What is credit fraud?

Another term for credit fraud is ‘identity theft’.

One of the most common forms of credit fraud is committed by 'criminals stealing' the identity of another individual.

This happens when someone steals or obtains your identity details without you knowing and uses the information to obtain credit for themselves and this can leave you with a bad credit record. This is because all criminals do not have the intention to pay the account off. This action leaves you with a debit for which you are liable for. It can damage your credit reputation and cause you continual distress until resolved.

If you suspect that your identity has been stolen then you are responsible for contacting the Police and your credit provider immediately to inform them of your situation.

You should also contact Equifax so that a record of this is loaded onto your credit file.

We recommend you regularly check your credit file. You can manage your credit reporting information throughout the year with My Credit Alert which includes your credit file. However, you are also entitled to get a copy of your credit report for free (to be supplied within 10 business days) or if you require this more quickly for a modest amount (to be supplied within 3 business days) – you can find out more on our Products page.