What type of fraud alert will I see on my credit report?

Only two types of Cifas entries show on credit reports - Protective Registration and Victim of Impersonation.

There are other Cifas markers, but you wouldn't be able to see details of these on your credit report. If you think, or have been told, that you have a Cifas marker, the easiest way to try and find out more would be to submit a Subject Access Request to Cifas directly.

What is Cifas Protective Registration?

If you feel at risk of identity fraud, you can request Protective Registration from Cifas. It costs £30 and it will stay on your credit report for two years.

Cifas will add a marker to your credit report which will show in the Fraud Alerts section of your Checkmyfile credit report. Any Cifas member who receives a credit application in your details will then have to do extra checks to make sure it’s you.

Having this type of entry on your report gives you peace of mind that your information is being looked after.

What is a Cifas Victim of Impersonation warning?

A Victim of Impersonation warning is filed by lenders to the fraud prevention service Cifas. The two most common reasons for this are:

• A lender has received a credit application that they believe to be fraudulent.

• You have reported fraudulent activity to that lender.

You would not be declined for credit solely because of the presence of a Victim of Impersonation warning. However, if Cifas members receive an application in your details, they will be prompted to take additional steps at verification which can delay the process.