
A CIFAS entry on your credit report is a fraud warning. It will mean that any application for credit or other services from the address may be subject to further checks to validate the details given and to confirm the identity of the applicant.
Once these details are confirmed, the application will be assessed for credit in the usual way, without any further regard for the existence of the CIFAS entry. No one is permitted under the Rules of CIFAS to be refused credit simply on the basis of a CIFAS warning.
CIFAS is an address-based system, so other people who are not financially connected to you may appear on your credit file when viewed by lenders. Only two types of CIFAS entry are permitted to be viewed by consumers, Category 0 (Protective Registration) and Category 2 (Victim of Impersonation). Lenders will be able to view all categories, which in addition to these two, include several which relate to suspected fraud, deception, or even the exaggeration of application form details.
A CIFAS entry on your credit report will mean that under the Rules of CIFAS your credit applications cannot be automatically processed, so you may be subjected to delays because of the entry. The length of time the warning remains on your credit file is variable depending on several factors connected with the actual or attempted fraud.
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