Mobile Phone Contract Credit Check

kirstyl13

I'm hoping this is the right place to ask for some help/advice!

On 24th Feb I tried to take a new mobile phone contract out with o2, through Mobile Phones Direct. After a few hours I received a notification from MPD to say I'd failed their security check so the order had been cancelled. No idea why - they can't give any more details than that, and I've spent many phone calls asking.

Luckily the same deal was on another website - Affordable Mobiles - so I reordered with them. A few hours later the same thing happened - order declined. But this time it said it was because of a failed credit check with o2. No idea why because I've got accounts with Experian and Equifax and my credit is excellent on both.

I spoke to the credit referrals team at o2 who were super helpful. They informed me that as far as they were concerned the first order - with MPD - had been approved, and sent back to them to process. Its MDP who have declined it, due to security reasons - which they can't explain. Which is why when I placed a new order, on the same day, with Affordable Mobiles, it was declined by o2 because it looked suspicious. Me trying to take out two the same day, for the same thing, when the first had already been approved, doesn't look good apparently!  
The credit team at o2 said they could escalate the issue and try and get someone to override it, but I'm yet to have that happen, or actually hear from them again.

So.. two days ago, I tried again. This time I'd tried to take a contract out with Affordable Mobiles, but through the Three Network. Shock.. the same thing has happened I've been declined, as I've failed the credit check. I can see on my credit file that o2 have done a hard search, so I'm presuming this is why.. but any ideas how I'm now going to get around this? There isn't actually anything wrong with my credit. It just seems that because of the very first issue on the 24th Feb, I now am unable to get a contract anywhere!

Sorry this was so long!

Farway

When you say your credit is excellent on both credit agenecies are pou referiing to the mythical "score" or actual report showing who you owe money to & if paid on time, amount outstanding etc?

If the latter, anything there, missed, outstanding or late payments for instance?

kirstyl13

Farway said:

When you say your credit is excellent on both credit agenecies are pou referiing to the mythical "score" or actual report showing who you owe money to & if paid on time, amount outstanding etc?

If the latter, anything there, missed, outstanding or late payments for instance?

Sorry I should have specified. Not the score. I mean all the details - everything is fine. There's no errors, no missed/late payments. Nothing.
The only thing is that I've had two searches - one by o2 on the 24th Feb (the first time I tried to take a contract out) and another one by three, which was the 8th March.

Would they really stop me being approved?

username

I have experience with working with such things but on the other decision making side, so can offer some insight.

Do remember, every company is free to decline your business, as distasteful as it sounds; if it does not meet their criteria, whether it be risk, identity or commercial.

Without knowing the specifics of the criteria they apply, here is some general guidance. Such applications that don't pass the internal checks could be down to adverse data supplied either by the client or from other sources - such as the card not registered at your application address or it is not all your own details. They also consider the amount of applications and from who, as well as the address risk.

The dealer (MPD, Affordable Mobile etc) takes the financial hit if the client defaults or is a disconnect due to fraud, so that is why they will have such risk management in place.The network credit check is not necessarily a free pass to receiving the phone.

If you wish to get them to manually review the decision, it could be worth writing to the data controller (with your evidence and facts), as that will likely get a manual review and a fresh pair of eyes on the application. Do not phone them, the reps on the phones would not have access to or deal with such matters.