Consumer complaint received 2019-04-16
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: GA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with fraud alerts or security freezes

Complaint:
Re. : Removing Credit Alert : Are the Credit Bureaus Making Placing A Credit Alert Intentionally More Difficult Than It should be? 
To Whom This May Be concern Or to Whom May care Greetings! 
It has been quite a few years that I use a credit monitoring via EQUIFAX which I pay dutifully every month. 
One of the service [ or options ] that comes with the package is that a consumer/member [ who pays for the service, like me ] can place a credit alert on their credit file in all major credit bureaus via Equifax and no other action is required. 
So, I placed the credit alert on my files online ; of course, I did it with no interference of another human being. 
This arrangement worked fine for a few years that is, until I decided to remove the credit alert. 
However, when I decided to remove the credit alert it has created all sorts of bureaucracy : 1 ) Equifax did NOT accept that I remove the credit alert online via their own service which I use placed it!

2 ) I had to call them and when I declined to provide my full SS # over the phone ( * ) he asked several questions about information containing on my credit records that I should be familiar with. I do not mind the probe however the probe went well over half an hour which I think it was excessive : I wonder if it was only because I did no want to give my full SS # over the phone? Which I think has been grossly abused. 
3 ) So, I thought that once I had placed the credit alert via my service which I pay to Equifax would suffice for the other credit bureaus also to remove the credit alert in tandem once that it was placed via Equifax wrong again, Watson! Equifax sent me a letter instructing me that, if I wanted the credit alert to be removed from the other bureaus, I had to contact to each of them directly AND independently from Equifax. 
4 ) Accordingly, at first, I tried to accomplish it online, directly on their respective websites where each of them have links which suggest that it can be done that way, that is online! 
5 ) Wrong again!!! After going the whole process each of them denied me then asked that I sent documents via USPS. 
6 ) XXXX sports the worse interface : It does time out! however, their site does NOT offer any indication on how long the consumer has to upload the required documents and/or write notes on the provided windows of what is been sought I bank online and pay credit cards online they all indicate how long I have until it time out and some DO OFFER option for me to extend the visit : So technology DOES exist for those who want to offer a pleasant customer experience!!! 
a. After several attempts, I was able to upload whatever documents they ask Mission accomplished? Wrong again! Several days later they sent me an email asking for the procedure to be repeated via USPS! and they gave a list of required documents that I had already uploaded to XXXX website b. Interesting enough I uploaded my request on link on their site that says alert removal ironical!! Why do they post such link? 
== > Please note : I do have screen shots to document my ordeal and I will not upload to the CFPB website, feel free to request it. However, I will send a hard copy to XXXX along this letter via USPS certified mail. 
Therefore, I come back to the question I posed on the beginning of this complaint : Re. : Removing Credit Alert : Are the Credit Bureaus Making Placing A Credit Alert Intentionally More Difficult Than It should be? 
Given my experience, it seems that way. they do not want consumers to place credit alerts! 
I would like for the credit bureaus present me with their evidence to the contrary!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation