Not upheld: incorrect information on credit file / data matching error complaint against Equifax Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr G complained that Equifax was incorrectly reporting two County Court Judgements on his credit file under a different surname, despite another CRA identifying this as a data matching error. Equifax requested additional identification documents (passport and birth certificate) beyond the driving license Mr G provided, citing multiple matching identifiers on his file. Mr G stated it would be difficult to provide these documents due to employment circumstances. The Ombudsman found Equifax's request reasonable given the circumstances and concluded that without the required documentation, Equifax could not complete its investigation. The complaint was not upheld, with Equifax offering to review the matter if Mr G provides the additional documents.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The Ombudsman found that Equifax acted reasonably in requesting additional identification documents given that multiple matching identifiers existed between Mr G's file and the CCJs (same date of birth, name variations across multiple accounts). Since Equifax does not own the data it reports but receives it from data providers, it must take reasonable steps to investigate disputes. The Ombudsman concluded that Equifax's request for passport and birth certificate was proportionate to the circumstances and that without this evidence, Equifax could not reasonably complete its investigation or remove the records. The Ombudsman also noted that Mr G had stated it would be 'difficult' rather than impossible to provide the documents, and that Equifax had offered to review the matter again if the documents were provided.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website