Consumer complaint received 2017-09-10
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports 
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report
Sub-issue: Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX Equifax informed the public that 143 million people 's personal information was stolen. Equifax learned of this incident on XX/XX/XXXX but did not notify the public for over a month. 

I used the website setup by Equifax to facilitate information about the incident, and was informed that my personal information was among those stolen. Equifax is offering their own Credit Monitoring service free for for XXXX year, but upon reading the terms of service, I found that they had inserted an Arbitration Clause into the terms of accepting this service. My basic interpretation of this clause is that by accepting Equifax 's offer of credit monitoring, I will also be waiving my right to seek compensation for damages through a class-action lawsuit. I have reproduced the arbitration clause below. As a precaution, I tried to freeze my credit file with Equifax, which they are still charging {$10.00} for. 

Reproduced from XXXX XXXX XXXX " ARBITRATION. PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE SECTION CAREFULLY BECAUSE IT AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS BY REQUIRING ARBITRATION OF DISPUTES ( EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW ) AND A WAIVER OF THE ABILITY TO BRING OR PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION, CLASS ARBITRATION, OR OTHER REPRESENTATIVE ACTION. ARBITRATION PROVIDES A QUICK AND COST EFFECTIVE MECHANISM FOR RESOLVING DISPUTES, BUT YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT IT ALSO LIMITS YOUR RIGHTS TO DISCOVERY AND APPEAL. 

Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, all claims, disputes, or controversies raised by either You or XXXX XXXX arising from or relating to the subject matter of this Agreement or the Products ( Claim or Claims ) shall be finally settled by arbitration in the county ( or parish ) where you live or where You and XXXX XXXX XXXX otherwise agree using the English language in accordance with the Arbitration Rules and Procedures of XXXX then in effect, by one commercial arbitrator with substantial experience in resolving complex commercial contract disputes, who may or may not be selected from the appropriate list of XXXX arbitrators. 

This arbitration will be conducted as an individual arbitration. Neither You nor We consent or agree to any arbitration on a class or representative basis, and the arbitrator shall have no authority to proceed with arbitration on a class or representative basis. No arbitration will be consolidated with any other arbitration proceeding without the consent of all parties. This class action waiver provision applies to and includes any Claims made and remedies sought as part of any class action, private attorney general action, or other representative action. By consenting to submit Your Claims to arbitration, You will be forfeiting Your right to bring or participate in any class action ( whether as a named plaintiff or a class member ) or to share in any class action awards, including class claims where a class has not yet been certified, even if the facts and circumstances upon which the Claims are based already occurred or existed. 

If the parties can not agree upon the identity of the arbitrator within fifteen ( 15 ) days following the date, then a single arbitrator shall be selected on an expedited basis in accordance with the Arbitration Rules and Procedures of XXXX. Any arbitrator so selected shall have substantial experience in complex commercial contract disputes. Judgment upon the award so rendered may be entered in a court having jurisdiction or application may be made to such court for judicial acceptance of any award and an order of enforcement, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each party shall have the right to institute injunctive or other forms of equitable relief at any time in any court of competent jurisdiction. 

This agreement to arbitrate involves interstate commerce and is made pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. sections 1-16 ( the " FAA '' ). Any claim or dispute as to the enforceability of this arbitration provision 's restrictions on your right to participate in or pursue a class action or class wide arbitration shall be decided by a court and not an arbitrator. 

Notwithstanding anything in this Section, either You or XXXX XXXX may bring an individual action in small claims court as long as ( i ) the claim is not aggregated with the claim of any other person, and ( ii ) the small claims court is located in the same county ( or parish ) and state as Your address that You most recently provided to XXXX XXXX XXXX according to XXXX XXXX XXXX records in connection with this Agreement. ''

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation