Consumer complaint received 2018-07-24
Company: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: NY
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem
Sub-issue: Their investigation did not fix an error on your report

Complaint:
I would like to file a complaint against Experian Credit Bureau for repeatedly failing my remote identity verification requests via online or by phone when I have provided the correct personal, demographic and financial information based on their recent credit report ; this created financial losses and greatly restricted my professional career advancement. 

I am a licensed XXXX XXXX agent   since XX/XX/XXXX. In order to work independently and fully function as a XXXX XXXX agent, I must have access to XXXX, a secure application to view Medicare beneficiaries profiles regarding their current Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug ( MAPD ) plan and Low Income Subsidy ( LIS ) level. However, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid ( CMS ) uses Experian as their third party online remote identity proof vendor, and Experian has continuously failed my requests for identity verification via online and by phone without any support to resolve the problem, even after I have filed a dispute with them via mail with all supporting documentation. Below is a summary of events that happened : XX/XX/XXXX 1. I tried to request access to XXXX secure system, XXXX, via XXXX, but unable to pass the online remote identity verification under Experian. I received instructions to contact Experian Help Desk 2. I contacted Experian Help Desk, Rep. XXXX attempted to complete a telephonic identity verification but failed. He referred me to XXXX XXXX Help Desk at XXXX XXXX. Contacted XXXX XXXX Help Desk, and they referred me to XXXX Help Desk at XXXX for manual identity verification 4. Contacted XXXX Help Desk, received message that they no longer provide manual verification, that I should keep trying to pass the online remote identity verification under Experian up to six times a day 5. Called Experian Help Desk back and spoke to Rep. XXXX, whom attempted telephonic verification and stated there was nothing they could do ; she then referred me to XXXX XXXX at XXXX. I later contacted XXXX XXXX, and they referred me back to XXXX Help Desk 6. I verified the information against Experian credit report obtained via their XXXX service back in early XXXX XXXX, found no discrepancies with the information I submitted via the verification process, yet Experian system continued to fail my verification attempts XX/XX/XXXX 1. Continued multiple attempts to pass the online remote identity verification by Experian via XXXX but received same failure message 2. Contacted XXXX   Help Desk, spoke to Rep. XXXX, whom confirmed again there was no more manual verification, that I must contact Experian to have this problem resolved as the information were feed by Experian system 3. Attempted to access free annual credit report from Experian via XXXX, but received error message We were unable to honor your request. If you entered your credit card information, we did not charge you XX/XX/XXXX 1. Contacted Experian Help Desk and failed telephonic verification again ; I was referred to their website for further assistance but unable to find any information or contact # for related issues 2. Obtained free annual credit reports from both XXXX and XXXX via XXXX without any issue. Compared information on the reports with my answers to the security questions asked by Experian during their online and phone identity verification process and found no discrepancies. Could not understand why Experian continued to fail my attempts with their identity verification process XX/XX/XXXX 1. Called XXXX and ordered a free Experian annual credit report via automated phone system and filed complaint against Experian online via XXXX XX/XX/XXXX 1. Contacted Experian XXXX Customer Service at XXXX, whom transferred call to Experian Dispute Department. Rep. XXXX at Dispute Department submitted ticket to review my issue, stated it would take 5-7 business days for review XX/XX/XXXX 1. Followed up with Experian Dispute Department at XXXX, Rep. XXXX confirmed ticket sent on XX/XX/XXXX, but unable to verify if case is open or closed ; hell send e-mail for follow up XX/XX/XXXX XXXX. Followed up with Experian Dispute Department, Rep. XXXX transferred call to Rep. XXXX at Experian Verification Department, whom referred me to follow up with Social Security Administration. Later spoke to Rep. XXXX at Experian Verification Department, whom stated my only options left were to speak to my employer or contact the XXXX XXXX XXXX again at XXXX or XXXX 2. I was able to pass the telephonic identity verification via Experian Verification Department, yet they claimed my issue must be resolved through Experian Help Desk 3.  Contacted the XXXX XXXX XXXX at both numbers, XXXX and XXXX. I was referred to XXXX XXXX XXXX Help Desk this time, whom referred me back to XXXX Help Desk as they do not handle Medicare related security access issues XX/XX/XXXX 1. Visited my local social security office and confirmed they had the correct information on me in their master file ; they also confirmed they did not have me listed as deceased thus should not cause issues with Experian XX/XX/XXXX 1. Contacted XXXX Help Desk with no resolution XX/XX/XXXX 1. Contacted XXXX Help Desk with no resolution XX/XX/XXXX 1. As my last desperate attempt, I mailed in my dispute to Experian with a cover letter explaining my issue along with proof documentation, such as screenshots of my answers to the security questions. I requested that they review if there may be any technical issues on their end so that my problem could be resolved XX/XX/XXXX 1. Received Dispute Result credit report from Experian in response to my dispute. The report showed they made a minor update the format of my permanent address without addressing my actual concern. I continued to have problems getting through their identity verification process to gain secure access to XXXX system via XXXX As you can see, I have tried all possible options : Experian Help Desk, XXXX XXXX Help Desk, Medicare XXXX Help Desk, Experian Dispute/Verification Department, the national and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX , Social Security Administration, and my employer, yet none were able to resolve the issue. I have made different attempts using different variations of my name and addresses on the Experian credit report and failed. The Experian telephonic verifications pre-populated my information so there shouldnt be any name/address format discrepancies, yet I still failed the attempts. The same set of security questions were being asked every single time by Experian via their online and phone verification process, and I was 100 % sure that my answers were correct. However, Experian kept referring me to an outside party for a resolution when it was obvious that it was their system that was giving me the problem ; they could not explain as to why I have provided the correct personal and demographic information and answered the security questions correctly based on their recent credit report, yet their system still would not let me pass their identity verification process. 

I have attempted to resolve this issue since XX/XX/XXXX, and this has caused me a lot of stress and frustration. The Medicare annual election period is coming up in XX/XX/XXXX where Medicare beneficiaries would be allowed to make changes to their plans. There will be many sales opportunities, yet without access to XXXX, I would not be able to take full advantage of them. My livelihood and career are based on getting through Experians identity verification process via online or by phone so I can gain access to XXXX from Medicare, but Experians responses to my issue so far are completely unacceptable. Experian needs to take my issue more seriously instead of deferring the responsibility to someone else. I desperately need this issue resolved as soon as possible. 

Sincerely,

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