Consumer complaint received 2020-09-08
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Sub-issue: Personal information incorrect

Complaint:
I have been trying to get internet service with XXXX, who use Equifax to verify personal information, and credit. XXXX has not been able to verify personal information, because of a series of XXXX ups on their part and equifax part. Equifax refusal to address the issue, is why I'm requesting CFPB intevention. Note, I've lived at the same address for more than five years, and my, name, social security, and birth date have never changed. The address errors are entirely with Equifax. 


When XXXX could not identify me, I figured Equifax had another secondary address in their system, rather than my primary address. They did, and I had them verify me, then send a credit report there, then had that credit report forwarded to me. I then called and had equifax verify me, then change that address to my primary address, on XX/XX/2020, as is stated in the report they sent on that same day, to the new address. I have that report, and can provide a copy. Note, this was sent to the correct address. 


I then ran the process at XXXX  again, with another failure to identify. This time I discovered, that the issue was a typo in the address in the corrected credit report. The equifax representative put the apartment number in front of the road, as can be seen in said equifax report. Note, they managed to get the address right on the front of the letter, but not in the report. How does a company whose product can prevent me getting a public utility service, an internet connection with XXXX, put in a typo in the address, so obvious, with the street number and apt number, in front of the rd abbreviation? 


Furthermore, when I called to correct this, the person at the overseas call center proceeded to argue with me, that the issue was my lack of credit. Note, the XXXX  reps have specifically told me the issue is not credit, as they can take a deposit. The issue is identification. The issue was Equifax putting an address correction in that didn't even match their own mailing system, which clearly states the correct address on the front of the envelope mailed to me. 


I tried to get XXXX  to simply run the typo, but they have to put in an address that matches a real mailing address. Think about that. Equifax can put in an address that doesn't even " exist '' into your credit report, but then mail that report to the correct address. Meanwhile, XXXX, a company that does not hold a consumer 's credit in their hands, has a system that doesn't allow any such typo. Think about that. 


Today XX/XX/XXXX, while trying to get this issue resolved again, I call equifax. I give the correct verification info, but am asked about credit cards, and car loans, which I do not have, during the verification process. Note, no such car loans or credit accounts are on the report sent to me at my primary address, " by Equifax '' or the previous report sent to my secondary address. I pick none of the above on their menu. I am told I can not access my account. I hit zero for an agent, and get put on hold thirty minutes. When the agent answers, I hear a click, and the line stays connected, without my being able to speak to the agent. This is how I am treated after " their mistake '' in " identification. '' Please note, beyond the time this is costing me, Equifax repeated " failures '' have forced me to stay with an internet provider that is not secure, that I am being overcharged for. Their failures are costing me money, and they seem almost deliberate. How does anyone enter an address in a system with the apartment number before the road, and put in XXXX  as part of the road name, rather than the word on their envelope? I can document all this with the actual credit report they sent to my address. 


Please note that despite the address issue, I am the same person with the same social security, birthdate, and name, in the same primary address for more than five years, with no recent credit history other than inquiries as I have documented in two credit reports sent to me by equifax themselves, who verified me to send those reports. 


If they claim they can not verify me, how come they could verify me from information given them on calls enough to send me those credit reports, even send me a security code text to my phone, but now when I call in from the same phone which they sent a security text to, when their system verifies the phone I'm calling from, they deny me access to correct their mistake on the address I discovered in the report they sent me? There is no excuse for their failure to correct their errors or respond. 


If equifax claim is credit information on my report which they have which I can not verify, that information is not on the credit report they sent me dated XX/XX/2020, or the earlier report sent to the secondary address they had, and any such information is incorrect, as I have no open car loans, etc, just inquiries, as both reports show. Remember, they have already verified me enough to send two reports. 


No credit reporting company should be allowed to prevent a citizen access to a service that is legally defined as a public utillity, especially internet, in the middle of a pandemic which makes consumers even more reliant on the internet. That three months after being subject to the incompetence of this failed company under a judgment for failure to protect consumer records, I can not get a response, much less a resolution, should be investigated by your agency. I can provide documentation to verify this statement.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation