ID FRAUD PREVENTION

Regular checks on your credit report are so effective in the fight against ID fraud that the UK government recommends them — and with CreditExpert you can go online to see your Experian credit report whenever you want, as often as you like.

Your credit report is the personal history of your credit accounts, from loans, cards and mortgages to utility and catalogue accounts. It even includes mobile phone accounts. It also includes your repayment history and lists searches made by lenders in response to new applications.

That makes it easy for you to spot unusual entries, such as an application you know you didn’t make or a sudden sharp increase in an outstanding balance.

Keeping you updated

An important feature of CreditExpert is the weekly alert service. If there has been a significant change to your credit report, such as a search by a lender in response to a new application for credit, you’re sent an e-mail or text to let you know. You choose the method of communication you prefer.

This acts as an early warning system against ID fraud. On average, it takes more than 500 days to discover your ID has been compromised and misused by criminals. CreditExpert alerts mean you find out that something’s wrong in a week or less.

Setting the record straight

It’s crucial that you log on to check your credit report when you receive an ID fraud alert, as it could be the first sign of an attempted ID fraud. If you’re already suspicious that you’ve become an ID fraud victim, you can contact Experian’s Victims of Fraud service — a dedicated team who will guide you through the process of setting the record straight, from contacting lenders to amending your credit report.

A brighter financial future

Peace of mind is a major benefit of the CreditExpert ID fraud service but regular checks on your credit report aren’t only effective in protecting your against ID fraud. They also:

• Give you a snapshot of what you owe and how well you’re managing finances
• Let you check for clerical errors or misunderstandings that could affect your ability to get credit in future
• Allow you to see what lenders see when you apply for credit

You get access to a library of advice on credit and ID fraud issues and can also order your Experian Credit Score, which shows you the impact your credit history has on your credit rating.

Best of all, you can try CreditExpert for free.

What ID fraud victims say

Stephanie Diamond discovered that she was a victim of ID fraud when she was billed for £50 of craft materials — and she was not an arts-and-crafts fan. It soon became clear that her previous address had been used as a base for the con and Stephanie convinced the company that she wasn’t responsible. Then she went online and found CreditExpert.

“I was amazed at how much detail there was,” says Stephanie, a 44-year-old full-time mother. “But I wasn’t so pleased to see that there were lots of accounts that had been opened that were nothing to do with me. In all, I apparently owed almost £900, by the time the fees for non-payment had been added in — and my credit rating had been trashed.”

Stephanie called Experian’s Victims of Fraud for help and they advised her to contact each of the companies individually, enclosing proof of her house move and explaining that the new accounts were nothing to do with her.

“In all, it took two months to clear up the mess — and a lot of help from the people at Experian. The woman there went through every page of my credit report with me, explaining what it all meant and what I needed to do at every stage.

“If this happened to a friend of mine, I now know what advice to give — go straight to CreditExpert and Victims of Fraud.”

You can see your Experian credit report online with a free trial of CreditExpert, the UK’s leading online credit monitoring and ID fraud protection service.