Complaint Review: Equifax - Atlanta Georgia

I actually see Experian doing you a favor.  An identity thief could have all of the information you provided and if Experian actually provided the thief with your information, or report, you would then rightly complain that Experian gave a thief your information without a hardcopy ID.  By providing the DL and SS card, that's the only way you can prove you're you.

Now, having said all of that, I would not have provided that information either over a FAX, or over e-mail unless the e-mail I was using was encrypted.  Sending your DL and SSN via FAX to someone in India is a really bad idea to begin with.  If they give you the wrong FAX number, or if the information falls into the wrong hands, then you're really in trouble.

If you really want to deal with this properly, then I would not deal directly with Experian.  There are ways to get a free copy of your report - the one I recommend to people is if you happen to have a membership with AAA in your state, then they have credit monitoring services they offer for free with your paid membership.  You can pull down as many copies of your report as you wish.  You can even work with the people in a AAA office to get the freeze removed.  You do NOT have to pay for these sorts of services.  Do some research.

BTW, your FICO score isn't yours.  It belongs to FICO.  FICO stands for Fair Isaac Corporation; Fair and Isaac were mathematicians who developed the algorithim that today comprises your credit score.  The algorithim they developed is proprietary to them - I mean the 3 agencies all have their own credit scores using a similar algorithim, but Fair and Isaac were the first, and today FICO is the most widely used.  If you want your FICO score, then you have to pay Fair Isaac Corporation for the right to obtain use of the algorithim.  Since the corporation owns the algorithim, We The People - as you put it - don't get to see your FICO score.

In addition, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion are not part of the US government either.  They are corporations as well.  The fact they have your credit history is irrelevant.  If you want to obtain multiple copies of your history, then you have to pay for that information as well.  However, I also outlined how you can get around some of that.

So what your entire narrative is about is that their security procedures are working, you just think that they shouldn't apply to you because you can't answer things about your own credit file...Got it. Oh by the way NOT a RipOff.

I have been trying to get a removal of my credit freeze since the beginning of June. However, since I don't know the exact month and year I put the freeze on

- So by YOUR logic, anyone can call up who has basic knowledge of your identity should also be allowed to have the freeze removed...Got It.

Further, because I can only get one free credit report (I've used mine), the free monitoring trial I used to get a copy of my report apparently does NOT match "the official report Equifax has." So, when asked a series of questions about my report, I can't "pass the security questions about my report."

- If your monitoring uses the 3 agencies, the information may not match between each of them. That isn't because of the credit agencies, that is because the companies reporting are not providing the exact same information.  By the way you get one free per agency, per year.  Not just one.

However, I relay my personal information:

Name, address, DOB, etc. But for Equifax, that is not enough.

- Even a Sub-Standard Criminal could get that same information in about 10 minutes.

I had to fax in a copy of my driver's license and social security card, and wait TWO WEEKS for an update, as I was told it could take up to 14 days.

- Yes, 2 weeks is 14 days.

How is it that I can get copies of my credit info from a credit monitoring site (something I would have to PAY FOR, if I don't cancel the trial!), but I can't even get a freeze lifted, contacting Equifax, direct?

- Because the Credit Freeze is in response to a FRAUD issue, so to remove that they are going to be more careful.

Theft being HUGE, We The People should be able to have full access to our reports and FICOs,

- As of a couple of decades ago, they do have full access

However, FICO's are credit scores and have NOTHING to do with ID THEFT or fraudulent issues, they are based on your credit REPORTS. If you have a good credit report your credit score will reflect that.  Most major banks or credit cards offer them to you for free for their customers. If not then you will always be charged(one way or another) for any credit score.

Again per Government regulations you are allowed 1 per year per agency for free, or if you are denied credit.  If you want more than that you need to take it up with the Federal Government.

I had put a freeze with all of the agencies, and only spoke with Equifax, as that is who my Credit Union used for pulling my credit.

- Then why don't you get your Credit Union to give you a copy of the report. With that you could answer the questions that they ask to verify who you are.

as I don't want to fax in copies of my driver's license and social security card to more companies whose "customer support" appears to be in India.

- Then it is unlikely that unless you can find some other way to prove who you are, that you are going to be able to solve this.

In the end to leave you with one thought.  Take the flip side here. If there was a criminal who got the freeze removed by giving them only the information you say you want to give them, you would be the first person to come to this site saying that they failed their own security and their Credit Freeze is useless.