CIFAS Not a good idea?

carh21

I took out a CIFAS membership last Dec on the strength of recommendation from MSE. I wish I hadn't.I have had nothing but problems trying to open accounts with regular societies that i already have several accounts with. I'd had enough this week when i had to go some distance to a branch to open an account that would have been ok online.I have since tried to contact CIFAS by online enquiry email. The customer enquiry address bounces right back and does not work .The cancel form on line that is suggested does not exists. I finally found a telephone number and was on the phone waiting with music playing for 1 hr 45min. I actually kept the phone open all that time whilst I went out! Finally someone answered, no apology for time waited. and said they would cancel my account with confirmation by email. When  I  read the confirmation later , it mentioned nothing about cancellation and just said I had adjusted my data. So I still have no proof this has been cancelled.I have since found out how I paid the original payment and will be contacting my credit card company to remove CIFAS name from the records.This is appalling behaviour from a company , trying to contact them is like finding hen's teeth. Check Trustpilot for other reviews, they do not look good. 

eskbanker

carh21 said:

I took out a CIFAS membership last Dec on the strength of recommendation from MSE.

What were the circumstances?  Are you referring specifically to their protective registration service, which is deliberately designed to make it harder for anyone, including you, to open new accounts in your name, following identity thefts, etc?

molerat

CIFAS protective registration is certainly not a good idea if you have no concrete reasons for (over) protecting your identity, it will make opening an account in your name difficult - the whole point of it - for anyone including you.

carh21

My gripe is not so much with the protective model but with the lack of availability to contact the company in any way .It was a nightmare . This is the same number for anyone worrying about fraud or needing to report something.If stressed with events , how would you feel hanging on the phone for nearly 2 hours  and no contact email to report it too?