Your credit report is one of the most important documents about you — and checking it regularly is one of the best ways to spot identity theft and fraud early. Every UK resident has the legal right to access their credit report for free. Here is how.
Accounts you do not recognise — any credit cards, loans or bank accounts you did not open could be a sign of identity theft.
Credit searches you did not make — if lenders have searched your file you did not apply to this may indicate someone is trying to open credit in your name.
Addresses you have not lived at — unfamiliar addresses associated with your name could indicate fraud.
Financial associations — check that you are not financially linked to someone you do not know which could affect your credit score.
1. Contact the credit reference agency — raise a dispute immediately with the agency that holds the incorrect information. They must investigate within 28 days.
2. Contact the lender directly — if you find an account you did not open contact the lender's fraud team immediately.
3. Register with CIFAS — a protective registration at cifas.org.uk adds a warning to your file alerting lenders to verify identity carefully.
4. Report to Report Fraud — call 0300 123 2040 to report identity fraud.
5. Remove your data from broker sites — your personal data being publicly available is what enabled the fraud. Silent Erase removes it from 500+ sites automatically.
Free monthly newsletter covering fraud alerts, credit protection and privacy tips
Remove your personal data from broker sites to reduce the risk of identity theft and credit fraud
Start Free Scan — silenterase.com