Consumer complaint received 2023-06-20
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: PA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Unable to get your credit report or credit score
Sub-issue: Other problem getting your report or credit score

Complaint:
XXXX has the wrong social security number listed on the file for me and because of this they are not able to provide me with my credit report. I spoke to a XXXX Supervisor on XXXX & I was told to send them a copy of my social security card with a written statement giving them permission to correct their error. I started to think & conclude that since they have the wrong social security number on file & have known it is the wrong social security number on file & have not tried to contact me to resolve this issue but instead XXXX let this issue carry on for only XXXX knows how long. Then that credit bureau has been reporting incorrect or no information which affects my XXXX credit score & overall FICO score. XXXX has robbed me of loans, credit cards, renting a home, purchasing of a home, getting furniture on credit, job opportunities, startup of a business & anything else that I would need to use my XXXX credit score & FICO score. What XXXX has done is a violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) & in violation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) of which I should be momentarily compensated. This has been very disturbing to me. I have not been able to sleep well at night, Im up for hours worrying instead of getting a full nights rest so I can function well the next morning for work. I have also been very XXXX  & XXXX. This whole ordeal has taken a XXXX  & physical toll on me. 

The timeline of events in chronological order explaining what occurred, beginning when I first discovered the issue started on XX/XX/XXXX. When I tried to pull my XXXX Credit report on the XXXX website. I forgot my login information so when I tried to retrieve my Username & Password. The website kept directing me to create an account so when I tried to create an account, I received an error message ( TransUnion Error Message XXXX PDF ) stating that my account already exists. This kept happening a couple of times until I received another error message ( TransUnion Error Message 2 PDF ) stating that the Identity Verification Failed & shortly after I received another error message ( TransUnion Error Message 3 PDF ) stating that the Identity Authentication was Unsuccessful. I then started to get frustrated because I provided all the information that was asked for from me. I honestly can't remember exactly what that information was but it was my personal information & that information was correct so that was when I decided to contact XXXX XXXX Customer Service using the phone number provided in the XXXX error message ( XXXX ). I spoke with a Customer Service Representative who transferred me to someone else after I explained my problem. Then that Customer Service transferred me to another Customer Service Representative who then transferred me to a supervisor. I was then told by the supervisor that the reason why my account can't be verified is because they have another social security number on file for me. He then proceeded to tell me to fix this I would need to email him a copy of my social security card & a written statement giving XXXX the permission to correct the error in their system. I did not feel comfortable with giving my information to the XXXX XXXX so I told him that I would need to contact my attorney to get advice on how I should proceed. Then I ended the call. 

The next time of event was XX/XX/XXXX. I went on the XXXX website again & tried to log on, but I received the same error message, so I called XXXX again to speak with Customer Service. This time I was not transferred to a supervisor. The Customer Service Representative told me that my account is locked so they need to verify my identity & to do so I would need to email them a copy of my driver 's license. I asked why I still need to verify my identity when I used their authenticator to be verified? I was told that they must verify everyone. If XXXX didn't have a copy of your credit report. They would need to verify the customer by getting a copy of their driver 's license or I could wait XXXX hours to see if they received a copy of my credit report & if they received it. They will then be able to verify me using my credit report. She then told me that the latest date that my credit report has been updated was unknown because she didn't have access to review or see that date. I then told her that when I talked to a supervisor on XX/XX/XXXX. I was told that the reason why I needed to verify my identity is because XXXX had a different social security number on file for me than what I was providing them. I then told her that the supervisor told me that I needed to email XXXX a copy of my social security card & a written statement giving XXXX permission to correct the mistake in their system. I then asked her what are the social security numbers that are on file? She told me that there is XXXX social security number beginning with XXXX & the other beginning with XXXX so there's XXXX number off in the social security number. She then told me that the other dates I called XXXX were on XX/XX/XXXX & XX/XX/XXXX. I told her that I remember the conversation on XX/XX/XXXX but I don't remember calling them on XX/XX/XXXX. Later that day I remembered a text conversation on XX/XX/XXXX & I still have that text conversation if CFPB needs that information as well. The XXXX Customer Service Representative continued to tell me that the social security number beginning with XXXX is currently on file. The social security number beginning with XXXX has a note that was made on XX/XX/XXXX & the reason why I called XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX was because I couldnt create an account online & I wanted to dispute it. She continued to tell me that each dispute has a number. I then asked the customer service representative what the dispute number is, but she did not have that answer. I also asked her how long they have had the social security number starting with XXXX & XXXX on file, but she did not have that information either. I also asked the customer service representative when the last time my credit report was updated. She did not have that information either but to verify my identity I can email my driver 's license to : XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I went on the XXXX website & was able to get a copy of my XXXX Credit Report. XXXX gave me an error message " Unable to XXXX XXXX XXXX. '' That is an attachment as well. Equifax did not display a credit report. There was just a blank screen. Also, on XX/XX/XXXX, when I visited XXXX my Equifax credit report is listed as XXXX & the Credit Score XXXX has XXXX listed in the XXXX, 6 month & 1 year timeframe. I believe there was a problem with Equifax as well. 

The next time of event was on XX/XX/XXXX. I went on XXXX & there I'm able to pull my full credit report for XXXX. This credit report has the same information as XXXX & that information from XXXX is correct. The only difference is that XXXX has my credit score as XXXX & XXXX has my credit score as XXXX. Also, XXXX has my name spelt incorrectly twice. The XXXX misspellings are listed as : XXXX, XXXX, XXXX & XXXX XXXX. When I tried to get the Equifax credit report on XX/XX/XXXX, using the XXXX website. I received an error message stating that I already received a free report. The website states that " During this period of economic uncertainty, managing your financial health is important. That's why Equifax, XXXX and XXXX are continuing to offer free weekly online credit reports. '' I then logged onto the Equifax website & retrieved my credit report. Everything looks correct except for the spelling of my name. Equifax has my name spelt XXXX XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX I tried to get my Equifax credit report off the Annual Credit Report website again, but I received the attached error message, stating to Please give them a call. 

I called XXXX again on XX/XX/XXXX because I finally emailed them a copy of my drivers license ( front & back ), social security card ( front & back ) as well as a copy of my XXXX XXXX XXXX ( utility bill ). I spoke to another Customer Service Representative who told me that my information should take XXXX business days to be verified so I waited until XX/XX/XXXX when I had to speak to another XXXX XXXX. She verified that there were XXXX credit reports on file. XXXX with the social security number starting with XXXX that had information on it & the other credit report starting with XXXX which was a blank credit report. She said that my name was also spelt wrong & to fix this I would need to speak to the XXXX XXXX XXXX. However, that department was closed at the time, so I called back the next day and spoke to a XXXX from the XXXX XXXX Department. However, he had to transfer me to XXXX of his supervisors because he was. 
having computer problems. I was then transferred to XXXX XXXX with the XXXX XXXX # XXXX. I explained to XXXX XXXX about everything that has transpired and that it has been well over 5 days since I submitted my information to verify my identity, but nothing has been resolved. XXXX XXXX then asked me some questions & proceeded to correct my social security number, address, phone number and spelling of my name & I believed my employer while I was on the phone with him. He said that I would receive a copy of my XXXX credit report in the mail within 7 days. Also, I would have online access to my credit report within XXXX to XXXX hours. As on today, XX/XX/XXXX. I still dont have online access with XXXX. I have not received a copy of my XXXX Credit Report in the mail, but I am finally able to pull my XXXX credit report off XXXX. As of today, I can also view my credit report on the Equifax website. The only thing I see that is incorrect with Equifax is my XXXX XXXX. Equifax has my name is XXXX XXXX XXXX, but it should be spelt XXXX XXXX. 

I believe that my XXXX Rights have been violated so I appreciate any and everything that you are able to do for me. I have been suffering mentally & physically during this ordeal. I barely sleep at night. I don't have much of an appetite. I try to eat but normally end up throwing the food away because I feel sick to my stomach from all the stress and worrying, I've been doing. I'm even starting to feel suicidal because I started a new company called XXXX XXXX, XXXX. but I can't get my new company up and running since I don't believe that my credit report has been correctly reported so my credit score & history is lower than it should be & has errors that should not be on my credit report. This causes me not to be able to apply for personal or business credit or loans because my credit score is too low. I've also been denied purchasing furniture on credit. Since I can't get personal or business credit or loans, I've applied for better paying jobs of which I believe I robbed from having a better opportunity because of the falsified credit reporting. All of this has caused a mental & physical tool on my mind, body & spirit. I believe that I'm at my wits end, but I do appreciate your time, patience & any help that you are able to provide. Thank you & XXXX bless.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation