What is Cifas Protective Registration?

Cifas Protective Registration is a service that helps protect you from identity fraud. Once you’re registered, your details are flagged on a database used by hundreds of member organisations, including lenders, banks and other service providers. 

A marker is also added to your credit report to show the registration. If someone tries to apply for credit or services in your name, the lender will see this marker and know to carry out extra security checks to confirm it’s really you.

This isn’t a restriction or ‘credit freeze’, so it won’t stop you from applying for loans or credit, though you may notice some additional verification steps. And while it can’t guarantee you’ll never be a victim of fraud, it makes life much harder for criminals trying to use your identity.

Let’s look at how Protective Registration works, what it costs, and who could benefit most from signing up.

Cifas Protective Registration explained

Cifas Protective Registration is available to anyone in the UK. Here's what it is and how it works.

What is Cifas?

Cifas is a UK-based not-for-profit membership organisation. It has operated since 1998, and focuses on preventing fraud and financial crime through data sharing and collaboration.

Cifas founded the National Fraud Database (NFD), which completely revolutionised fraud prevention by allowing participating organisations to identify potential fraudulent activity and take the necessary action.

Its members include:

• Banks

• Building societies

• Insurance providers

• Telecommunications companies

• Retailers

• Public sector organisations

They now have almost 800 member organisations, giving them access to the UK's largest cross-sector fraud-sharing databases.

Who is it designed for?

You don't need to have suffered financial losses or confirmed fraud to apply.

That said, the service can be useful for people who have already experienced identity theft or fraud and worry someone could misuse their details again, or it may help to provide some peace of mind for anyone who's part of the almost 30 million people who have had their personal information exposed through a data breach, according to the Information Commissioners Office.

Protective Registration is sometimes used by people who have had documents (like a passport or drivers licence) lost or stolen, or have noticed suspicious activity – like unexpected credit applications on their credit file, or attempts to open accounts in their name that they don't recognise.

Anyone aged 14 and over can apply.

How does Cifas Protective Registration work?

After you successfully apply online, Cifas places a warning flag against your name and other identifying details in its database. Any participating organisation can then identify that you're at a heightened risk of identity fraud, and know to take extra caution if they receive any applications in your details.

A Cifas entry essentially encourages organisations to perform additional checks to confirm whether the person applying is genuinely you or someone attempting fraud.

The protection lasts 24 months, unless you request removal earlier. As long as your registration is active, you can update CIFAS with any changes in your personal details, like if you change your name or address.

What happens when a lender sees your flag?

When lenders run a hard search on your credit report, they may see 'Cifas – Do Not Reject – Validation Required'. This message prompts them to carry out extra identity verification before they proceed to the next step of the credit or loan application. They might request additional documents or contact you directly, but the exact checks they make will depend on the lender.

Don't worry, signing up for Protective Registration won't cause your credit applications to be rejected, but the process might take slightly longer. Cifas even states that some credit applications don’t need the lender to make separate contact with you to confirm your identity, though this is only in instances where the lender considers the fraud risk to be very low.

Protective Registration itself also has no effect on your credit score or credit health, and lenders will still assess applications using their normal affordability and lending criteria.

Does it appear on your credit file?

Yes, a Protective Registration will appear on your credit report with all three main UK credit reference agencies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. It will be in the Fraud Alerts section of your Checkmyfile credit report.

There are two types of Cifas flags that might appear. One will be the Protective Registration, if you've signed up for it, and the other may be a Victim of Impersonation.

A Victim of Impersonation is typically added to your report when a lender identifies that they’ve received a fraudulent credit application in your details, or if this has been reported to them.

Don’t worry about fraud warnings on your report being interpreted as wrongdoing on your part – this isn’t the case. They are there to protect you by letting lenders know that you are at an increased risk of falling victim to identity fraud.

The Protective Registration stays on your credit file for two years, the duration of the subscription, and the Victim of Impersonation warning normally lasts 13 months.

How effective is Cifas Protective Registration?

Cifas describes its service as an effective risk-reduction measure, but it can’t completely remove the risk of identity fraud or theft.

Cifas specifically says the service is most effective in the first few months after personal information is lost or compromised, when criminals may be attempting to exploit stolen details.

That said, remember that not every organisation is a Cifas member, so not every application will be checked. It also can't prevent unauthorised transactions on your existing debit or credit cards, and doesn't provide insurance or compensation against fraud-related losses.

How much does it cost?

Cifas Protective Registration is currently set at £30 for 24 months. You need to pay with a UK debit or credit card (excluding American Express), and the card must be in your name. It's a one-off payment rather than a regular subscription, so you need to have the £30 ready to pay.

Always keep an eye out for when your registration is due to expire, as you might miss an email or notification. It's worth considering setting a reminder a week or a few days before so you know to renew your registration, if you want to.

Is Cifas Protective Registration worth it?

It depends on your situation. Cifas Protective Registration could be worth it, especially if your details are already out there. For example, if you've been caught up in a data breach, had your passport or driving licence lost or stolen, been burgled, or you're a victim of identity fraud. 

It doesn't affect your credit score or block credit applications outright, so there's never any harm in registering. 

How to apply

You can apply to join Cifas Protective Registration through the official Cifas website using the Protective Registration form.

The registration process should take only a few minutes, but make sure you review the eligibility statements and terms before you start. You'll need to provide your personal information, including identifying details, your current address, and relevant address history.

Review the information provided and agree to the applicable data-processing terms, and you'll then be prompted to pay the £30 fee.

Note: The cardholder's billing address must match the registration address.

Keep your payment confirmation and record when your two-year protection expires.

Keep an eye on your credit file

You can use your credit file to check whether a Cifas Protective Registration flag is active, as well as your other recorded financial and personal information. Checking your credit report regularly also helps you spot any fraudulent activity that might appear on your file.

As making credit applications online becomes more common and email correspondence replaces physical letters, a hard search or new account on your credit report that you don't recognise may well be the first sign of identity fraud you have a chance to spot.

At Checkmyfile, we pull data from the UK's main credit reference agencies, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, and put it into one easy-to-use, downloadable report.

Sign up today and get the first 7-day free trial, then it’s just £14.99 a month. You can cancel online anytime.