Oodle car finance and unfair CIFAS CAT4

celticmeltic

Full disclosure : This is my partner's account. I cannot be arsed to create a new one as I just have this one query.
Halifax recently decided to close my account out of the blue, I had very good payment history with them (Very high overdraft limit of 4990, credit cards with 0 balance but credit limit of £8000 and £7000). I usually use my credit card for any transactions and pay off in full every time. So this took me by surprise.
I was told to go into the branch and clear out any pending credit card balance (which I did) but they refused to tell me why my accounts were being closed. I put pressure on the lovely manager at the local branch who managed to ring up their internal team and I was told that my accounts were being closed because of a recent CIFAS flag and that they cannot tell me anything more.
I freaked out and SAR'd CIFAS as I've never done anything suspect to be on there. (Other than having my ID stolen two times -  in 2019 April - Got a protective registration and 2016 January - Again protective registration) 
Lo and behold the CIFAS comes back with 2 records: one of them is a protective registration which is still active thankfully, but the other one was a CAT 4 application fraud marker put on there by OODLE CAR FINANCE.
Turns out someone tried to take out car finance in my name (But instead of using my full name - Lets say my first name is 'John' and second name is 'Doe Ver' they used John Ver)
I've never heard about these cowboys so I looked them up on Google and noticed some other reviews mentioned them placing CIFAS on other victims as well. So I complained to them about this and they came back to me asking for my driving license, work history and bank details.
I gave them my bank details and work history but had lost my driving license so I reordered one. But I'm just wondering now if I should even be giving it to them? Like why the f am I being treated this way when I don't want anything to do with them in the first place. This also feels a bit like I'm having to prove I'm innocent when they're the ones who stupidly even considered a finance application when I am someone with a protective registration active in my name.

I'm so stressed out and have no idea what to do, I stupidly applied to Nationwide for a current account which got closed down before the cards even got to me for the same reason.

george9071

As you didn't make the application for the credit in the first place you should never have gave them your bank details or work history but make sure you don't give them your driving licence, sounds more like a credit application than an investigation. Going forward i would open a BASIC account in branch with the correct ID, i wouldn't try Halifax again though. Your chances of getting a 'Normal' current account are slim.

P.S: I had a look at the google reviews for this company, in my honest opinion i don't think your complaint would go far with them i personally would go higher.
Hope you get this sorted. 

chanz4

Raise the case with action fraud

celticmeltic

@george9071 yep they have now asked me to provide them with a picture of my passport plus a picture of me holding my passport.
ridiculous.

george9071

@celticmeltic i agree with pp contact action fraud or a financial ombudsman, this company will most likely tell you that they could not resolve your complaint, companies like this are more than happy to just whack a cifas on anyone's file without caring what it can do to someone's finances. I have seen your previous thread regarding your mortgage with the Halifax has this affected your mortgage as well in anyway? Really hope you get this sorted.

celticmeltic

Yep the mortgage application got declined. Bank refused to lend even though it was only a remortgage.
My business account got frozen today and they are investigating, no doubt because of this record. @george9071

george9071

@celticmeltic no company ever seems to understand the damage they do to a persons finances, have you got a basic account set up for now till you get this sorted and moved DD's and SO's over?

celticmeltic

@george9071 True. I'm worried my business account provider Starling Bank is going to return all the funds to the client. Imagine having that awkward conversation with my client on returned funds.

I haven't got a basic account no, I tried applying elsewhere online (TSB), same story. Account opened, card issued, account blocked Tried Monzo - They say they can't offer an account to me.
I am royally screwed over. 

liggerz87

Sorry not much help but try calling barclays for a basic bank account 

george9071

liggerz87 said:

Sorry not much help but try calling barclays for a basic bank account 

@celticmeltic agreed with previous poster i am with Barclays, they offer a basic account really good they helped me in my time of need, still bank with them today.

Sandtree

celticmeltic said:

@george9071 True. I'm worried my business account provider Starling Bank is going to return all the funds to the client. Imagine having that awkward conversation with my client on returned funds.

You say its a business account... are you a sole trader, partnership, ltd or some other structure?