Credit files open for check

Press, 9 November 1988, Page 8

Credit files open for check

By

NEIL CLARKSON

It was hardly a case of Big Brother watching. Bay Information Service’s national Baynet computer delved into its memory to dig up the writer’s details. The company, with 17 branches throughout New Zealand, plans two open days in which people can come in to check their own records. The computer proffered a correctly spelled full name as well as, the right address and occupation. All had been gleaned from the St Albans electoral roll. It recorded that no entry was found in the “Mercantile Gazette” in its search back to 1984 and the Bay Collection Agency, another division of the parent company, Baycorp Holdings, had never had any reason to make inquiries. Indeed, not one of Bay Information Services’ thousands of clients had made an inquiry even about the writer’s credit information.

It was doubtless one of the company’s most uninspiring entries. Others will soon have the chance to check their details stored in the Baynet computer memory. Baycorp Holdings, which is New Zealand’s largest debt collection and credit information company, will open its offices between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday and the next Saturday to allow members of the public to check their personal records. Baycorp’s general manager, Mr Keith McLaughlin, said the company had never restricted public access to data. "Now we are going one step further and inviting members of the public into our offices so that they can check their personal information that we carry.” Mr McLaughlin said the move was partly in response to a discussion paper released in October by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs. The Consumers’ Institute had also

called for the public to have the right to see information and, where thought necessary, dispute it. Mr McLaughlin said people would be able to inspect their full file and, if necessary, it would be corrected after investigation. Mr Craig Sproull, the South Island regional manager for Bay Information Services and Bay Collection Agency, said he was uncertain how many people would visit the Armagh Street offices to check. Applicants would have to prove their identity before being taken to a computer terminal and shown their records. Checks would also be made of older card-type files Bay Information Services inherited from defunct credit information companies. Mr Sproull said there were builtin checks to ensure information was accurate. “I believe it very unlikely we will have any disputes,” he said.