Imagine going to the bank to apply for a home loan, after having saved up for a deposit for months, and then finding out that a small missed traffic fine places you in a category that the bank deems unworthy to lend money to – no matter how large the down payment.

Now imagine that this category you find yourself in also hampers your plans to get a visa to certain destinations, affects how highly you’re ranked on online dating sites, and has negative effects for your friends and family – just because of their association with you.