CIFAS Marker Hell

Engineer789

Hi all,
Honestly need some help as i’m unsure what I can do next.

Timeline:

24th July - Santander accounts frozen and will close in 60 days. Submitted DSAR CIFAS request as advised.

4th August - Cifas comes back clear of everything other than “3 number searches from Santander”. Search included my parents address I lived at from 2017-2021 and my own home address for 2021 to present.

4th August - Sent the “all clear” CIFAS DSAR to Santander’s Fraud team

8th August - Santander review and state they can still see a Cifas Marker on my account.

Im genuinely starting to seriously deteriorate in my mental health as I’m not sure what I can do here.

I do have to rent accomodation in places short term for construction projects my company puts me at. 

2 of these have been “all in” where I have no bills, the other one i have a settled council tax and utility bills all at £0 settlement. Again all of these still listed my home address as Billing Address and were through my home Billing Address bank account. 

I have never opened a bank account at any of these addresses, not taken out any contracts etc, only the previously mentioned home ones. (Family home, which i transferred over when i bought my own place)

Given i’ve stated all my billing addresses for my only 3 banks accounts over the last 10 years, i’m seriously clueless what to do next.

Ask me anything and i’ll answer honestly, I don’t know what I can do when i genuinely cannot find this marker due to my DSAR being filled with all my information, yet showing no markers. I’ve raised with the bank if it is not these addresses then it is not me, however I cannot find a way to request information from Cifas that isn’t showing for me.

Also never had anything unknown (from my knowledge) show up on my credit files.

Please help, I have no idea how to get out of this and i’m completely derailed, I’ve done everything above board my whole life and feel like i’m about to lose it all due to a marker I just cannot find anywhere.

MEM62

Open an account with a different bank.  

Engineer789

MEM62 said:

Open an account with a different bank.  

So i tried to open a Barclays and got the same response from them when it stated “we need to discuss your application over the phone”

Starting to wonder if somebody from my old work addresses that i’ve never taken anything out at (they were purely accomodation) has done something in my name, so i’ve submitted those under a DSAR today also. 

Engineer789

Update: Second DSAR with secondary work addresses for temporary digs near sites I work on also came back clear - genuinely no idea what to do as multiple letters from the bank explicitly stating CIFAS marker and unable to open any account despite the bank i've had the last few months stating they have not/are not raising anything. Genuinely so stuck, any help would be amazing

eskbanker

Despite all the references to CIFAS, it might be worth checking the other anti-fraud databases too, such as National Hunter and Synectic Solutions?  Have you checked all of your credit files too, if you suspect that there may be some identity fraud?

Engineer789

eskbanker said:

Despite all the references to CIFAS, it might be worth checking the other anti-fraud databases too, such as National Hunter and Synectic Solutions?  Have you checked all of your credit files too, if you suspect that there may be some identity fraud?

Thanks esk, i’ll do that.

I’m really running out of steam with it as Cifas also replied with a confirmation “we have no data on your Name and DOB at any of the addresses you have provided” when i queried if there was information not being released due to a different email/phone being used if it was fraud.

So i shared the letter from Santander with them as Cifas stated “if you are still being told you have a Cifas marker, forward any correspondence” and had radio silence since. The fact their team only do email, and the 2 day a week phoneline just being advisors is really difficult to pick up any real momentum with.

I’m planning to try utilise a local credit union in the meantime as most of the “prepaid cards” only let you have a 5k max on the card so will need to be able to have a savings somewhere - any advice on this?

If you also have any advice on proceeding, any help would be great as feeling incredibly alone on this one and losing hope a bit of ever finding this.
Thanks for your reply, really appreciate it!

Engineer789

eskbanker said:

Despite all the references to CIFAS, it might be worth checking the other anti-fraud databases too, such as National Hunter and Synectic Solutions?  Have you checked all of your credit files too, if you suspect that there may be some identity fraud?

Just realised i didn’t answer the second question - credit score still high and nothing unexpected from what I can see - but again at my addresses which don’t have that Cifas, so not sure if they would pick up something not at an address I don’t know about?

Nasqueron

Engineer789 said:

eskbanker said:

Despite all the references to CIFAS, it might be worth checking the other anti-fraud databases too, such as National Hunter and Synectic Solutions?  Have you checked all of your credit files too, if you suspect that there may be some identity fraud?

Just realised i didn’t answer the second question - credit score still high and nothing unexpected from what I can see - but again at my addresses which don’t have that Cifas, so not sure if they would pick up something not at an address I don’t know about?

A CIFAS is against you not an address

Credit scores are irrelevant

Engineer789

Update: after prompting Cifas multiple times, they now contacted santander as they couldnt find what they were seeing.

Marker found, my name and DOB on a completely random address, phone number and even an email with someone elses name in! I had never even banked with Monzo who raised it!

Hoping all can be resolved as it should hopefully be very evident it’s not me - will keep the thread updated. Not holding my breath for a quick turnaround.