How Credit Reference Agencies & Fraud Prevention Agencies process data

How Credit Reference Agencies
& Fraud Prevention Agencies
process data
Before giving you credit, lenders such as banks, loan companies
and shops want to be confident that you can repay the money they
lend. To help them do this, they may look at the information held by
companies called credit reference agencies.
What are credit reference agencies?
Credit reference agencies give lenders a range
of information about potential borrowers, which
lenders use to make their decisions. The information
shared may include information about your previous
credit history and how you have repaid credit or
bills in the past. They hold certain information about
most adults in the UK and collect and maintain
information on consumers’ and businesses’ credit
behaviour, on behalf of organisations in the UK. This
information is called your credit reference file or
credit report.
What is a fraud prevention agency?
Fraud Prevention Agencies (FPAs) collect maintain
and share information on known and suspected
fraudulent activity.
Some CRAs also act as FPAs.
How your data WILL be used by credit reference
agencies:
The information which we and other organisations
provide to the credit reference agencies about
you, your financial associates and your business (if
you have one) may be supplied by credit reference
agencies to other organisations and used by them
to:
• Prevent crime, fraud and money laundering by, for
example checking details provided on applications
for credit and credit related or other facilities
• Check the operation of credit and credit-related
accounts
• Verify your identity if you or your financial
associate applies for other facilities
• Make decisions on credit and credit related
services about you, your partner, other members
of your household or your business
• Manage your personal, your partner’s and/or
business (if you have one) credit or credit related
account or other facilities
How your data may be used by fraud prevention
agencies:
The information which we provide to the fraud
prevention agencies about you, your financial
associates and your business (if you have one) may
be supplied by fraud prevention agencies to other
organisations and used by them and us to: • Prevent crime, fraud and money laundering by, for
example:
- checking details provided on applications for
credit and credit related or other facilities
- Managing credit and credit related accounts or
facilities
- Cross Check details provided on proposals and
claims for all types of insurance.
- Checking details on applications for jobs or
when checked as part of employment
How to contact
us about the
information in
this leaflet
• Verify your identity if you or your financial
associate applies for other facilities including all
types of insurance proposals and claims
• Trace your whereabouts and recover debts that
you owe
unitedutilities.com/
personaldetails
• Conduct other checks to prevent or detect fraud
• Undertake statistical analysis and system testing.
Information about Credit
Before giving you credit, lenders such as banks, loan
companies and shops want to be confident that you
can repay the money they lend. To help them do this,
they may look at the information held by companies
called credit reference agencies.
The three main consumer credit reference agencies
in the UK are Callcredit, Equifax and Experian.
If you have any specific
queries about your own
account, our data sharing
activities or you are having
difficulty paying your
water bill, please call us on
0845 746 2034.
If you have any specific
questions about data
protection call our team
on 01925 731347 or
01925 731310.
• Trace your whereabouts and recover debts that
you owe
10/11/SD/4827
• Undertake statistical analysis and system testing
• Credit reference agencies can also be fraud
prevention agencies.
United Utilities
PO Box 459
Warrington
WA55 1WB
How do I get my credit reference file?
You have the right to write to any of the credit
reference agencies (see addresses below) and ask
for a copy of your credit reference file, which will
cost you £2. Your letter should include:
• your full name;
• any other names you have used or been known by
in the last six years eg your maiden name;
• your full address including postcode;
• any other addresses you have lived at in the last
six years;
• your date of birth; and
• a cheque or postal order for £2 made payable to
the credit reference agency.
The credit reference agencies addresses are:
Equifax Ltd
Credit File Advice Centre, PO Box 1140, Bradford BD1 5US
0844 335 0550
www.equifax.co.uk
Callcredit Plc
Consumer Services Team, PO Box 491, Leeds LS3 1WZ
0870 060 1414
www.callcredit.co.uk
Experian Ltd
Customer Support Centre, PO Box 8000, Nottingham NG80 7WF
0844 481 8000
www.experian.co.uk
You should keep a copy of your letter and you may
want to send it by recorded delivery. Unless the
agency needs more information, they have seven
working days from receiving your letter to provide
you with a copy of your file.
Sometimes the credit reference agencies need more
information from you before they can send you your
file. For example, they may need proof of your name
and address. This is important to make sure that no
one else gets your file by mistake or to check that
no one else has fraudulently applied for your credit
reference file. The agencies do not have to send you
your file until they get this information.
About us
United Utilities Water PLC , Haweswater House, Lingley Mere Business Park, Lingley Green Avenue, Warrington WA5 3LP.
Registered in England and Wales. Registered Number 2366678.
02/13/SD/5584
United Utilities is the North West’s water company. We keep the taps flowing and toilets
flushing for seven million customers every day. From Crewe to Carlisle, we work hard
behind the scenes to help your life flow smoothly.