Consumer complaint received 2023-10-06
Company: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: CA
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Unable to get your credit report or credit score
Sub-issue: Other problem getting your report or credit score

Complaint:
In the first week of XXXX I was alerted to a fraudulent credit card opened in my name. I was able to contact the issuing bank ( XXXX ) and cancel the credit card and I was told to place a credit freeze and fraud alert at the XXXX credit reporting agencies, Experian, XXXX and XXXX. I already had a credit freeze at XXXX from a previous incident in XX/XX/2023 and was informed at that time that placing a freeze at XXXX agency would alert all the other agencies. 

This time I contacted all three agencies to ensure there was an active credit freeze at all three agencies. I was able to place a credit freeze online at both XXXX and XXXX but when I tried to log into my Experian account online I was unable to access my account. I called and was able to lock my credit report at Experian and coincidentally discover that my credit was not locked at Experian which is who XXXX uses to verify credit. While I was on the phone with Experian the customer service agent created an account for me and told me I could finish setting up the account including setting a password from the email they sent me. Subsequently I received an email but when trying to reset the password I was not able to reset it as the phone number they had on file did not match with my cell phone number which is the only phone number I have. At the time I did not pursue the reset as the agent on the phone confirmed I had both a credit freeze and a fraud alert active. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received another notification from XXXX that I had a new credit card application which I promptly reported to XXXX as fraud as I did not apply for a new credit card. XXXX was able to cancel the fraudulent application but was unable to flag my SSN or email address as a fraud risk and suggested I reach out to the credit reporting agencies again. I was again able to confirm my credit freeze at XXXX and XXXX easily but when I went to Experian I was unable to access my account as mentioned previously. Since I learned from the first fraud incident that Experian is the credit agency XXXX uses I knew this was the most important agency to ensure my fraud alerts/ credit freezes were active. I called Experian at the phone number listed in the " Prove that it's you another way '' link - XXXX during their listed business hours ( it was around XXXX PT ) and was unable to reach a live agent for help in accessing my account. The phone service actually hung up on me as I tried to ask for a live agent for help in resetting my password. I tried a few times before giving up on calling. I have scoured the entire Experian website and there is no other reference to account recovery anywhere else and it seems that there is no secondary method to resetting my password to access my account again as I can not get past the second verification as the phone number on my account does not match my cell phone number. 

I am left with no options other than to mail Experian which also requires me sending a copy of my driver 's license and utility bill which seems exceptionally risky given I am already the victim of some type of identity theft and sending a letter to help with resetting an online issue does not seem to be the most efficient course of action. 

I am extremely nervous and frustrated that a company trusted with vital information about my credit and is a control mechanism to prevent fraud has no customer support for account access nor a clear method to reach a live agent at the phone number they provided to help troubleshoot these issues. Furthermore since the account created by the Experian agent has a phone number which does not match my own I'm not certain that the perpetrator of fraud doesn't have access to my Experian account and thus is why I am continuing to have fraudulent credit accounts being opened in my name. 

Since I an unable to reach anyone at Experian to help with my issue I hope that the CFPB can inform others who are having similar issues and also push for a resolution so that my sensitive information entrusted to Experian can be secured.

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