.

xlnc99

Just to clarify - You changed your driving licence and you had to pay the DVLA. So you went an ordered a cheque book to pay them instead of paying online or on the phone......

8bits

xlnc99 wrote: »

Just to clarify - You changed your driving licence and you had to pay the DVLA. So you went an ordered a cheque book to pay them instead of paying online or on the phone......

They were only accepting cheque at that time. Yes, in 2018. Don't ask me why. This is the only cheque I wrote in the last past 10 years.


ps. that was an exchange of an EU driving license for a UK one, I think the procedure was/is different.