Consumer complaint received 2019-02-17
Company: EQUIFAX, 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: Investigation took more than 30 days

Complaint:
After the Equifax breach, I requested a credit report freeze. In late XXXX I requested the temporary lift over the phone and was told it was completed. A few days later I confirmed the lift via your automated service. I also received a letter from Equifax confirming the lift was processed. 

After still being unable to subscribe to a new cell phone provided ( my original reason for the lift ) I called Equifax and was told to fax documents confirming my identity. 

XX/XX/XXXX Faxed Passport & Social Security Card to Equifax Security Freeze Department and I never received a response. 
XX/XX/XXXX - I spoke with XXXX XXXX I.D. # XXXX who told me to send these documents again to the Equifax Dispute Department XX/XX/XXXX - I faxed the documents again : Passport, Social Security Card, Bank Statement XX/XX/XXXX Spoke with XXXX XXXX I.D . # XXXX who told me to send these documents again to the Equifax Dispute Department XX/XX/XXXX - I mailed the same documents to the Equifax Dispute Department On XX/XX/XXXX I was naturalized and became a U.S. citizen. At that time I changed my name in the court. This change was  updated with all appropriate government agencies, banking business, etc. I thought maybe that was what Equifax was getting wrong so I also faxed and mailed a copy of the name change certification from the XXXX Court and my naturalization certificate. 

XX/XX/XXXX - Received a letter from Equifax saying my identity was confirm. However, the lift had not taken place XX/XX/XXXX - Received another a letter from Equifax saying my identity was confirmed. However, the lift had not taken place XX/XX/XXXX - Mailed documents again to Equifax Dispute Department All of this time I was constantly told on the phone they could not confirm whether or not they had received my documents because they don't have access to the Dispute Department and since it was a mail in service, and you simply are not allowed to speak with anyone in that department. 
Late XXXX - called Equifax, they said they had lifted the freeze ( although they still did not ) but the name they had on file was wrong - even though I had sent my documents 5 times. The Equifax employee told me he would make the update to my name and that I had to wait up to 30 days to receive an email confirming the change. 
XX/XX/XXXX - I received an email from Equifax confirming that my dispute had been successfully completed XX/XX/XXXX - After not being able to have a credit check again, I called Equifax. They said there was still the same problem and they would submit a dispute to update my name again, and that I had to wait up to 30 days, again, to receive a confirmation. 

I do not know what else to do. Won't I ever be able to get a new phone, a loan, buy a car, get a new job, in America again? I'm completely dependent on a private company that I can not even opt out of working with them. The government effectively forces us to be at the mercy of a private company.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation