Consumer complaint received 2023-07-12
Company: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: GA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report
Sub-issue: Credit inquiries on your report that you don't recognize

Complaint:
1 ) The first issue is with XXXX and XXXX. I applied for a home rental in XXXX, Georgia, and was told by XXXX that the XXXX report showed XXXX. I am XXXX XXXX XXXX and have been completely debt-free for the past seven years. I haven't had a credit card balance or car payment in years. And no evictions. When I applied with a separate rental management company that does not use XXXX, my credit score was NOT XXXX and was approved. However, the tenant decided to renew their lease at the last minute, and I was back to square one. The affordable housing crisis in Georgia is challenging especially to someone like myself that is on a fixed income. My search continues and I am terrified that I will soon become homeless because the next property management company may use XXXX. Apparently, I am not alone. I have read many negative reviews on multiple sites about XXXX concerning the same issue. The integrity of XXXX 's algorithm appears to be in question and I don't believe that the company is in alignment with the fair credit reporting act. I spoke with a XXXX representative and they told me that XXXX is not held liable, that the decision was all on XXXX. Did XXXX have XXXX customize an algorithm just for them? Or was XXXX only guilty of trusting an erroneous report from XXXX? Frankly, I blame both companies. The last time I looked at XXXX reviews, they had an F ( - ) XXXX rating. The XXXX stated on their site that due to volume of complaints against XXXX, they were only able to display 25 % of the complaints. 
2 ). The second issue is with the three main credit reporting agencies and sub credit bureaus ( XXXX is one of them ). I have had a credit freeze placed with all three credit reporting agencies since the security breach with XXXX XXXX My family attorney instructed me to immediately place a freeze asap to protect my personal information. I checked back not too long ago and the freeze was still in place. Despite the freeze, Experian, XXXX and XXXX have allowed XXXX to access my personal information without my permission. I have read complaints that XXXX will access people 's personal information multiple times ( which lowered their credit score ), but they never applied for a loan or rental, etc? I was told that the only way to opt-out from these sub-credit bureaus is to download the form, fill out all your personal info on the piece of paper, mail it via USPS to all of the companies ( and there is no guarantee that they will accomodate the opt-out ). Why should I do this when I have a freeze, and why can't people opt-out with the main credit reporting agencies? Or are the major three getting a kick-back of some kind?

3 ) The third issue is also with the three main credit reporting agencies. Why do people like myself that have been debt-free for years have a lower credit score than those with a lot of debt? Why do you have to incur debt and be a slave to a financial institution in order to boost your credit score? And why do you have to pay extra to boost the score when you pay your bills on time ( that should be reflected without having to pay for it ). People with no debt should be rewarded not punished.

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 non-monetary relief