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If you wish to question a CIFAS record, you must write to the organisation that has filed the warning, as they are responsible for its accuracy. If you disagree with the information the organisation has placed on file, ask them for details of the scheme for setting disputes.
CIFAS is a system for preventing fraud and protecting your personal details. Member organisations of CIFAS (which include the majority of financial organisations in the UK) can exchange information regarding consumer applications for services and products they offer which they believe may be of fraudulent nature. Once a fraud has been identified by a CIFAS member organisation, a warning is placed against the address linked to the application or account in question. The warning will show the name used at application level, but does not necessarily mean that the name stated is involved in the fraud, as potential fraudsters often use several different names, whether false or genuine. The CIFAS warning will appear on the file of any individual who has a link with the address used, and will be seen be all member organisations at application level if they check that address in the future. A warning on your file does not mean that you are being accused of fraud, that your address has been blacklisted or that your application will be rejected. It merely ensures that any application for credit is more carefully examined where a CIFAS warning is present.
If you have been the victim of a crime where your personal identification documents have been stolen, or you have lost such items and are unaware of their whereabouts, you are at risk that a potential fraudster could use this documentation to fraudulently obtain credit or other services using your identity. For a fee of £14.10 (inc VAT), CIFAS offers a service, provided by Equifax on their behalf, which protects your personal details from being misused. For further information, please visit the CIFAS website www.cifas.org.uk. The website also provides detailed information about different types of fraud and what to do if you become a victim. Alternatively you can contact CIFAS by calling 0870 010 2091 (Mon - Fri 8am - 9pm, Sat 9am - 5pm), or by email on protective.registrationuk@equifax.com.
