You have to laugh (data protection)

Just provided an excruciating level of detail about my life to Equifax for a credit report – “it’s essential we make sure you’re who you say you are to prevent someone getting access to your personal information”.

When the report arrived it included my twin brother’s entire financial history, his bank account info, credit limits, balances, missed payments (ahem) etc. *Slaps forehead*.

I’m applying for a mortgage – I assume a sensible lender will be able to separate out anything that doesn’t apply to me?

I assume

Never assume.

Report them, they are in breach of the data protection act.

Never assume [that banks will do anything sensible].

Report them, they are in breach of the data protection act.

Both +1!

Yep, punish these cretins, its the only way they’ll learn.

I thought getting your own credit history was a no no when applying for a mortgage ?

trail_rat – the information is recorded but not passed on to banks etc when they check your credit file.

Wont matter for you anyway its on your bros report haha

You have shown them to be incompetent once !

It’s because you’re twins. What they’re saying there is ‘look what a high risk your brother is, you’re essentially the same person so you’ll be a bad risk too’

Which I think is quite fair. 😉

Last year Smile sent me someone else’s bank details and couldn’t vouch for where they had sent mine. As the ensuing conversation got more complicated I told them they could speak to my solicitor; they said they couldn’t due for “data protection reasons”. You do, indeed, have to laugh…

I assume

Assume?

Makes an Ass out of U + Me.. 😐

I had a similar run-in with the tax people.

A good few years ago, a mate of mine lived at my house for a couple of months. Since then, I’ve reliably received his P60 every year along with various other tax missives.

He’s contacted them repeatedly, and nothing ever gets changed. When I’ve tried to ring them, they tell me that they can’t talk to me to discuss them stopping sending me someone else’s financial details, for data protection reasons.

</despair>

eww, twins are gross ;P