National Hunter has been preventing fraud since 1993
National Hunter is a UK-based data sharing consortium made up of financial services organisations working together to help detect and prevent fraudulent applications before losses occur.
It enables participating financial organisations to securely share application data to help detect and prevent fraud. Used primarily during the application process, member data is matched using pre-defined rules to identify potential fraudulent activity before losses occur.
National Hunter supports fraud prevention across a wide range of financial sectors, including:
- Mortgages
- Current Accounts
- Credit Cards
- Unsecured Loans
- Motor and Asset Finance
- Commercial Finance
- Savings Accounts
Working in partnership with National Hunter members, Experian provides the trusted framework, governance and ongoing development of the service, helping members meet evolving fraud challenges while delivering consistent value and return on investment.
Over 25 million applications processed annually
Annual fraud savings in excess of £1.5bn
Working collaboratively across organisations to fight fraud
About National Hunter
How it works for members of the public
National Hunter helps financial organisations detect potential fraud by comparing information provided in applications for products and services across participating members. This helps identify inaccurate information, possible identity theft, or fraudulent activity.
Some member organisations may use automated decision-making to assess fraud or money laundering risk. If you’d like more information about how these decisions are made, please contact the organisation directly.
Personal data held within National Hunter is not transferred outside the UK or European Economic Area by the service itself. However, member organisations may transfer your data internationally where appropriate safeguards are in place.
If you have concerns about how your data has been used, please see our Complaints Handling Procedure.
For answers to common questions or to submit a Subject Access Request, visit the Frequently Asked Questions section of this page.
How it works for businesses
All National Hunter members must comply with the National Hunter Operating Rules, which set out how member organisations use shared data and collaborate within the consortium.
We regularly review member organisations to support compliance and promote industry best practice. Members are also required to ensure they are the lawful holders of the application data they submit and that appropriate customer consents have been obtained.
Membership is typically limited to organisations regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and/or full members of an approved trade association, including:
- UK Finance
- Building Societies Association (BSA)
- Finance & Leasing Association (FLA)
- Bridging & Development Lenders Association (BDLA)
If your organisation is interested in joining National Hunter, please contact us using the form below.
Useful links
Fraud links
- Take five to Stop Fraud is a national campaign that empowers individuals and businesses across the UK to protect themselves against financial fraud.
- Report Fraud is the place to tell the police about cyber crime and fraud.
- National Crime Agency protecting the public from serious and organised crime.
Financial industry trade bodies
- UK Finance are a membership organisation that represents the banking and finance industry.
- The Building Societies Association (BSA) represents all 42 UK building societies, including both mutual-owned banks, as well as 7 of the largest credit unions that make up the National Credit Union Forum (NCUF).
- The Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) is the UK’s leading trade body for the asset, consumer, and motor finance sectors.
- Bridging & Development Lenders Association (BDLA) is the trade association dedicated to bridging and development lenders.
Other useful links
- Citizens Advice Bureau are there to help everyone who needs it with practical advice you can really trust.
- Information Commissioners Office offers practical information about consumer data protection and information rights as well as guidance and resolution for public bodies, private and third sector organisations and sole traders.
- Financial Ombudsman Service is a free and easy-to-use service that settles complaints between consumers and businesses that provide financial services.
- Financial Conduct Authority regulates financial services firms and markets in the UK, setting standards for firms to meet and holding them to account if they don’t.
Want to know more?
We work in partnership with National Hunter members, helping meet evolving fraud challenges while delivering consistent value and return on investment. We’re ready to talk to you.
Talk to our teamThe benefits at a glance
Cross-organisation data sharing
Share data across organisations, corporate groups, and businesses to detect fraud that is prolific in various industries
Real-time data sharing
Effectively manage and limit fraud risk through real-time decisioning
Whole-of-life monitoring
Optimise fraud detection strategies by generating alerts on open accounts based on newly-identified fraud intelligence
Increase fraud detection
Member organisations can increase fraud detection by up to 35%(1)
Collaboration
Share best practices and learnings among each other to increase credibility and effectiveness in your industry and for your customers
Get in touch to find out how National Hunter can help your business
Frequently asked questions
You may have been directed to us if your application has been unsuccessful, and where the organisation concerned submits data to National Hunter. This does not necessarily mean that National Hunter data has contributed to that decision, but if you are in any doubt, you may want to check the information we hold about you by submitting a subject access request either to us directly, or to the relevant member to which you applied. If you still have an unanswered question, please contact us.
Experian owns and operates National Hunter, Experiana service provided to clients (in this context, “members”) , facilitating the sharing of data for fraud prevention purposes. Before our members provide services, goods, or financing to you, they are required to undertake checks for the purposes of preventing fraud and money laundering, and to verify your identity. We facilitate these checks via our National Hunter application data matching service and such checks require our members to process certain personal data about you.
For the purposes of compliance with Data Protection Laws, Experian acts as a Processor of the personal data stored within National Hunter on behalf of our members and/or applicable third parties who are the relevant Controllers of your personal data. Experian has contractual terms in place with each of its members.
Experian does not collect any personal data from you directly; the information within National Hunter has either been provided by our members or via third parties which you have provided your personal data to.
Please note, this Privacy Policy has been provided for information purposes only and should be read in conjunction with our Terms of Use
For further information about how your personal data is processed by our members, please see the Privacy Policy made available on the member’s website.
- What personal data does National Hunter include?
The following types of personal data may be provided to us by our members:
- Your name
- Your date of birth
- Your residential address and address history
- Your contact details, such as email address and telephone numbers
- Your bank account and sort code
- Your employment details
- Any specific identifiers assigned to your computer or other internet connected device including your Internet Protocol (IP) address vehicle details
Please note, we do not hold credit scoring records, credit histories, copies of County Court Judgements (CCJs), electoral roll information, details of PPI, PCP, Hire Purchase policies or payments.
We may also obtain information from other sources, including law enforcement agencies, public sector, and regulatory , as instructed by and in accordance with the agreement we have in place with our members.
- Who has access to National Hunter data?
National Hunter is only accessible to our members, however our members (and Experian where applicable), may also enable law enforcement agencies to access and use your personal data where legally required for the prevention of crime and/or fraud prevention as well as for Anti Money Laundering (AML) and Countering the Financing of Terorism (CFT) purposes.
- How long will personal data remain in National Hunter?
Personal data will remain in National Hunter in accordance with the agreed contractual terms we have in place with our members. This will therefore depend on the overall status of your application with the relevant member and will be subject to the applicable member’s own data retention periods.
- Automated Decisions
Our members may make certain decisions about the data held within National Hunter by automated means. This means that our members may determine that you pose a fraud or money laundering risk, particularly if their processing reveals your behaviour to be consistent with that of known fraudsters or money launderers or where you appear to have deliberately hidden your true identity.
You have rights in relation to automated decision making, so if you want to know more, please contact the member directly.
- Consequences of processing
If our members determine that you pose a fraud or money laundering risk, they may refuse to provide the services and financing you have requested, or to employ you, or they may stop providing existing services to you.
A record of any fraud or money laundering risk will be retained in National Hunter, and may result in others refusing to provide services, financing or employment to you.
If you have any questions about this, please contact us using the contact details below.
- Data Transfers
We do not allow for the transfer of personal data contained within National Hunter outside of the UK and European Economic area.
However, please note that our members may allow the transfer of your personal data outside of the UK. In such instances, the member will ensure that your personal data continues to be protected by ensuring appropriate safeguards are in place.
For further information on this, please see the Privacy Policy made available on the relevant Experian member’s website.
- Links to Third Party Sites
Our website may provide links to the websites of other companies. Please note, your use of those websites is subject to the terms of use and policies available on those websites.
Please note that third party websites and applications are not under our control. When you click through to these websites or access these applications you leave the area controlled by us. We do not accept responsibility or liability for any issues arising in connection with the third party’s use of your data (including your personal data).
- Your rights
Your personal data is protected by certain legal rights, which include:
- The right to object to the processing of your personal data.
- The right to request that your personal data is erased, rectified or corrected; or that processing is restricted.
- The right to request access to your personal data.
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, as the UK data protection regulator. Please see the ICO website for further information: https://ico.org.uk/.
For more information about how to request access to your personal data as stored within National Hunter, please see our FAQs.
For more information about how to exercise any of your other data protection rights, please see the Privacy Policy made available on the relevant Experian member’s website. Please note, Experian is not able to alter or remove any personal data held within National Hunter, as the data is owned and controlled by the individual member. We therefore recommend that you approach the member concerned should you wish to exercise these rights.
- Contact
For any other queries, please contact us by e-mail at: nationalhunter@experian.com
National Hunter is only accessible to its members, however the members (and Experian where applicable) may also enable law enforcement agencies to access and use your personal data where legally required for the prevention of crime and/or fraud prevention as well as for Anti Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorism Financing (CTF) purposes.
Personal data will remain in National Hunter in accordance with the agreed terms we have in place with our members. This will therefore depend on the overall status of your application with the relevant member and will be subject to the applicable member’s own data retention periods.
If any financial institution you apply to for credit (e.g. for a Loan, Mortgage or Credit Card) is a member of National Hunter then the information you supply to them is submitted to National Hunter as part of the application process.
Not all financial institutions submit data to National Hunter, or it could be that you have not made any applications for credit in the past 12 months.
If you believe the information held is incorrect, we would advise you to contact the financial organisation you applied for credit with in the first instance.
You should have received an email or letter informing you of the outcome of any application made and which will contain the contact details for the financial organisation concerned.
We work with companies to help them conduct fraud checks. This includes:
- Processing applications for credit-based goods or services against a database of confirmed and suspected fraud
- Cross checking previous and new credit applications to identify anomalies in data being processed
- Maintaining a record of credit applications where fraud may have been committed
If you would like to know what information is held about you, please download and complete the attached/from the link below* ‘National Hunter Data Subject Access Request Form‘ and email this form once completed to nationalhunter@experian.com with Data Subject Access Request in the subject line of your email. Please ensure you attach all relevant identity proof documents, along with the form to allow us to process your request.
Experian and the members of National Hunter have up to one month from receipt to process your [Data] Subject Access Request or as otherwise provided by applicable data protection laws in the UK.
No. Debt collection agencies do not have access to National Hunter.
No, National Hunter is not a CRA. National Hunter is solely concerned with preventing fraud. However, National Hunter is part of Experian, which is a CRA. More information on Credit Reference Agencies can be found in our Credit Reference Agency Information Notice (CRAIN).
If you’ve been the victim of identity fraud, it’s important to act. You can find details of what to do next by visiting this page.
Introduction
Experian owns and operates National Hunter, a service provided to clients (in this context, “members”) , facilitating the sharing of data for fraud prevention purposes. Before our members provide services, goods, or financing to you, they undertake checks for the purposes of preventing fraud and money laundering, and to verify your identity. We facilitate these checks via our National Hunter application data matching service and such checks require our members to process certain personal data about you.
This Complaints Policy outlines how we handle concerns related to the processing of personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018). As a data processor, National Hunter processes personal data only on behalf of its member organisations (the data controllers), who determine the purpose and legal basis for processing.
Our Role as a Data Processor for National Hunter
As a data processor:
- We process personal data strictly under the instructions of our member organisations (data controllers).
- We do not determine the purposes or lawful basis for the processing of personal data.
- We are not authorised to amend or delete personal data unless instructed by the relevant data controller.
- We are unable to act on requests concerning personal data held by the data controller. This would include requests for removal/erasure or objection to a fraud-related decision or status applied by your lender.
- There are very specific and limited cases involving clear factual errors where we would be able to make any changes to the data.
Raising a Concern About Your Personal Data
If you believe your personal data has been mishandled or contains inaccuracies, your first point of contact should be the data controller. That is the organisation that originally collected or submitted your data for anti-fraud purposes.
The data controller is responsible for:
- Responding to data subject rights requests (e.g., access, rectification, erasure).
- Making decisions about how your data is used.
- Investigating complaints regarding the handling of your personal information.
If you are unsure who the relevant data controller is, we can assist you in identifying the appropriate organisation.
What We Can Do
While we are unable to independently modify or remove data, we may assist in the following circumstances:
- Correcting factual errors: If there is a verifiable mistake in the data we process (e.g., an incorrect date of birth due to a data entry error), we may correct it once confirmed.
- Referring you to the correct data controller: If you do not know which organisation to contact, we can help redirect your enquiry to the appropriate party.
Please note that we cannot act on requests involving decisions, assessments, or opinions made by data controllers or their partners.
How to Register a Complaint
Complaints may be submitted by individuals whose data is processed by National Hunter, or by authorised representatives acting on their behalf.
Complaints may be submitted via email or post. Please ensure all correspondence includes sufficient detail to identify the concern.
Email: nationalhunter@experian.com
We aim to acknowledge your complaint within five working days. We will investigate your complaint without undue delay, make appropriate enquiries and keep you informed of our progress. We normally aim to provide an outcome within 20 working days. If we need longer, we will explain why and keep you updated. We maintain a log of all complaints and their outcomes as part of our commitment to transparency and accountability. In addition, they are retained in line with our internal retention policy. This Complaints Policy is reviewed periodically to ensure it remains up to date and effective.
How to Contact Us
If you believe there is a factual error in the data we process and would like to raise a concern, please contact us at nationalhunter@experian.com with the following information:
- A description of the data in question
- The nature of the suspected error
- Any reference number or identifier, if available
If you require this policy in an alternative format (e.g., large print or accessible digital format), please contact us.
Further Steps
If you are dissatisfied with the response received from the relevant data controller, you have the right to escalate your concern to the UK’s data protection authority:
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
Website: https://ico.org.uk
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
If your complaint relates to other data that Experian holds about you
National Hunter is operated by Experian. Experian also processes personal data in connection with other products and services, including where Experian acts as a data controller rather than as a processor on behalf of National Hunter members.
If your concern relates to personal data processed by Experian outside National Hunter, please see our privacy policies for more information about how we use your personal data and your rights.
You can also find information about how to make a complaint to Experian in our complaint handling procedure.