1. Tell the lenders#

Start here, because the lenders are the only people who can remove fraudulent information from your credit report.

If your details have been given to a lender fraudulently, tell them. It's crucial they stop any activity happening without your permission, and they'll normally have a dedicated team for exactly this. If they agree the information relates to fraud, they should be able to remove it from your report.

A crime reference number from Action Fraud helps considerably here, which is why step 4 is worth doing early even though it's listed last.

One thing to know so you don't waste time: the credit reference agencies normally can't intervene where fraud is suspected. They report what lenders send them. The lender has to be the one to act.

2. Consider Protective Registration#

Cifas is a fraud prevention organisation. Buy a Protective Registration from them and they'll add a marker to your credit report.

Cifas members then have to take extra steps to verify your identity if an application arrives in your details. There's a fee — £30, covering two years.

It won't affect your credit score. It will add a little time to any application you make, which is the trade-off for the protection. Cifas markers on your credit report covers how they work in more detail.

3. Consider a Notice of Correction#

A Notice of Correction is a note of up to 200 words that you can add to your report, explaining anything a lender might question.

For fraud specifically, you can add a password to the Notice. Any application made in your details then has to be processed manually, with the password supplied, before it can be approved. That's a strong barrier.

Be deliberate about it, though. A Notice forces every application to be handled manually — including your own — which slows them all down. Notices of correction and dispute sets out both sides.

4. Report it to Action Fraud#

Report the fraudulent activity to Action Fraud and they should give you a crime reference number.

That number is what you provide to any lender reporting information on your credit report that relates to identity theft. It's often what turns a slow conversation into a quick one, so it's worth getting early rather than last.

Staying in control afterwards#

Three habits reduce the chance of it happening again, and make it obvious sooner if it does.

Check your credit report regularly. Nothing should come as a shock. If you know what's normally on your file, anything new stands out immediately.

Secure your personal information. Strong, unique passwords, multi-factor authentication wherever it's available, and care with documents like passports and bank statements.

Watch address links and searches. These usually reach your credit report first, before any account taken out fraudulently appears. If there's something you don't recognise, contact the lender involved directly. Linked addresses explained and the searches on your credit report cover what to look for.

The key things to remember#

  • Lenders remove fraudulent entries; the credit reference agencies generally can't.
  • Get a crime reference number from Action Fraud early — lenders often need it.
  • Protective Registration costs £30 for two years and doesn't affect your score.
  • A password Notice of Correction is a strong barrier, but slows your own applications too.
  • Address links and searches are the earliest warning signs on your report.
  • Regular checking is what makes anything unfamiliar obvious straight away.