Consumer complaint received 2018-01-10
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MT
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem
Sub-issue: Their investigation did not fix an error on your report

Complaint:
Last year we received a letter from Equifax notifying us that due to a data breach our personal data had been compromised. I began in late XX/XX/XXXX to register for the Credit Monitoring Program required by the Federal Trade Commission. My wife and daughter were easily able to register on line for the program. When I personally tried to register, the program refused as it said my Social Security number was incorrect. After XXXX years on this planet, I did not forget my correct number. Further, after Innumerable financial transactions involving Equifax this has NEVER been an issue at all. The computer system of Equifax referred me to a telephone number which I immediately called. After talking to the representative at length, I asked to be transferred to a supervisor. The representative placed me on hold, and I waited. After 25 minutes of waiting, an electronic voice told me that their facility was now closed and that I should call back again later. No supervisor answered to resolve the problem, only a waste of time. 

On the first opportunity after XX/XX/XXXX I called again. This time, I immediately requested a supervisor to resolve my issues. After spending twenty minutes with the agent, I was told I was being forwarded to a supervisor. When the call was answered the new voice informed me that she was Not a supervisor, just another regular employee. She said she would forward my call to a supervisor and please hold on. I was clear with the new employee that I did Not want to go to the on line receptionist to wait another 24 hours for a supervisors call to come. She said she understood and someone would pick up the call. Needless to say, after all this I was forwarded to their circular firing squad on line message that gave the same message that meant nothing. No one has called back from either my first or the second telephone calls. 

My concerns are as follows : 1 ) Millions of citizens were adversely impacted by this breach and Equifax has a HIGH threshold of responsibility to quickly and respectfully deal with the legitimate needs of those persons who were compromised. 

2 ) There affirmative public and legal obligation should therefore be carried out in an efficient and polite manner. Money should not have been a consideration in this toxic undertaking. They chose to outsource this process affecting millions to a company which according to my experience has demonstrated a contempt and misunderstanding of what public service really means. While I appreciate the nice letter from Equifax, the use of such an unruly and capricious vendor is beyond me. 

3 ) Most people I know wont complain or file a request for review as demonstrated in this letter. Most people will simply go away and hope everything works out for the best. I believe personally, that the use of a sub-standard firm and policies will result in millions of Americans NOT receiving the real Lifelong protections dictated by the Federal Trade Commission. The net effect is to make the Credit Monitoring remedy of far lesser value to those impacted adversely. 

4 ) I would suggest that after review and consideration, that if you find numerous such violations of the requirements as set forth by the FTC as set forth in the notice, that punitive action and a lengthy extension of time be given for those who wish to file. In addition, an additional notice to all those who did not file should be required advising the affected parties that changes in procedures had been made to correctly accommodate the needs of those who might have given up and simply gone away in silence. 

5 ) I do Not think it is just and meets the intent of the FTC program, that if issues like this have occurred, the timing deadline should be extended indefinitely. 

This request for assistance is both lengthy and truthful. While I kept track of the actions as set forth herein, I am aware that call center recordings are quickly and easily available for retrieval and review. If my experience was not an isolated event, then numerous of our fellow citizens have been abridged and stand in need of remedy. Thank you for your time and look forward to your response and assistance in dealing with Equifax.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation