In 1988 major lenders in the UK consumer credit industry established CIFAS, the UK's Fraud Prevention Service. CIFAS is a not for profit membership association solely dedicated to the prevention of financial crime. CIFAS provides a range of fraud prevention services to its members, including a fraud avoidance system used by the majority of the UK's financial services companies. This system allows member organisations to exchange details of applications for products or services, which are considered to be fraudulent, because the information provided by the applicant fails verification checks. Members can also exchange information about accounts, which are being fraudulently misused or insurance claims, which are being made fraudulently. CIFAS Members also exchange information about innocent victims of fraud to protect them from further fraud. This exchange of information is referred to in a use of personal data clause on application forms and agreements. CIFAS does not provide a credit reference service. CIFAS only provides a fraud prevention service.
Click here to visit the CIFAS web site at www.cifas.org.uk
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CIFAS information is processed by fraud prevention agencies that may also independently provide separate credit referencing services to their clients. Contact details for these agencies can be found below.
When a CIFAS member organisation identifies a fraud, a warning is placed against the address or addresses linked to the application or account. The text of the warning says 'CIFAS - Do Not Reject - Refer for Validation'. The warning shows the name used on the application or account but this does not necessarily mean the person named is involved in the fraud, as fraudsters tend to use a variety of names, some false and some genuine. The CIFAS warning will appear on the fraud prevention agency record of any person who has a link with the address. Any CIFAS member organisation subsequently checking that address sees the CIFAS warning. The warning does not mean the address has been blacklisted. It means extra precautions should be taken to ensure the application or account that has prompted the check of the address, is genuine and this protects the address from further misuse.
We are committed to doing all we can to prevent fraud. CIFAS helps to prevent thousands of frauds every month, and this helps to keep the price of goods and services down. Click here to visit the CIFAS web site at www.cifas.org.uk
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If your address has been misused by a fraudster, the CIFAS warning is designed to protect you. Only CIFAS member organisations are able to see CIFAS warnings and they are very careful to establish the validity of any application for a facility, product or service made from the address. This may lead to a delay when applications from you are being processed, as the information you provide may need to be confirmed. However, this helps to prevent your address or other personal identification details being misused, and avoids the distress and inconvenience this would cause you.
Visit the CIFAS web site at www.cifas.org.uk
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If you believe your identity documentation may be misused, you should contact the CIFAS Protective Registration Service. A CIFAS Protective Registration may be placed by individuals against their own address, when they have good reason to believe it may be used by a fraudster, for example, when documentation such as a Passport has been stolen.
CIFAS is the UK’s Fraud Prevention Service. Members of CIFAS—financial services, retail credit, mail order, mobile phones etc—routinely check applications for credit or other facilities, such as insurance or mobile phones. A CIFAS Protective Registration warning on an address indicates to these organisations that they may need to carry out additional checks.
When you apply for Protective Registration, you will be asked to supply information that will be used to cross-check any applications in your name. This may be done over the telephone, and will be actioned immediately, but registration must be confirmed in writing. To request Protective Registration, telephone 0870 010 2091.
Visit the CIFAS web site at www.cifas.org.uk
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No CIFAS member organisation that receives a CIFAS warning from the system is allowed to automatically refuse to supply the facility, product, or service to you. They are required to make further enquiries to confirm your personal details before making a decision. However, there are occasions when, even though a CIFAS warning is present and your personal details have been properly confirmed, your application will not be approved. This is because your application is still subject to the member's standard checks and underwriting criteria and you may not meet them. If this is the case, the member will normally be able to tell you whether the decision was due to a credit score, adverse reference agency credit performance data, or their own specific policies.
To receive a copy of the data held about you from the fraud prevention agencies you should contact them directly. If you believe any of the data is incorrect, the details you receive from the agencies will explain how you can have it corrected. You may also be able to add a note to your report, which could help if you approach other companies in future.
Click here for contact details of the fraud prevention agencies.
For more information about CIFAS,
visit the CIFAS web site at www.cifas.org.uk.
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In the first instance you should write to the CIFAS member organisation that placed the CIFAS warning on the fraud prevention agency file or who dealt with your application or account. Their name is supplied as part of your credit report and they are responsible for its accuracy. CIFAS member organisations operate their own internal complaints procedures and can either send you details of the procedure or advise you what to do.
If you and the CIFAS member organisation are unable to reach an agreement on your complaint, you should request a letter from the CIFAS member organisation confirming the complaint procedure is completed or exhausted. Sometimes this is known as a "Final Response Letter". If you then decide you want to take your complaint further you may ask CIFAS to investigate your complaint. (CIFAS cannot become involved in a complaint until the 'Final Response Letter' has been issued.) CIFAS will contact the CIFAS member organisation and review the details of your complaint. CIFAS does not have the power to recommend financial awards, but CIFAS will confirm whether the CIFAS member organisation adhered to the correct procedures. For full details of the CIFAS complaints procedure please either visit the CIFAS web site at www.cifas.org.uk or write to CIFAS and request a copy of the complaints procedure.
CIFAS Compliance Officer
4th Floor Central House
14, Upper Woburn Place
LONDON WC1H 0NN
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CIFAS member organisations use one or more of the following fraud prevention agencies in the UK:
Experian Ltd
Consumer Help Service
PO Box 9000
NOTTINGHAM
NG80 7WP
Tel: 08702 416212
Equifax PLC
Credit File Advice Centre
PO Box 1140
BRADFORD
BD1 5US
Tel: 08705 143700
MCL Software Ltd
Wight Moss Way
SOUTHPORT
PR8 4HQ
Tel: 01704 501001
Callcredit PLC
Consumer Services Team
PO Box 491
Leeds
LS3 1WZ
Tel: 0870 060 1414
