Since then they’ve been trying to identify the nature of the data breach as it affects UK residents.  The regulator,  the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has been involved in overseeing their action.    However,   after receiving those calls,  I am none the wiser as to whether the letters are genuine or false as there is nothing on the FCA website stating that consumers will be receiving such letters.  If the letters are genuine then this is a huge fail on the part of our regulator by the omission of such guidance to us all.

Can I re-iterate what I’ve said before.   You can sign up for free with credit reference agency Experian or Call Credit (also known as Noddle).   With each you will get a monthly email reminding you to log in and check your data.  You will see if there has been any search of your credit data, Identity or any changes in the amounts owing on credit cards, loans and mortgages.    For example,  we changed our Energy supplier last month and the new supplier did a credit search.   I received an email saying that there had been a new search so we were  able to log in and see that it was a bona fide search from something that we had instigated.

I often mention the website of Martin Lewis  www.moneysavingexpert.com   as a valuable source of up to date interest rates plus useful guides on a number of day to day financial matters.   They have a link up with Experian so that you can sign up for your regular credit report.  They do badge it as a credit club,  giving you pointers as to what your credit score may be, but in my opinion that is a secondary issue to the fact that you can check your credit file on a regular basis without cost.   https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/creditclub

So if you have received one of the Equifax letters,  then if you regularly check your credit file as per the above,  without taking direct action as recommended in the letter,  you will be able to see that no one has maliciously accessed or used your information (I hope),  and if they have,  then you will be able, at any early stage to make contact and nip it in the bud, before any identity theft becomes a problem.

It has also been brought to our attention that unscrupulous callers have been telephoning people who are on share registers.    Please remember at all times that bona fide stockbrokers and financial advisers do not randomly telephone people who they don’t know,  touting for business.   No matter how nice and friendly they seem,  they are after your hard earned cash for their benefit,  not yours,  so if you don’t wish to hang up for fear of sounding rude,  a polite no thank you followed by hanging up should solve that problem.

The final point is to do with adverts,  either in newspapers, magazines,  online or via email offering rates of interest higher than available in high street bank deposits or via National Savings.    These are invariably unregulated investments, not authorised by the FCA,  nor do they have any consumer protection via the Financial Services Compensation Scheme or Financial Ombudsman Service,  in other words,  you could lose all your money. 

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