Consumer complaint received 2018-08-21
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with fraud alerts or security freezes

Complaint:
We moved from XXXX California to XXXX California. Prior to the move I attempted to switch our phone service to XXXX. I was unable to perform the service online and was told I needed to appear in person with identification. 

I appeared as directed at the XXXX store in XXXX, CA. The Application number is XXXX. In person, I showed my drivers license, provided my SSN, and also showed my US passport as a second form of identification to the XXXX person. I was then handed a cell phone to talk to a third party on a phone and directed to answer a series of questions from the agent on the phone. This agent did not identify themselves. I was asked three questions. Two questions were not applicable to me, the third was applicable. I answered the questions - but the agent indicated that my identity could not be established. 

Searching online indicates that the 3rd party on the phone was a representative of Equifax, which XXXX uses to verify credit. 

I should note that our credit score is good, as verified most recently by the agent through which we rented an apartment in XXXX CA, and that I was bringing my own compatible cell phone to XXXX. ( Aside from service, I did not require the lease of a XXXX compatible phone - so I was not asking for credit other than the ability to pay with my XXXX XXXX card. ) I finally received two letters from XXXX, indicating why I was denied service - " Identity could not be established ''. 

Today ( XX/XX/18 ) I checked my credit report with Equifax. All payment, mortgage, and card information appears to be correct. 

However, my previous addresses where I have lived are not correct. Our previous address in XXXX is listed as the current address and our now current address in XXXX is listed as our previous address. In addition, my credit report shows a previous living address of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX CA. This is not an address where I lived, but an address where I worked as XXXX XXXX XXXX is the location of XXXX XXXX XXXX where I worked as an adjunct professor at night in addition to my day job at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX as a XXXX. 

I attempted to correct this information using the online submission dispute form at the Equifax website. To verify my identity I was asked a series of 4 questions. No questions were relevent so I answered " None of the Above ''. The answers to these questions were verified with the credit report that I just received and downloaded. 

I have attached a screen shot of the Equifax questions as proof of this nonsense. 

( I have also attached the previous 4 identification confirmation questions ( 2 screenshots ) that allowed me to access my credit report in the first place. 

The online information correction service of Equifax blocked me from submitting my corrected address information as, again, I was informed that my identity could not be confirmed. 

This " identify confirmation '' using these randomly generated questions appears to be problematic. The issue appears to be with Equifax.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation