Consumer complaint received 2022-10-28
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Credit inquiries on your report that you don't recognize
Company: Experian Information Solutions Inc. (WA)

I received a written Notice of Data Breach from one of my financial institutions ( XXXX XXXX XXXX  ). I followed the instructions to sign up for free credit monitoring through XXXX. I also followed the instructions to sign up for a free Fraud Alert with Experian. I logged into my Experian account on XX/XX/XXXX and printed and saved a copy of my credit report. 

Later, when I reviewed my report, I saw two " soft inquiries '' that I didn't recognize. The one that concerned me was by " XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX '' at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX CA XXXX that occurred on the same day ( XX/XX/XXXX ) that I printed my credit report. That seemed odd to me, so I did an internet search and came across " XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX credit inquiry with stolen id '' that indicated : " So far nothing to report- but they made unauthorized credit inquiry after fraudulently obtaining SS number '' XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, which concerned me even more. 

The Experian website had indicated : " How do I dispute by phone? ... Once you receive your report, contact us at the number displayed on your report for assistance. '' My credit report indicated : " Contact us by phone XXXX  through XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX, I tried calling Experian at the number listed on the credit report I had printed on Saturday : XXXX. I tried calling that number several times and selecting different options, but every time I ended up going in a circle with their phone system. No matter which option I selected, I could not reach a person to speak to. It would simply send me back to the original choices or tell me that callers could only be transferred to an agent " in limited circumstances. '' But it never asked about my situation, nor did it ever explain what circumstances would qualify for me to be able to speak to a live agent. It had no way of determining whether I qualified for those " limited circumstances, '' but it would not let me proceed. 

I then went back to my XXXX credit report because I had disputed an error on it. It listed a different phone number for Experian : XXXX, so I tried calling that number, but I ended up going in the same circle of options without ever being able to speak to an agent. 

I also had a number from the Experian website in cases of an alert, which said, " If you see a credit report that is not accurate please contact Experian XXXX at XXXX. '' I again ended up in the same circle of options that did not allow me to connect with a live agent. 

I then looked up the number for Experian on the internet and called the number I found : XXXX, but I again ended up in the same circular loop of messages without ever being able to reach a live agent. 

At that point I gave up trying to call Experian, and I tried to log into my Experian account. For some inexplicable reason, neither my Username nor my Password worked -- although they had worked just two days before! I became really worried that perhaps this XXXX had not only stolen my information but had also accessed my Experian account and changed my Username and Password. 

I literally had NO WAY to contact Experian, so that same morning ( XX/XX/XXXX ) I called the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the woman I spoke to ( XXXX? ) encouraged me to file a complaint with the CFPB. By that point I was extremely stressed and exhausted. ( I am currently very ill and have a chronic condition that causes me to have very limited energy. ) I read the information about filing a complaint but did not have the mental energy to do so until today, XX/XX/XXXX. 

This morning ( XX/XX/XXXX ) I again tried calling Experian at the first number ( the one on my current credit report ), hoping that my bad experience on Monday was due to some phone problem they were experiencing. I ended up in the same loop of messages without being able to reach an agent. I then tried logging into my Experian account and had no problem doing so, but the listing of the soft inquiries had completely disappeared from my credit report. I tried various searches but couldn't find it. So now I am even more concerned. I can't reach Experian to talk to a live person, and the soft inquiry I was concerned about no longer shows up on my credit report. I have no idea what that soft inquiry was about or why it has now seemingly disappeared. But I cant get an explanation from Experian because their phone system doesnt allow me to speak to a live person. 

Experian needs to have adequate staffing to be able to answer phone calls and allow customers to speak to Experian agents in person.