Consumer complaint received 2016-08-01
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: PA
Product: Credit reporting
Issue: Credit reporting company's investigation
Sub-issue: Inadequate help over the phone

Complaint:
This is my second complaint about Equifax in three days. The first complaint was filed on XXXX/XXXX/2016 when the Equifax computer hung for about 4 minutes when processing my request to temporarily lift my freeze on my credit report. During that time, the Equifax computer hit my XXXX card four times for the {$10.00} lift fee. I saw this happen in real time because I get an Alert e-mail every time an online ( card-not-present ) transaction arrives on my XXXX account. 

I received XXXX XXXX alert messages -- all by Equifax , each for {$10.00}, and with time stamps of XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX. 

I could not discuss this with Equifax until today, Monday XXXX/XXXX/2016 because Equifax Customer Care told me that the department for that issue was only available M-F. 

I called that department today and spoke with XXXX. At first, she could n't understand the concept that my credit card was charged four times in three minutes. Then she looked at my account, saw the charges, and said that it was my fault -- that I had made XXXX unfreeze requests! I told her that was a crazy and ignorant thing to say -- no one could sign in and go through all the required computer steps for a lift request four times in three minutes. 

I said I want the mistakes removed from my XXXX XXXX immediately. She said she ca n't do that. Who can do that I asked. She said I have to send in my statement with the charges and make a written request for the refunds. Once they get the request, it will take five business days to process the refunds. I told her this was a form of fraud and that I would make a complaint to the CFPB -- if you can see the overcharges on my account, I told her, you do n't need my XXXX statement to " prove '' the charges happened! She said that 's how they do it ( which I took to mean that I 'm not the first person who has had this problem ). 

So now I have to wait until XXXX/XXXX/2016, which is when XXXX will electronically issue the statement that will contain the overcharges, print out the " evidence '' Equifax wants, and get it in the mail to XXXX by XXXX/XXXX/2016. If the request manages to arrive by Monday XXXX/XXXX/2016, I imagine Equifax will take until Tuesday XXXX/XXXX/2016 at the earliest to finally reverse these spurious charges. That is to say, they will drag their feet for two months before doing what is reasonable and right. 

Why is this sort of run-around allowed? I have my credit reports frozen because my personal information was taken several times in XXXX. This is my right to do, and it is my right to a request temporary lift if I need it. Equifax should have a computer system that properly processes such requests. And if a mistake occurs that Equifax admits it can see on my account, Equifax should take immediate steps to make the correction. 

Also, as I said in my first complaint last Saturday, this is not an isolated incidence of computer malfunction at Equifax. I order my free Equifax credit report every XXXX ; it is always a battle with the Equifax computer to find the dialog that will let me download a PDF of my report ( unlike the XXXX and XXXX websites, where the downloads are easy to do ). Also, when I did the credit report freeze last year, the Equifax process was bumpy and full of frozen screens that took a lot of trust and perseverance to wait out ( but XXXX and XXXX processes went well ). Free credit reports, credit report freezes, and credit report unfreezes are all mandated consumer services -- they should be well supported and easy to do online.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief