Consumer complaint received 2022-08-02
Company: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: FL
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Sub-issue: Information is missing that should be on the report

Complaint:
I recently bought a home in XXXX, FL which I paid cash for and I own 100 % free and clear. I contacted the local electric/power company, XXXX XXXX , to set up an electrical power account prior to my closing date of XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX sent me a letter stating I was going to be charged a {$190.00} deposit. I was never advised that there was the potential for a deposit to be charged by XXXX XXXX until I received their letter on XX/XX/XXXX. 

The " Score Disclosure Notice '' sent by XXXX XXXX with their letter stated they contacted Experian to obtain my credit report/score and there were some " Key factors that adversely affected your credit score. '' The " factors '' stated by XXXX XXXX are as follows : THE DATE THAT YOU OPENED YOUR OLDEST ACCOUNT IS TOO RECENT, LACK OF SUFFICIENT CREDIT HISTORY, LACK OF SUFFICIENT RELEVANT REAL ESTATE ACCOUNT INFORMATION, THE BALANCES ON YOUR ACCOUTS ARE TOO HIGH COMPARED TO LOAN LIMITS. 

The information stated above is not correct. I have had " credit '' since the XXXX which is over 40 years ago. 

The oldest account on my credit report should be from XXXX or XXXX which makes those accounts over 6 years old.

I do not " lack '' relevant real estate account information. I have no outstanding real estate loan because I purchased and paid for my current home in cash on XX/XX/XXXX. This apparently did not show on the credit report XXXX XXXX obtained from Experian on XX/XX/XXXX. My credit report needs to be updated to reflect this information. I can only assume that a person that owns their own home free and clear of any debt or mortgage is not a complete and total deadbeat or credit risk. 

Upon receipt of the letter from XXXX XXXX I gave them a call on XX/XX/XXXX. I spoke with a woman who's name I did not receive. I explained I had NEVER been charged a deposit by a power company in my entire life. The woman on the phone insisted on playing a game of semantics and continually stated that it was not the fault of XXXX XXXX that I was being charged a {$190.00} security deposit. The woman insisted that Experian was charging me the deposit and XXXX XXXX had nothing to do with the deposit at all, despite the fact that the letter from XXXX XXXX states, " Please understand that neither Experian nor XXXX XXXX XXXX made the deposit decision. '' I then went on to inform the woman on the phone that XXXX XXXX is the one responsible for the deposit, XXXX XXXX is the one that requested my credit report and based on their company mandates decided to charge me a deposit. The woman on the phone just continued to insist XXXX XXXX had nothing to do with the deposit and it was all the fault of Experian. I gave up on discussing who made the deposit decision as it was abundantly clear on the phone call that this woman in XXXX XXXX 's call center had been given a script to read that included the blatant lie that Experian made the deposit decision, not XXXX XXXX. 

I then asked about having the deposit lowered and I was refused. I was told by the XXXX XXXX call center woman that the deposit was based off of prior usage at the home I purchased. This usage was based off of the former renter 's monthly power bills which really isn't fair since it does not reflect anything about me personally. I asked if I could have the {$190.00} deposit amount split into multiple payments because I am a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX patient and am living on a very limited income which consists of my monthly Social Security XXXX payments that I receive. I was told that XXXX XXXX would only split the deposit amount into two ( 2 ) monthly payments of {$95.00} and these payments would be due on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX along with my monthly energy bill. Unfortunately the woman lied about the due dates of the deposit since my first XXXX XXXX bill, which I received today, XX/XX/XXXX, was due today, XX/XX/XXXX. I can only assume that she lied about the XX/XX/XXXX, due date as well. I was also advised by the XXXX XXXX call center woman that the deposit would be rerfunded to me after one ( 1 ) year of on time payments. I told the woman that {$95.00} per month towards the security deposit was far more than I could afford to pay, but unfortunatley XXXX XXXX is unwilling to offer any more than a two ( 2 ) month time period to pay for their outrageous deposit. 

I am requesting that Experian update my credit report to reflect that I am a homeowner that owns their own home free and clear and does not have a mortgage on the home. I am also requested that I not be charged a {$190.00} deposit by XXXX XXXX. I further request that XXXX XXXX be admonished for having their call center employees lie to their customers about credit decisions made by XXXX XXXX and placing the blame on Experian ( or other companies ) instead.. This is especially wrong when the letter sent by XXXX XXXX XXXX Experian does not make the credit decisions. 

This whole experience with XXXX XXXX, their unreasonable security deposit based on inaccurate information, the experience with their lying employee at their call center, has been extremely upsetting and is just plain wrong. Unfortunately consumers have no choice when it comes to choosing their power company in the State of Florida as several power companies have monopolies in certain territories within the state. I was concerned about moving to an area that utilized XXXX XXXX as their power company after reading all the bad press last winter when XXXX XXXX took over in XXXX Florida as the power company and the power rates went up by an astronomical amount of money leaving untold numbers of people/households struggling to pay their monthly power bills. From what I understand they are at least as crooked as XXXX, if not more so. 

Thank you for your assistance. 

XXXX

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