Consumer complaint received 2022-02-11
Company: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: AZ
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with fraud alerts or security freezes

Complaint:
I received notice this date that my SSN was leaked in a security breach by XXXX. I was told by my identity theft service monitoring site to freeze my credit at the three major credit reporting companies. I did so at XXXX and XXXX within seconds of creating accounts with those companies. However, when I attempted to freeze my credit at Experian, I was first sent to multiple links attempting to sell me their product, " XXXX, '' until I found in tiny print, a link at the very bottom of a random dropdown box, that XXXX is not the same thing as a credit freeze. I clicked that link and was sent to Experian 's credit freeze page. I entered my information accurate there but received the following message ( below ). Given that the other two companies allowed me to access my right to freeze my credit without issue and within seconds, Experian is engaging in unfair business practices by routing me to purchase their product rather than access my freeze request, by not effectively confirming my personal information, and placing an undue burden on me to mail them my private information which takes time, carries additional risks, and means that requesting the freeze in the future may also take additional amount of time. I am not comfortable sending my SSN through the mail while I am trying to protect it from fraud. It appears to me that Experian is making it unnecessarily difficult for me to access my free credit freeze so that I will purchase their product. I am also now delayed from protecting my credit because of an easily fixable quirk of their system which the other companies have obviously resolved. Please help! 

" We were unable to honor your request to place a security freeze on your personal credit report based on the information you entered. 

Sending us your information To request a security freeze, send all of the requested information via certified or regular mail to Experian XXXX XXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX  XXXX, XXXX, TX XXXX. Include your full name, with middle initial and generation, such as JR, SR, II, III, etc. ; Social Security number ; date of birth ( month, day and year ) ; current address, and previous addresses for the past two years. In addition, enclose one copy of a government issued identification card, such as a drivers license, state ID card, etc., and one copy of a utility bill, bank or insurance statement, etc. Make sure that each copy is legible, displays your name and current mailing address, and the date of issue ( statement dates must be recent ). To protect your personal identification information, Experian does not return correspondence sent to us. 
Send copies of any documents you wish to provide to us and always retain your original documents. We will send you a confirmation notice once the security freeze has been added, and you will be given a personal identification number ( PIN ) that will be required in order to remove the freeze temporarily ( in order to apply for credit or for any transaction that requires that another party access your personal credit report ) or permanently. 
Experian XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX, TX XXXX Your identification information [ personal information removed ] [ ] I have included a copy of a valid police report or investigative report or complaint filed with a law enforcement agency, etc. ''

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