Cifas guide
Alright imade this because until recently I was in (probably) you guys place I am 16 and somehow I had somehow acquired a Cat 6 CIFAS (and wasn't prepared to tell my parents) . But, we are not going into detail on how that happened that's irrelevant, I'm not here to judge you like how many others are. But I know how difficult it maybe be for one to access banking services and how crucial this may be. This Guide will be split into two parts. What to do if your 18 and what to do if your under 18. If you have any additions please comment and I'll try add them.
If your 18:
for these first few steps it's all the same across age group. This includes requesting a DSAR from CIFAS directly to see what kind of data is held about you. This can be done here: https://www.cifas.org.uk/dsar. You just need to fill out the form with proofs of identity and address.
Once you have now confirmed what kind of data is held about you, your next course of action is requesting a Final Response from the bank which issued it (Can be seen on the SAR), you will need to gather up all your evidence and write this to them. Banks have to respond within a certain amount of time but each bank may be different. My issuing bank was monzo and they were not helpful.
(This may be enough and they may remove your CIFAS, from what I've seen sometimes owning up to what your done will make them feel sorry for you and delete it, while sometimes denying the H**** out of it will end up with the same result. If this didn't work carry on.)
Now you have what's known as your "Final Response" you will need to dispute this directly with CIFAS, attaching your final response letter, they will have to reply within 14 days. You can do that here: https://www.cifas.org.uk/contact-us/I-Want-To-Make-A-Complaint. Again for some, this is enough, it never worked for me. So if necessary carry on.
Your final steps would be reporting this to your financial ombudsman. Much like the Final Response sometimes being truthful here helps, and admitting to what you've done while outlining how this is negatively going to affect your life (can't recieve student loans etc). You have 6months from receiving your Final Response to making a FOS complaint. This is a lengthy process and can take up to 100 days to just be allocated a case handler. You can do this here: https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/contact-us/complain-online
(This is the step I am on but I needed a bank in my name to recieve bursary so continue)
At 18 you have many more options than someone under 18. There are a few cards you are (I'd say) 80% likely to get.
Forget Starling, Monzo, Revolut, Monese. I'm pretty sure they have all applied to CIFAS now. I had a monzo marker so I couldn't check them, Starling declined me and I was too young for revolut and monese. These are some options I'd recommend
https://www.thinkmoney.co.uk/
https://www.cardonemoney.com
https://www.cashplus.com/landing/personal/free-card?pc=JMP424a
https://www.pockit.com/ (I heard their card provider is now with CIFAS so??)
https://suitsmecard.com/
https://kroo.com/
Now also if you don't want one of these (some people prefer a bank with a actual branch) you can open a credit union engage account to do that you need to register with your local credit union which you can find here: https://www.findyourcreditunion.co.uk/
on the website their should be a place to open an engage account if you cannot then email them.
From the top of my head this is it for an over 18 I'm 100% sure their are more options for you, its under 18 which is tricky...
UNDER 18
Your options for banking here are pretty slim your gonna have to do up to the FOS complaint I listed above. I'm not gonna copy and paste it for clarity. For actual banking your options lie with
https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/bank-accounts/products/cash-account/ (as a under 18 I'm pretty sure if you went into the bank and explained your situation they would allow you to open one, even though they are under CIFAS.
(Ignore any other high street banks I tried nearly all of them.)
You can also get a go Henry card https://www.gohenry.com/uk (your parents will have to do this for you and it comes with a fee.)
You can also get an engage account that's only if your local credit union offers them to your age. https://www.findyourcreditunion.co.uk/
You can also open a hyper jar (16+) in your name https://hyperjar.com/
If none of these work is recommend this option
I recommend
https://www.bitsacard.com/en
Also any other foreign bank you can find should allow you to open an account.
The reason I made this was I felt alone and lost going through this, I struggled with my mental health and did NOT want anyone else to go through that, I read every article, forum, thread containing cifas and this is my conclusion. I guess you could say im now an expert.
If your 18:
for these first few steps it's all the same across age group. This includes requesting a DSAR from CIFAS directly to see what kind of data is held about you. This can be done here: https://www.cifas.org.uk/dsar. You just need to fill out the form with proofs of identity and address.
Once you have now confirmed what kind of data is held about you, your next course of action is requesting a Final Response from the bank which issued it (Can be seen on the SAR), you will need to gather up all your evidence and write this to them. Banks have to respond within a certain amount of time but each bank may be different. My issuing bank was monzo and they were not helpful.
(This may be enough and they may remove your CIFAS, from what I've seen sometimes owning up to what your done will make them feel sorry for you and delete it, while sometimes denying the H**** out of it will end up with the same result. If this didn't work carry on.)
Now you have what's known as your "Final Response" you will need to dispute this directly with CIFAS, attaching your final response letter, they will have to reply within 14 days. You can do that here: https://www.cifas.org.uk/contact-us/I-Want-To-Make-A-Complaint. Again for some, this is enough, it never worked for me. So if necessary carry on.
Your final steps would be reporting this to your financial ombudsman. Much like the Final Response sometimes being truthful here helps, and admitting to what you've done while outlining how this is negatively going to affect your life (can't recieve student loans etc). You have 6months from receiving your Final Response to making a FOS complaint. This is a lengthy process and can take up to 100 days to just be allocated a case handler. You can do this here: https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/contact-us/complain-online
(This is the step I am on but I needed a bank in my name to recieve bursary so continue)
At 18 you have many more options than someone under 18. There are a few cards you are (I'd say) 80% likely to get.
Forget Starling, Monzo, Revolut, Monese. I'm pretty sure they have all applied to CIFAS now. I had a monzo marker so I couldn't check them, Starling declined me and I was too young for revolut and monese. These are some options I'd recommend
https://www.thinkmoney.co.uk/
https://www.cardonemoney.com
https://www.cashplus.com/landing/personal/free-card?pc=JMP424a
https://www.pockit.com/ (I heard their card provider is now with CIFAS so??)
https://suitsmecard.com/
https://kroo.com/
Now also if you don't want one of these (some people prefer a bank with a actual branch) you can open a credit union engage account to do that you need to register with your local credit union which you can find here: https://www.findyourcreditunion.co.uk/
on the website their should be a place to open an engage account if you cannot then email them.
From the top of my head this is it for an over 18 I'm 100% sure their are more options for you, its under 18 which is tricky...
UNDER 18
Your options for banking here are pretty slim your gonna have to do up to the FOS complaint I listed above. I'm not gonna copy and paste it for clarity. For actual banking your options lie with
https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/bank-accounts/products/cash-account/ (as a under 18 I'm pretty sure if you went into the bank and explained your situation they would allow you to open one, even though they are under CIFAS.
(Ignore any other high street banks I tried nearly all of them.)
You can also get a go Henry card https://www.gohenry.com/uk (your parents will have to do this for you and it comes with a fee.)
You can also get an engage account that's only if your local credit union offers them to your age. https://www.findyourcreditunion.co.uk/
You can also open a hyper jar (16+) in your name https://hyperjar.com/
If none of these work is recommend this option
I recommend
https://www.bitsacard.com/en
Also any other foreign bank you can find should allow you to open an account.
The reason I made this was I felt alone and lost going through this, I struggled with my mental health and did NOT want anyone else to go through that, I read every article, forum, thread containing cifas and this is my conclusion. I guess you could say im now an expert.
Original post by jerrol
ah thanks man u saved my life, my starling just got shut becaus i got a CIFAS from monzo, but are you sure you can get an engage account? They said they do fraud checks
The only way to find out is to apply. Their policy could have changed in the last 12 weeks since this thread was started. Monzo changed their policy when they realised that riskier customers weren’t profitable enough, others may too.
Original post by Admit-One
The only way to find out is to apply. Their policy could have changed in the last 12 weeks since this thread was started. Monzo changed their policy when they realised that riskier customers weren’t profitable enough, others may too.
thanks, just wanted to know as their policy on their website says they do checks, but i'll ask my CU
Original post by chlosaff
Can anyone help in any way? I feel like I’ve exhausted all options. Barclays have given me a third party facilitator cifas marker, Cashplus denied my application, it’s been 3 weeks with nowhere to put my money or pay my direct debits and I’m literally going insane at this point
try paysend, hyperjar, bitsa, u bank, or even try at a credit union
Original post by chlosaff
Is this going to be a difficult thing to try and get off of my name?
If you provided your bank details to a third party, (even through naivety), so that you could receive and transfer money on their behalf, yes. Because from the bank's POV the marker has been applied correctly.
Original post by chlosaff
Is this going to be a difficult thing to try and get off of my name?
Yes, or more specifically off your credit files. ie a name change won't help much.
Just use cash for the next few years, simples.
Paysend & TransferWise or Wise
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