Consumer complaint received 2019-12-15
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: NY
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with fraud alerts or security freezes

Complaint:
ON XX/XX/19 I CALLED EQUIFAX AT XXXX TO REQUEST INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO UPDATE MY FRAUD ALERT TELEPHONE NUMBERS ON MY CREDIT REPORT. I WAS TOLD TO FAX TO XXXX MY LETTER MAKING THE REQUEST ALONG WITH A COPY OF MY DRIVER 'S LICENSE, SOCIAL SECURITY CARD, AND A RECENT UTILITY BILL WITH THE CORRECT TELEPHONE NUMBERS. I IMMEDIATELY FAXED THE REQUESTED INFORMATION AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD TAKE 5-7 BUSINESS DAYS TO UPDATE. ON XX/XX/19 I CALLED MY CREDITOR THAT NEEDED TO VERIFY MY IDENTITY AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT THE INFORMATION WAS STILL REPORTING WITH THE WRONG TELEPHONE NUMBERS AND THEY COULD NOT RE-ESTABLISH MY ACCOUNT OR PROVIDE ME WITH NEW INSTALLATION SERVICES AFTER I HAD BEEN WAITING AN ENTIRE 10 DAYS FOR EQUIFAX TO UPDATE THE INFORMATION IN THEIR 5-7 BUSINESS DAYS AS THEY EXPLAINED TO ME. I IMMEDIATELY FAXED AND EMAILED EQUIFAX WITHOUT A REPLY BACK REGARDING WHY THEY STILL HAD NOT UPDATED THE INFORMATION AND I EXPLAINED TO THEM THE URGENTCY OF MY INSTALLATION CONSIDERING IT HAD BEEN RESCHEDULED TWICE DUE TO THE WRONG INFORMATION REPORTING. I HAD RECEIVED NO REPLY BACK TO ANY OF MY FAXES OR EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS FROM EQUIFAX. ON XX/XX/19 I RECEIVED BY MAIL AT MY RESIDENCE A LETTER FROM EQUIFAX WHICH WAS EQUIFAX 'S CONFIRMATION # : XXXX WHICH ADVISED ME THAT EQUIFAX DOES NOT ADD TELEPHONE NUMBERS TO CREDIT FILES WHICH MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE IF YOU HAVE A FRAUD ALERT ON YOUR CREDIT REPORT WHICH INSTRUCTS POTENTIAL CREDITORS TO CALL YOU DIRECTLY AT THE NUMBER LISTED ON YOUR CREDIT REPORT. IN ADDITION TO THIS NEGLIGENCE, THE CONFIRMATION ALSO ADVISED ME THAT THEY EXTENDED THE FRAUD ALERT WITHOUT MY REQUEST OR KNOWLEDGE WHEN I HAD REQUESTED THAT IT BE PERMANENTLY REMOVED BECAUSE I AM SICK AND TIRED OF THE CONSTANT HASSLES THAT GO WITH COMMUNICATING TO EQUIFAX IN REFERENCE TO CHANGES ON MY CREDIT REPORT AND/OR ASSISTING THEM WITH MAINTAINING ACCURATE INFORMATION SO I DECIDED TO HAVE THE FRAUD ALERT PERMANENTLY REMOVED SINCE I WAS NOT ABLE TO UPDATE MY CORRECT TELEPHONE NUMBERS. TO DATE I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF NEW PHONE LINES BEING INSTALLED WITH XXXX-XXXX  AND I AM CURRENTLY IN THE APPROVAL PROCESS OF A BUSINESS LOAN WHICH I AM BEING DECLINED TO RECEIVE DUE TO THE CREDITORS NOT BEING ABLE TO VERIFY MY IDENTITY WITH AN ACCURATE TELEPHONE NUMBER LISTED ON MY CREDIT REPORT THAT I CAN NOT UPDATE OR CORRECT WITH EQUIFAX BECAUSE THEY ARE CLAIMING THAT THEY DO NOT ADD TELEPHONE NUMBERS TO CREDIT FILES. THIS IS UNHEARD OF AND MY SITUATION IS CRITICAL AND I NEED THEIR FRAUD ALERT REMOVED. CREDIT BUREAUS LIKE THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FOR MATTERS THAT RELATE TO A CONSUMER 'S WELL BEING AND LIVELIHOOD. HOW ARE WE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE OURSELVES VERIFIED USING A FRAUD ALERT ON OUR CREDIT REPORT IF IN FACT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO UPDATE, CHANGE OR CORRECT THE INFORMATION SHOULD IT CHANGE. EQUIFAX NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY PROCESS CONSUMER REQUESTS IN AN ACCURATE AND TIMELY MANNER. IN MY OPINION THEY ARE THE WORST CREDIT BUREAU EVER AND THEY ARE INCOMPETENT, UNPROFESSIONAL AND OUTRIGHT IGNORANT IN THE WAYS IN WHICH THEY CONDUCT BUSINESS AND THEIR STAFF ARE NOT TRAINED NOR ARE THEY KNOWLEDGEABLE REGARDING INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES THAT THEY PASS ON TO US WHEN WE CALL IN WITH CONCERNS THAT DESPERATELY AFFECT OUR LIVES ACCORDINGLY. I WANT THEIR FRAUD ALERT REMOVED PERMANENTLY FROM MY CREDIT REPORT AND I REFUSE TO WAIT AN ADDITIONAL 5-7 BUSINESS DAYS FOR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF ON XX/XX/19 WHEN THEY WERE FIRST CONTACTED BY ME BY FAX. ( SEE ATTACHED ).

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation