Experian Hit with €2.7 M GDPR Fine and Shuts Dutch Operation

In October 2025, Experian’s Dutch operation was fined €2.7 million by the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (the Dutch Data Protection Authority) for misusing personal data and subsequently announced it would be shutting down the Dutch business unit altogether.
(Source: Decision Marketing)

What Went Wrong

The regulatory scrutiny stemmed from how Experian gathered and processed data relating to individuals’ debt, bankruptcies and payment defaults. The company collected data from both public sources (such as the Chamber of Commerce Trade Register) and private data providers (telecom and energy companies).
According to the investigation:

• Experian failed to adequately inform individuals about how their data was used, undermining transparency.
• The credit-scoring database was built without proper controls to ensure data accuracy and individual awareness.
• Several complaints were lodged by Dutch nationals who faced downside consequences (e.g., higher deposits, denied payment options) without being aware of the underlying credit check.

Regulatory Basis

The case highlights several key obligations under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

• Article 5(1)(a) – Lawfulness, fairness, transparency: Individuals must be informed about processing of their personal data.
• Article 12 – Transparent information, communication and modalities: Requirements for clear disclosures about processing activities.
• Article 32 – Security of processing: Data controllers must implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data.
• Article 33 – Notification of a personal data breach / Article 34 – Communication of a personal data breach to the data subject: While not explicitly mentioned, the reputational impact arises from lacking notice and remediation.

Business Consequences

Besides the sizeable monetary penalty, this ruling triggered significant operational decisions:

• Experian ceased operations in the Netherlands, indicating the gravity of the non-compliance.
• The company committed to delete the entire Dutch database containing the personal data in question.
• For clients reliant on the credit-scoring operations (telecoms, online retailers, and landlords), this disruption will have ripple effects on their underwriting, payment terms and risk assessments.

Lessons for SaaS & Data-Driven Businesses

1. Transparency is non-negotiable: If you use personal data to make decisions impacting individuals (e.g., credit scoring, eligibility), ensure you have clear disclosures and consent mechanisms.
2. Understand your sources and processing steps: Pulling data from public and private registers adds complexity about lawful basis and accuracy obligations.
3. Customer impact matters: Users facing denial, higher deposits or unseen credit checks often trigger regulatory complaints and investigations.
4. Regional operations carry risk: Even global players can exit markets when regional authorities find violations. Don’t assume scale equals immunity.
5. Build compliance documentation early: A dedicated security/compliance page or vendor-risk documentation can support your audits and customer due diligence.

Final Thoughts

This case serves as a stark reminder: even established firms are not immune to GDPR enforcement when they operate in opaque or outdated data-driven models. As you build or scale your product, ensure data practices, vendor integrations, and disclosures are treated as first-class elements, not afterthoughts.

Originally sourced from Decision Marketing: “Experian closes down Dutch operation after €2.7 m fine” (https://www.decisionmarketing.co.uk/news/experian-closes-down-dutch-operation-after-e2-7m-fine).

Quick Answer

A major GDPR ruling against Experian’s Dutch arm reveals how data misuse in credit-scoring operations carries hefty consequences.

Who This Affects

SaaS founders, product teams, and privacy owners processing EU personal data.

What To Do Now

• Map this topic against your current product and data flows.
• Prioritize the highest-risk gaps and assign owners with deadlines.
• Re-check controls after product changes and major releases.

Related Resources

• GDPR Hub
• EU AI Act Hub
• EU Data Act Hub
• MiCA Hub
• Compliance Glossary