Consumer complaint received 2020-02-01
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Unable to get your credit report or credit score
Sub-issue: Other problem getting your report or credit score

Complaint:
Equifax Office of Consumer Affairs is doing it again. It has blocked my credit file Additional Equifax Office of Consumer affairs place a security freeze without my authorization. 

To make the issue worse I am in the process of refinancing my current mortgage loan and they have made impossible Equifax Office of Consumer Affairs have done this to my credit file in XXXX and it lasted almost 2 years until the first month of XXXX Finally one day I was able to view my file anytime I wanted, I need it with any method I may wish it is my right and they are having fun -As it all this is a game. 

They are doing this again. It is much worse when trying to ask the please realize my file so that the lender can view my file. They did nothing so whats going to be now. 

This need to stop one way or another this abuse have to end please I need CPFB to conduct and investigation into this. I bad is they are back with credit freezes from free reports online : Plain Dealing It seen that Equifax Office of consumer Affairs is not understanding that as a consumers I have a right to order my free annual credit report online or by phone, but Equifax Office of Consumer Affairs is doing it again makes that tough, if not impossible, as a consumers to which I am trying to protect myself from identity thieves by having access and constant monitoring of my credit file It has come also to my attention until last month, Equifax barred consumers who placed security freezes on their credit reports from viewing their credit reports online. The company continues to bar those consumers from ordering their reports by phone and now again I am back on their mercy Us consumers use credit freezes to protect themselves from identity theft. With a freeze, one can lock down the credit files and unlock it by using a PIN, effectively blocking identity thieves from being able to open credit lines with on my credit file. 
In XXXX, I stated the process of refinancing my current home mortgage loan, in the process I tried to access my Equifax report online to which I have paid a full year of membership online to which now I cant use and this was paid ahead. 
When finally I was able to talk to then the Office of Consumer Affairs office since they afre keeping my file the credit bureau told me when I ask why there is a security frezze to which I can not control, their respond was because of the freeze, I would have to request my report by mail and include a copy of my Social Security card and the PIN I uses to freeze not having done this no credit report -- in short, everything an identity thief would need to open credit lines in his name. To clear this I have provided countless of time my id social security I lost count The process seemed so onerous that I am torn between forgoing checking my credit report or let then rule agains my file for no any reason. 
I also I told then that the lender need to review my file and they refuse to do anything, if they did nothing or control my file I would have move on with the refinancing but no this has not happen since some lender need to see all 3 credit bureau This problem is unique to Equifax. Only then are doing this The three credit bureaus they share a centralized service for processing consumers ' free credit report requests, but XXXX and XXXX  both allow consumers to look at their reports online instantly or to order the reports by phone, regardless of whether they have placed freezes on their reports why Equifax does not fallow their partners, or is it they so XXXX or have any clue what is irt they are doing wrong and to whom Is well know now that Equifax routinely blocked consumers who placed freezes from getting free credit reports online and by phone is this so out of contest and so bad and this is how I am asking for your assistance to have this stop I am a California resident its and the law in place give us the right to freeze our credit reports in the fall of XXXX. More than three dozen states granted their residents freezes even earlier. 
" To honor us the consumers ' when we requests for additional protection prior to the release of a file .Equifax has prevented online access for anyone seeking to gain access to a frozen file '' there is plenty of article online about this issue. 
I have also documented and have record of Equifax has adjusted the online system to make this imposible But Equifax when ask when will they stop doing this to consumer it doesn't know when, or if, it will allow consumers with freezes to place phone orders for their reports. 
I like to refresh their memory that the Federal law gives consumers the right to view copies of our credit reports at no charge once every 12 months. The Fair Credit Reporting Act and a companion law, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act, require the bureaus to allow consumers to request credit reports in writing, online or through a toll-free phone number or however we may wish The choice of what method to use to order is supposed to be for us the consumer 's -- and the law makes it clear it's supposed to be a single-step process. 
Online is the fastest way to look a credit report, with phone orders a speedy second for people who don't have computer access or who want a hard copy of their credit report without burning through their printer. ( The bureaus will truncate your Social Security number when they send the report. ) Typically, us the consumers will receive a copy of our credit reports within days of ordering by phone. 
Credit bureaus can request additional information if they can't verify a consumer 's identity, but unlike its competitors, Equifax routinely denied online and phone access to all consumers who put a security freeze on their reports and this need to be investigate. 
" It is obvious they are doing this to discourage people from freezing on our own term our credit file Is not then who made the decision It's important for me to occasionally and often to check my credit reports for accuracy. Companies often look at credit reports when they're deciding whom to hire or promote. 
Insurers and lenders look at credit reports when they're deciding how much to charge you -- or whether to do business with you at all. You have three credit reports, but they aren't identical -- and companies doing a credit check may look at only one bureau 's report. Because credit reporting mistakes are common, and costly, it's a good idea for consumers to check all three of their credit reports -- freeze or no. So please Office of Consumer Affairs unblock my credit file and stop acting in bad fate stop The Federal Trade Commission is supposed to enforce both the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the FACT Act. I am beginning to question more now if Equifax really give a damm and they dont shame on all of them The botton line and the law is clear " Once you freeze your credit, you're supposed to be able to access it, '' A freeze is not supposed to impede to any consumer the ability to get a free credit report or have lender or who have the need to view your file for and for varius porpose is the law Equifax get it The law is clear, credit bureaus must lift a freeze within 15 minutes of receiving a consumer 's request online, in writing or by phone. And I am now very concern that this time around I have not been able to get fast access to my own reports. 
I demand for you unblock my credit file you need to act and do as you are required or else I will start a lawsuit again your company is your turn to do something about it

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation