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• Credit reports (Score:2)

  by vsergu (505)

  In the US, credit agencies are required to give you a copy of your report free if you are turned down for credit because of it. There's still the bureaucracy to wade through, but at least you don't have to pay for (possibly fake) information about yourself. I'm surprised the situation is worse in the UK, considering that Europe at least pretends to care about privacy of personal data.
  • Re:Credit reports (Score:3, Insightful)

    by TeeJay (2309) on 2003.06.29 17:09 (#21537) Homepage Journal

    Yes - we have the Data Protection Act that lays down fairly strict rules and a data Commisioner that enforces them

    We are quite well protected but there is a lot red tap to get through and most people don't have the time rather than the money to sort out problems.

    The privacy is pretty well preserved on the whole but I think the system needs updating to be more like you mentioned - free credit report if you get turned down for credit would be a tremendous step.

    The problem lies with o2 and those providing the credit agencies with information. o2 are dodging the duty and blame that lies clearly at their doorstep whil those providing credit agencies with information are to be viewed with suspicion.

    The worst part is you can essentially be blacklisted (or rather suffer similar effects to blacklisting) because of association - unless you can prove no association which is utterly stupid.

    Just because I shared a student dig with somebody who was reckless with their spending or because a member of my family once went bankrupt should not have an impact on my ability to get credit.

    What else is surprising is that o2 (and many others) rely purely on this credit check rather than use information which is not allowed to be kept in the credit check but which they often ask for marketing - such as income, marriage, etc.

    --
    
    @JAPH = qw(Hacker Perl Another Just);
    print reverse @JAPH;

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