Consumer complaint received 2022-01-08
Company: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: OR
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with fraud alerts or security freezes

Complaint:
At XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, Experian sent an email indicating that someone had changed the email address notification for my credit account. I did not make this change. When I discovered this email, I immediately attempted to login to my Experian account. I discovered that my username has also been changed to an email address that is not mine ( attached image ). Someone has fraudulently accessed my account, changed the email notification address and changed the username. I am unable to login to my account. 
Criminals have taken over my Experian account for the likely purpose of removing my alert/freeze so that my identity can be used to fraudulently secure credit. Fraudulent activity is in process at this moment in time. 
I sent an email back to Experian, indicating this change was fraud. I received an autoresponse that Experian would " aim to respond '' in 2 business days, starting on Monday ( today is Saturday ). There is no phone number on the email to report fraud. 
I searched experian.com and tried for over two hours to reach a human being that could freeze my account or do something to block potential fraud. I dialed three different phone numbers and each time received a robot voice response that was unable to help. Via the robot auto attendant, I attempted to freeze, create a fraud alert, report fraud, talk to a " specialist '', talk to an " agent '' but was unable to reach a human being. The robot said she was only able to transfer me in certain scenarios. Experian.com indicates hours of operation that include Saturday. I used the words " fraud '' and " report identity theft '' and was unable to reach help. The only option was to have her read instruction to use the Experian website that I could no longer log into or learn the mailing address to send a paper request to Experian via the USPS. 
Experian does not have a reasonable way to communicate fraud in action. This means fraud will most likely happen needlessly costing businesses, banks, credit card companies using my identity. This is going to create another mess for me to clean up- likely months filing/following disputes. I was part of a breach in XXXX and ID theft has been a recurring nightmare ever since. 
Experian needs to publish and respond to a communication method that can more timely stop fraud in motion. As a consumer, I am hostage to their lack of urgency and responsible for the damage it causes to my credit. 
Experian needs to create a more robust mechanism to block fraudulent changes to usernames. My unique Experian.com password is written down in a secure place and I have not logged into my own account for months. A criminal element somehow accessed my account and easily changed the username for a prior identity theft victim. There was no confirmation or 2 step authentication.

This is incredibly sloppy and irresponsible on the part of Experian. A better ( 2 factor authentication ) mechanism for change management is the least expensive ( preventative ) solution. At the least, Experian should respond to a consumer report of fraud/identity theft in motion.

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