Consumer complaint received 2017-06-23
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MI
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 identity was stolen in XX/XX/XXXX and the identity thief used my social security number to apply for a number of loans and lines of credit. They did not succeed in opening any accounts, but there were around XXXX hard credit inquiries on my credit report from the identity thief. After filing a police report, I contacted XXXX, XXXX, and Equifax to put a security freeze on my account. The security freeze was in place until XX/XX/XXXX, when the identity thief hacked into my online accounts with the XXXX credit bureaus ( answering a security question correctly to reset my passwords ) and obtained a copy of my credit report. Using the credit report, the identity thief contacted the credit bureaus and was able to answer the security questions correctly to lift the security freezes for all XXXX agencies. I was notified of the breach on XX/XX/XXXX, when I received an email notification from XXXX that my password had been reset. When I attempted to call the credit bureaus, they were closed and I had to wait until Monday, XX/XX/XXXX. I called XXXX, XXXX, and Equifax on XX/XX/XXXX and explained that the identity thief had obtained a copy of my credit report and used the information to lift the security freeze. XXXX  and XXXX put the security freeze back in place and assigned me a new PIN. I asked them to put additional security measures on my account, and asked that the security freeze only be lifted when they received a mail request from me with copies of identification. I called Equifax on XX/XX/XXXX to advise that my account may have been compromised. The representative assured me that my security freeze was still in place. When I asked for additional security measures to be added ( security freeze lifted by written request only ) they declined and advised that the security questions they had were sufficient. I explained that the identity thief could get past the security questions because they had my credit report. I asked to be transferred to an American call center representative, and was transferred several times before being transferred back to another off-shore call center representative. They did not understand my concerns and would not put any additional security measures in place, despite my explaining that the identity thief knew ALL of my prior financial history and could easily answer their security questions. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received notifications from XXXX that the identity thief was applying for payday loans online and there were multiple new hard credit inquiries through Equifax. I called Equifax and was advised that the security freeze was lifted on XX/XX/XXXX ( the same day I called to confirm that it WAS N'T lifted and was advised that it was still in place ). I was NOT notified via mail that the security freeze had been lifted. Not only that, but Equifax wanted to charge {$10.00} to put the security freeze back in place. When I advised that I had a police report on file, they could not locate it initially but eventually found it. As of right now, I have been advised that the security freeze will be back in place within 48 hours. They still declined to add additional security measures, so I am concerned that the identity thief will be able to lift the security freeze again and compromise my credit even further. I am frustrated with my experience with Equifax because they have a responsibility to safeguard my financial information. Working with them has been difficult because they do not understand my concerns and do not understand that the identity thief HAS ALL OF MY INFORMATION. I am trying to put additional security measures in place to stop this from happening again, but Equifax representatives will not work with me on alternative solutions. It is difficult enough dealing with the various lenders and creditors trying to clean up the mess that the identity thief created. This could all be stopped if proper security measures were put in place, like a personal PIN number or password that I create and that can not be reset over the phone. Or, like XXXX and XXXX has done -- put additional steps so the security freeze can not be lifted without written request plus proper identification documents. These XXXX credit bureaus were willing to put these measures in place, so why ca n't Equifax?

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation