Consumer complaint received 2018-07-25
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: TX
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report
Sub-issue: Reporting company used your report improperly

Complaint:
I received a letter from XXXX regarding my credit card account with them. However, I don't have an account with them, never have. In short, I requested that they open a fraud investigation and close the account immediately. When asked how and when the account was opened, I was told it was opened just a week before my call on XX/XX/XXXX via online. I asked what information was needed to open the account. I was told my name, ss #, dob and an email address. Which is XXXX to say the least. They have no idea who's on the other end of the computer. As a consumer, I'm asked tons of questions to prove who I am to review MY OWN report but creditors don't need anything. That's part of the identity theft problem. The email address that was given was not even mine or one that I'd ever used in the past. In trying to obtain MY OWN report, I couldn't even remember the old phones I had years ago, ( which is one of their verification questions ) so I couldn't even get my own report to see if there was an inquiry on my report from XXXX XXXX. How's that for privacy? My identity was stolen in XX/XX/XXXX for someone that opened a XXXX account in my name. It was again the credit bureaus that released my credit history without my consent/authorization. The identity thief even gave them an address that I'd supposedly had in the most recent 2 years, that's not even in my profile as one of my addresses EVER! They should never have released my credit report to XXXX. That also allowed for my identity to be stolen. If the CREDIT BUREAUS were sanctioned for each and every instance that they fail to follow the law, identity theft would go down. But, NO ONE MAKES THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS. It's not fair to us as the consumer. What information is required of each creditor when they ask for a consumers report from the bureaus? Not to mention Equifax 's " not so long ago '' Breach, which could be the very way my name, ss # and dob was illegally obtained by whomever opened this account in my name with the very CREDIT REPORT RELEASED by Equifax. I take it nothing was done to the bureau for this breach and the consumers are still taking the hit for it. Equifax only requires that a credit supply them with the consumers name, ss # and date of birth and some bogus email address that was simply my XXXX. That doesn't appear to be compliance with the FCRA section 604. That's all the information that a creditor has to produce and the bureaus are allowed to just release your credit report? Any hospital that a consumer has been to, any procedure facility, any electricity carrier, any cable company, any mortgage company ALL have this information on every consumer in the world. That information is standard everywhere. The bureaus should require more information before simply releasing consumer reports based on that. Particularly when the creditor has received this information ONLINE. They have no idea who is on the other side of that computer and the bureau certainly doesn't. I feel that 95 % of fraud and identity theft could be prevented if the Big 3 Credit Bureaus ( and all the small ones ) were made to comply with the law!!!!!!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation