Bogus Searches On My Credit Report

[chrissa1]

I have membership of the free credit reference site, Noddle. They have informed me that about 7 searches were made of my credit file in the first week of April, this year. They are all insurance related.

I raised a dispute and, Noddle have written to me to say that they were mostly made by Moneysupermarket for an insurance quote, I requested.

I did not make any requests but MS.com are saying I did and therefore, the footprint, has to remain.

Any idea what I can do?

[Old_Geezer]

I doubt much. Maybe it was in their small print that if you put any details in that counts as a request. Surely if the search was made, with or without your permission, the search was still made and has to stay ?

Should have been warned off by the awful wolf ad really. bit late now though.

[chrissa1]

That's the thing, 0-G, I never visited the site. All my insurances are in situ and up to date.

It wasn't me, guv!!!!!!!!

[woofgang]

Is there someone else who might have done it?

[chrissa1]

Like who, woofgang? I live alone. They all are using my old address and write my name as, Ms when I've always titled myself as, Mrs.

[ubasses]

I have copied the following from an article in the Telegraph, it may help.

No one regulator takes responsibility for credit file issues. On the one hand, if the problem is materially unfair, the wronged person could complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which says it receives "hundreds" of complaints a year about credit file problems.
The Information Commissioner, which deals with data protection issues, can also get involved. It received 140 cases related to inaccurate information held by credit reference agencies last year, and 536 about lenders putting inaccurate information onto files.
Frustrated victims could also try the Credit Services Association, the trade association that represents debt recovery agencies such as Wescot. However, a spokesman said that while those who were struggling with debt and ensuing credit file problems were well served by debt collectors working with organisations such as the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS), those who had simply been wrongly named as debtors did sometimes "fall between two stools".

[chrissa1]

Thank you very much, ubasses. I'm feeling squished. I've emailed one of the companies who are digging their heels in so, we'll see what that brings.

[fiction-factory]

It may be someone who knows you but is using your details to get cashback from somewer elike Quidco/TopcCashback- I think some comparison sites like MS.com pay a £1 or so for a quote

[Hopkirk]

Are they hard searches or soft searches?

Soft searches are not visible to others and don't affect your credit score.

I use a different free report company and see soft searches by Barclaycard on mine. Probably as a result of taking free reports I guess this allows companies to check what advertising to aim at you.

[Prudie]

As far as moneysupermarket insurance did you ever use them in the past? I get quotes from gocompare, AA etc every year when my car insurance is due. Often for a car I got rid of 4 years ago. I'm saying the searches happen automatically.

[Hopkirk]

Money supermarket bought the money saving expert website from Martin Lewis. Perhaps they got your details from there.

If they aren't hard searches, don't worry.

[chrissa1]

You've got a point there, Prudie. I think you're right. I got a new car this time last year and could have used it then. That makes sense of them using my old address. Prudie, you're a Genius!!!!!!!!

I haven't a clue if they're hard or soft. They just showed up in the Recent Searches of my report.