Universal credit and credit file search

James

Does anyone know if an application for Universal Credit attracts a credit file check?

Thanks in advance

Yahoo_Mail

Why would it?  And even if it did, why would it be a problem?

rookie91

James said:

Does anyone know if an application for Universal Credit attracts a credit file check?

Thanks in advance

Might do but only to confirm identity. Won't be a hard search.

phillw

DWP use equifax to check who lives at an address & to make sure they are alive. https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archive/download/1069667/e7186212-339e-44d9-bdbb-4bb97d085b49
It won't show up as a search on your credit file, but my advice is don't lie on credit applications or benefits claims.

DCFC79

James said:

Does anyone know if an application for Universal Credit attracts a credit file check?

Thanks in advance

Whats the reason for the question ?

As posted no hard search is made.

James

A Guardian Article,  made me think:
Woman Faces £1300 demand due to Universal Credit Fraud

Which led to a few questions:
Will government insist a Victim of Impersonation marker be placed on her file? 
If any organisation places such a marker surely they should have a duty of care to inform that individual?

This is one of the most despicable types fraud. Hitting those who need it most and usually have the least resources to clear the mess. It sickens me.

Can it be prevented?   Yes  .  

phillw

James said:

Can it be prevented?   Yes  .  

How could that possibly help when they didn't meet the person face to face?
As soon as everyone's thumb prints are being sent round online then they will get stolen too.
Are you Jamie Jamieson?

Yahoo_Mail

phillw said:

James said:

Can it be prevented?   Yes  .  

How could that possibly help when they didn't meet the person face to face?
As soon as everyone's thumb prints are being sent round online then they will get stolen too.
Are you Jamie Jamieson?

Oh, it's this guy again.

I wouldn't worry about everyone's thumbprints going round.  Nobody will entertain this nonsense so there won't be a massive database of thumbprints to fall into the wrong hands anyway.

It's probably a fantastic way of avoiding ID theft because nobody will want to offer anyone credit will this bunkum on their credit file.

liggerz87

They go by your national insurance number name and dob they never did do a credit check or identity check on me

phillw

Yahoo_Mail said:
I wouldn't worry about everyone's thumbprints going round.  Nobody will entertain this nonsense so there won't be a massive database of thumbprints to fall into the wrong hands anyway.

Well it doesn't matter whether it's thumbprints, favorite number, secret handshake etc there is no way to verify where the person got it.

Storing your mobile phone number on your credit file, so that people had to text you and you reply before applying for anything, might help. Although it's possible to intercept peoples mobile phone numbers it would remove a lot of the cases. But everyone would have to put their mobile phone number on their credit file and if you ever changed your number then you might find it impossible to get credit. Every company would have to change their systems to send out texts etc.

I'm kinda disappointed that banks identity checks and confirmation of payee doesn't stop this fraud though.