Beating ID fraud wins credit for Chester finance firm

A Chester company is home to one of Britain's three most accomplished risk management teams, a major finance conference in London heard this month.

The Funding Corporation was revealed at the annual summit for credit professionals as having won a top place in this year's Credit Excellence Awards.

The awards, announced at the conference, saw the Chester Business Park company excel in the category which highlights firms best able to assess credit risk and guard against fraud.

Competitors for accolades in the contest ranged from public sector service group Capita to leading financial institutions and major commercial names such as Volkswagen.

The awards were made at the charity fundraising gala night following the conference when the competition judges - all senior finance figures - announced their verdicts.

The Funding Corporation's place among the top three UK firms in its category was agreed after an independent analysis of how the company takes steps to guard against business threats.

They include a sophisticated system of ensuring that people given loans for car purchases - its core business - are well positioned to afford repayments, despite many having a poor credit history.

Judges looked too at the detailed measures taken by The Funding Corporation to protect itself against fraudulent loan applicants and identity thieves.

The company uses a combination of advanced technology, such as airport-style scanners to verify ID documents, and the skills of specially trained anti-fraud staff based at Chester.

Last year, the company reported, it successfully identified almost 500 cases of suspected fraud, representing around £3.2 million of bogus loan applications.

Company Managing Director David Challinor, who was invited to London for the event, said he was delighted to see his management team commended in the Credit Excellence Awards.

However, he added, the honour was in reality a company-wide achievement:

"All staff receive training from our anti-fraud personnel, and it is their vigilance which often results in our identifying people trying to take out loans they have no intention of repaying.

"Every finance company is exposed to risk at one level or another, but when we first set out in business ten years ago, incidences of crimes such as ID theft were comparatively low.

"However, our management team has been quick to develop new anti-risk policies and to harness technologies which protect our business and the jobs it sustains.

"Receiving this national recognition is a tribute to their professionalism," added Mr Challinor.

ENDS

ACF Car Finance is Britain's leading supplier of high-quality used cars to people whose credit status might otherwise prevent them from obtaining used car finance. ACF Car Finance has earned a strong reputation within the finance and motor industry for its standards of customer care, and the quality of the friendly, professional advice provided by members of its fully-trained team. The company has a Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/ACFCarFinance, and can be followed on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/ACFCarFinance.

ACF Car Finance Limited. Registered in England number 4757280. Registered office address: International House, Kingsfield Court, Chester Business Park, Chester CH4 9RF.

Jane Whittle
Marketing Manager
01244 625 683
07974 328 194
[email protected]