Password on credit file 15 November 2022 at 4:06PM in Budgeting & bank accounts 9 replies 239 views

tortzilla

Read tons of stuff on this website and it seems everyone has an opinion, right or wrong. I know I had my identity cloned back in 2005 and as a result I was recommended to protect my credit file by putting a password on it (I think through ProtectMyId which Experian were touting around then)

Thing is, I know this is right and I know why I did it and it makes perfect sense but the trouble is I have problems remembering my name from day to day so I have NO CHANCE of digging up a 17year old password now that I am applying for a credit card.

My question is two fold - 1) how do I remove or reset the password and 2)how do I call anyone at Experian to discuss it as their telephone number system is designed to keep people out and I cannot find a number that gets me to one of those rarities in life, a human voice in customer service. 8 billion people on the planet and not one is accessible at Experian..........

DullGreyGuy

ProtectMyID is a US service... are you in the US or UK?

Their UK equiv is a very different beast. A nearer proxy to it would be CIFAS's protective registration but that only lasts for 2 years

tortzilla

In UK - it used to be in this country as well I believe - certainly didnt have to be a AAA member when I originally used it! CIFAS were involved as well I seem to remember but def longer than 2 years ago. Ironically the bank issuing the card I am after recently set me up with a new bank account with them and not sure how they got over the issue then

marcia_

 I previously had a password on my experian credit record due to fraud. It dropped off without me asking after 6 years. 

DullGreyGuy

Would be odd for Experian UK to require you to be a member of the American Automobile Association (AAA)!

There did used to be a similar product in the UK https://www.experianplc.com/media/latest-news/2010/20-07-2010/ but it wasnt launched until 2010 as per the above press release.  It however has been discontinued as the URL now just points to the standard homepage. 

Have you not applied for any form of credit for 17 years? I'd suggest its not a case of "how they got over the issue" but that there is no issue and 17 years has fogged the memory!

tortzilla

As I said before memory not that great and likely that it wasnt 17 years but definitely more than 6 (7?). As to credit, no havent knowingly applied for any for years - except for one phone and it has never been queried by them??

marcia_

 Might have been longer, was a while ago now. Have you checked you credit record to see if its still there? 

tortzilla

Certainly looks like your link DullGreyGuy to Experian media is it, which means it was likely to be under 12 years ago.

Def an issue - told by cc company today I needed the password. Memory bad but not that bad, Dont like credit, never have

tortzilla

Okay prob appears solved. Experian seemed to know about it and whilst they wanted password to remove password they did say during licence or birth certificate would do. Problem solved, thanks for people's help

tortzilla

Contact using [email protected] Phone impossible, post too slow