Consumer complaint received 2018-08-31
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: GA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with fraud alerts or security freezes

Complaint:
My Complaint is against Equifax for sharing my info w/out consent, & violating my rights as a consumer under the FCRA in the following ways ; 1. Not Notifying me I was victim of their Data Breach also Violation Ga. Code 10-1- 910 et seq. 
2. Ignoring the Fraud Alert, & Allowing Unauthorized hard Pull inquires 3. Failing to Follow dispute procedures 4. Reporting Inaccurate Information 5. Releasing my credit report without my consent during my initial 90-day fraud alert 6. Denying me access to my Credit Report online. 
7. Not submitting my Verbal Disputes 8. Ignoring the extended fraud alert I placed with XXXX in XXXX, which allowed the thief access to everything Never was I notified by Equifax, that I was victim of their breach, not by mail, phone, or email, and they have/had all my current information. I still havent been properly notified that my DL was also part of this breach, yet when I go to their website it is plain that Everything about me was disclosed in this breach. Since this breach, my stolen information has been used many places, accounts created and someone walking around with an ID, impersonating me, using my maiden name. 
In XX/XX/XXXX I was notified by XXXX XXXX XXXX  that my Personal Identifiable Information had been compromised. After speaking to a representative there I was advised several applications had been submitted, online, for an XXXX XXXX XXXX. None of these were mine, & XXXX XXXX advised that a request would be submitted to the Credit Bureaus to have the hard inquiries from XX/XX/XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX removed, because they could only go back 1 year. I was told that it could take up to 6-8 weeks and that I would also receive an Identity theft packet with instructions on how to move forward protecting my credit. On XXXX the XXXX XXXX I received correspondence from XXXX XXXX   XXXX XXXX XXXX, advising me that they submitted the request to all the Credit Reporting agencies as promised. Although XXXX didnt not include all the dates promised, Equifax did not remove any of hard inquires, at the time of request. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received the ID Theft information & immediately contacted Equifax to place a fraud alert on my credit confirmation # XXXX. Equifax failed to notify XXXX. Equifax failed to notify me of my rights under this 90-day fraud alert. 

XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX & XX/XX/XXXX Equifax Failed to either enforce the Fraud Alert, or Failed to Notify XXXX XXXX  of the fraud alert and allowed XXXX XXXX unauthorized access to my credit report. Violating my privacy rights as well. 

In XXXX I extended my fraud alert with XXXX, again Equifax failed acknowledge & /or advise creditors of this Fraud Alert, more hard Inquires continued, and credit was extended to an unauthorized person, using my stolen Identity to commit fraud. 

XX/XX/XXXX I called Equifax because I was unable to file a dispute online, due to me not being able to verify the info on my credit file, I spoke with XXXX, disputed several things, as well as requested records. XXXX had no knowledge of these records and advised me to call someone else, XXXX also advised she was no sure how or why I would be locked out of Equifax as all my information was correct, but she wld take the dispute over the phone. 
On XX/XX/XXXX I received a response to my original complaint ( filed via this website ) against Equifax, this response advises me of my rights as an Identity Theft Victim, having access to my credit report being one of these rights. However, as of XX/XX/XXXX I still do not have access to my dispute, or my credit report Again I contact Equifax, Im told there is nothing they can do about this, Im transferred to supervisor XXXX, and she advised me that the website was down and with no future date of when it will be available. I request another supervisor, and XXXX states Fine, but she will just repeat the same info I have told you. Next XXXX gets on the line, much nicer than the last and still has no idea how to rectify this problem. She tries to help, and offers to make any disputes for me. Advises me that the dispute site is working just fine ( XXXX lied ), but does not know how to get me access to my report. Here is also where I am advised that the dispute I made on XX/XX/XXXX was never taken, and there are no notes on my account between myself & XXXX. Equifax is not allowing me access to my credit report or disputes via online.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief