Experian's Fundamental Breach of Data Protection Act 1998

Cornucopia · 31 December 2013 at 4:11PM

I have my own thankless crusade in the shape of BBC Licence Fee enforcement (which I believe to be unlawful in the way it treats people who have no legal need for a licence).

So I do understand the way a cause can assume a personal level of importance that others may not accept. But I also understand how large organisations do not do these things lightly - they will probably have legal advice on what constitutes inaccurate data, and whilst you may be right to challenge their definition, it may well turn out that the ICO supports them, not you.

I have also worked on many data migration and cleansing projects, and I understand that they are normally much more difficult than they initially appear. The devil is always in the detail.

VictimOfImpersonation · 31 December 2013 at 4:13PM

CKhalvashi wrote: »

I agree with this, too.

I had a credit agreement (done in branch), in my younger days show my dob as 1872 (instead of 1982), and whilst it was unfortunate, the loan went through, it was sorted when I'd noticed it (which was just before a mortgage application)

If I'd lost 6 years of credit history because of that, I'd have been a little annoyed.

CK

Are you Mr Khalvashi, a businessman of repute, using your knowledge to knock my suggestion because you have an ulterior motive, or because you do not understand how a data clean-up could be responsibly managed?

Cornucopia wrote:

I have also worked on many data migration and cleansing projects, and I understand that they are normally much more difficult than they initially appear. The devil is always in the detail

Yes yes, such projects always flounder into compromise due to cost considerations, but do you understand how the mismatch queries are easy? And how the further sifting and categorising (querying) of mismatches is easy? Please do not assist the CRA viewpoint here by blowing smoke they might feel more than comfortable hiding behind.

Cornucopia · 31 December 2013 at 4:13PM

CKhalvashi wrote: »

1872

I assume that is a typo, as no system should be readily accepting that there are 141 year-olds applying for credit.

Apologies and congrats if you really are 141. :beer:

VictimOfImpersonation · 31 December 2013 at 4:38PM

Cornucopia wrote: »

I assume that is a typo, as no system should be readily accepting that there are 141 year-olds applying for credit...

Yes, just as no system should be accepting a new credit agreement application against anyone's name with an incorrect date of birth where there are already a number of accounts in the database showing the correct dob. The computer at the bank should have error messaged the input immediately and so should it at the CRAs when it got through the bank.

So now they will both have to pay specialist forensic database experts (they surely haven't been employing them to date?) to clean up the mistakes of the past.

Duke203 · 31 December 2013 at 4:47PM

VictimOfImpersonation wrote: »

So now they will both have to pay specialist forensic database experts (they surely haven't been employing them to date?) to clean up the mistakes of the past.

Maybe ask someone to post this recommendation on a specialist IT board. I haven't seen anyone on this thread who knows anything about computers, so it may get more visibility there.

CKhalvashi · 31 December 2013 at 4:55PM

VictimOfImpersonation wrote: »

Are you Mr Khalvashi, a businessman of repute, using your knowledge to knock my suggestion because you have an ulterior motive, or because you do not understand how a data clean-up could be responsibly managed?

Who I am has nothing to do with the fact that the CRA only reports what is given to them, instead of creating information by itself. I am therefore declining the opportunity to answer the question.

Yes yes, such projects always flounder into compromise due to cost considerations, but do you understand how the mismatch queries are easy? And how the further sifting and categorising (querying) of mismatches is easy? Please do not assist the CRA viewpoint here by blowing smoke they might feel more than comfortable hiding behind.

It would depend largely how the system is set up. The Experian system, from what I am aware, was created before credit referencing was the norm.

At the same time, should I apply for credit in my home country, the system is structured in such a way that it's down to my last three months' bank statements and a declaration of any debt I may/may not have, with security for any borrowing being the norm.

Whether I prefer this system, and whether I prefer the UK system is not the point here; what is more important is for banks to be able to verify and share information in an effective manner, which is what they're doing 99.9% of the time.

It is more than acceptable for a typo to be on a credit report somewhere, and whilst some may argue that this should stop any credit application going through, others would rather not waste a search.

CK

Cornucopia · 31 December 2013 at 5:01PM

VictimOfImpersonation wrote: »

A
Yes yes, such projects always flounder into compromise due to cost considerations, but do you understand how the mismatch queries are easy? And how the further sifting and categorising (querying) of mismatches is easy? Please do not assist the CRA viewpoint here by blowing smoke they might feel more than comfortable hiding behind.

Identifying the inconsistencies is easy enough. The question is what do the inconsistencies mean, and what should be done about them?

VictimOfImpersonation · 31 December 2013 at 5:06PM

CKhalvashi wrote: »

...has nothing to do with the fact that the CRA only reports what is given to them, instead of creating information by itself.

But we know that is a fallacy not a fact. What is Delphi if it isn't new information derived from the faulty information CRAs recklessly store because they don't check it?

How can any licensed data controller claim that routinely not checking the data they receive with verifiers they already possess is an acceptable defence to 55(1)?

...what is more important is for banks to be able to verify and share information in an effective manner, which is what they're doing 99.9% of the time.

You have no evidence to support it, and on my single file I have many instances to show that your 99.9% figure is a joke.

It is more than acceptable for a typo to be on a credit report somewhere, and whilst some may argue that this should stop any credit application going through, others would rather not waste a search.

OK that simply tells me that you have a point of view but your line of knowledge doesn't help you understand the danger in what I am saying. It is the complexity of attempting a discussion like this amongst a general audience who have been groomed to "want" a CRA file where they can "spend" searches that makes the banks and CRAs smile and think they might get away with it.

CKhalvashi · 31 December 2013 at 5:13PM

VictimOfImpersonation wrote: »

You have no evidence to support it, and on my single file I have many instances to show that your 99.9% figure is a joke.

What your file shows is that someone used your name to apply for credit when the credit was applied for.

Lets be honest, this is the case, as nowhere on your file does it explicitly state you did this.

If you want the information removed, speak to the creditor, as they are the only ones able to remove it, as was explained to you 3 pages ago.

CK

VictimOfImpersonation · 31 December 2013 at 5:36PM

CKhalvashi wrote: »

What your file shows is that someone used your name to apply for credit when the credit was applied for.

Lets be honest, this is the case, as nowhere on your file does it explicitly state you did this.

And now you are arguing that this is a good thing? I am even less confident now about what you stand for CK.

If you want the information removed, speak to the creditor, as they are the only ones able to remove it, as was explained to you 3 pages ago.

Ah, and there's the rub - I think I have made it clear that I what I want is to topple bad business or bring it to heel. In this case, the disappearance of that bad data from my file is the test of the resolution of my complaint, not the goal.

Anyway, look at the time! Happy New Year ladies and gentlefolks (and you Experian Company Representative!), my celebrations start now, but please let's resolve to clean-up our acts properly in the New Year :beer:

Experian's Fundamental Breach of Data Protection Act 1998

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