Glossary · UK
What is Fraud Alert?
A fraud alert is a warning placed on your credit file or account to flag suspected fraudulent activity and prompt extra identity checks.
Full Definition
A fraud alert is a notice attached to your credit record or financial account warning lenders and providers that you may be at risk of identity fraud, so they carry out additional verification before approving new credit or transactions. In the UK these alerts are commonly added by credit reference agencies such as Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, often through a protective registration service like Cifas, which can be useful if your wallet, documents or personal data have been lost or stolen. When an alert is live, applications may take longer because the lender must confirm you are genuinely the applicant. Fraud alerts are different from a fraud marker, which records confirmed fraud and can seriously harm your ability to get credit. You can usually request a protective registration directly, and you should also report suspected fraud to Action Fraud and your bank. Checking your credit file regularly helps you spot unfamiliar searches or accounts early.