Consumer complaint received 2022-04-02
Company: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: WA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with fraud alerts or security freezes

Complaint:
I needed a security freeze lifted and am unable to do so with Experian. At this point I want it lifted for good as this is the second time I have tried to get it lifted in the past few weeks and it is a hassle. I will just have to take the chance and not have it in a frozen state so I don't have to spend days trying to get it lifted. So much for Experian complying with this regulation of allowing consumers to freeze their credit! 

I tried calling their many different phone numbers and they are all automated and have the same options ( except one meant for 'clients or businesses ' ). The automated option for security freeze is only to PLACE the freeze, and NOT to lift it, with no other options available. There is never an option to get to a live person to help you with the issue. 
I tried calling in no less than 10 times and that is just today, not counting yesterday. I aslo used a number that is meant for 'clients and businesses ', ( not consumer line ) and when I shared with the operator what I needed and what was happening she just connected me to the automation again. So, again I call and explain I need to talk to a real person, click! automation again! So again I call and say I am working with _XXXX XXXX and need to speak to a person, again=automation! ( I think she recognized my phone number or voice ). Again I call and I am firm and tell her the automation is not working for me for my issue and I need to speak to a person, so she proceeds to yell at me that I still need to go through the automation to speak to a person and then she clicks me over to automation again before I can say another word! Had I been allowed to speak I would have tried to explain that their system only allows for freezing, and not unfreezing with no obvious way to get to a human. I doubt it would have mattered to her anyway. So again, ( now I am in tears and sobbing ) I call this operator on the business/client line and through my tears of frustration BEG her to please connect me to a person this time, nope! click! I am suddenly transferred to their automation which takes me no where! 

I have tried to lift the freeze online using their website many times ( which is one of the constraining 'options ' in their automated system ) as well and it tells me they are unable to do so and I need to MAIL in information to prove my identity. I really don't have weeks to wait for my paperwork to get to the other side of the U.S. and for someone to finally open it and take care of this for me. 

I feel like this 'company '?? Wants to make their 'free ' services difficult so that you will purchase their subscription services. I think they don't see 'consumers ' as customers and so they don't feel they are there to serve me or that they need to serve/treat me well. 
For a place that holds power over us as consumers ( our credit score and all our credit information! ), they should not be allowed to treat us so poorly. It isn't fair for them to have so much power and have to give so little in return.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation