Consumer complaint received 2020-11-16
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: FL
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with fraud alerts or security freezes

Complaint:
The last week of XXXX I was applying for a mortgage refinance. Since I had placed a security freeze with the 3 reporting agencies, I called them to remove the freeze. There was no problem with XXXX and XXXX. Their customer service - telephone for XXXX and website for XXXX - worked well. The freeze was lifted in a manner of minutes. 

This complaint involves Equifax for not having adequate customer service. To this date, weeks after my request, the freeze has not been lifted which resulted in my lender not gaining access to my credit history from Equifax and has placed my loan application in joepardy. And a potential financial liability. 

The fault is Equifax 's totally dysfunctional customer-service system. Essentially, they have no customer service. First, I tried dialing into their automated system XXXX. There are 4 security questions asked which I correctly entered into their numerical system. The system repeats the numbers so I knew that I made no mistakes. Then it asks for a pin that was never requested by me or given to me. So since I did not have the pin the system connects - eventually - to a CSR. The representive stated he could not help me because " the system can not verify your identity. '' So I asked how, after answering all the information correctly, we can verify my ID? The representive said there was no way he could help me, and he said I would have to submit a request by mail. He informed that would take several weeks, maybe a month. I explained that I had an interest-rate lock on my mortgage application that I would lose if my credit could not be unfroze. He just kept repeating the endless loop about " the system can not verify your identity. '' I replied that I was willing to provide any information needed for this purpose. He again stated " the system can not verify your identity. '' He stated his name was XXXX agent # XXXX. I insisted on speaking to a supervisor. XXXXgain XXXX repeated the same computer generated message. Finally, he connected me to XXXX - # XXXX. The identical conversation ensued that I had had with XXXX. In frustration I insisted on speaking to a supervisor - I do not think XXXX was a supervisor. I was connected with XXXX - XXXX. She repeated the exact same message and stated there was no way a human being could assist me because of " the system. '' I was totally frustrated by this experience - especially after the other two credit agencies had to easily assisted me. I called my lender to explain the situation, and he informed that I would absolutely need all 3 of my credit info unfrozen. He suggested that I try their website. The experience was just as infuriating. After I provided all the information correctly, the programmed response was that I needed to fax or mail in some identity info. 
A fax number was provided on the website : XXXX. 

On Monday, XX/XX/XXXX, I faxed the required info to Equifax. Attached to my letter of request was a copy of my FL driver 's license, and a copy of my monthly mortgage information confirming my address. I asked to " please expedite '' due to interest rate situation. ( I would like to submit this fax and other attachments to this complaint. ) On XX/XX/2020 three week after my fax, I received a form letter from Equifax asking me to send in the same information in a mailed letter. There was no information why they had not accepted the information that I had already provided in the fax. Although their reply is dated XX/XX/XXXX, I did not receive it until XXXX XXXX. Equifax had my email and phone number. If there was a problem, they had a due diligence reponsibility to contact me sooner. 

In again attempting to remove Equifax 's obstruction, I again tried to get assistance from customer service. Both times the agent shung up on me without explanation. 

Equifax has a totally anti-consumer CS system. It may have cost me a favorable mortgage loan. I feel their system deserves to be audited and prevented from damaging other consumers.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation