Consumer complaint received 2025-09-24 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Credit monitoring or identity theft protection services — Didn't receive services that were advertised
Company: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: TN

Complaint narrative:
Complaint Against Experian! 

Background : in XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX my account was flagged on Experian for a debt collection in the amount of {$390.00}. This was identity theft for the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, MO. At the time, I was a resident of Oregon, when the identity theft occurred in XXXX. I contacted XXXX directly and provided the details of my proof that this account was identity theft. This process was so painful and time consuming and it provided XXXX a blueprint for someone to hack me in the future should XXXX be hacked. I provided copies of my tax records, address history, copy of passport, driver 's license, military retirement and VA XXXX proof. Utility companies might do a soft credit check but no guaranteed and a hard credit check would have alerted me to this identity theft. I was so upset that I called Experian and opened or paid {$39.00} per month for identity theft monitoring and protection. In XX/XX/XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXiled a debt collection with XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX for an illegal utility account and the debt collection was listed at {$630.00}. I was so relieved that Experian investigated the case and removed the account from my history as it was identity theft. 

Move forward to XX/XX/XXXX : XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX listed a debt collection of {$630.00} and identified Experian again and included XXXX XXXX. I identified Experian and explained everything to include the background, and they denied me twice and informed me the debt was valid even though the same information was resubmitted as valid. 

Complaint and Requests : XXXX. Experian approved and then denied the same identity theft claim on XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX. I called XXXX XXXX early XX/XX/XXXX, and they informed me again that the debt incurred was from XXXX, and in the amount of {$630.00}. I informed Experian of this. 
XXXX. I filed XXXX XXXX XXXX police report and FTC report # XXXX ( repeated the same info from XXXX ). The police department ( report number XXXX ) declined to approve the report because I was not a resident, and the complaint was from XXXX. 
XXXX. I am a 100 % XXXX veteran with a XXXX XXXX and many other health issues. I have not worked since XXXX. All of the credit reporting agencies have my work history and address history. XXXX XXXX provided the address, email and phone number used to open a utility account in my name, using my last XXXX and the following : XXXX XXXX, XXXX ; XXXX ; and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, MO XXXX. I have never lived XXXX XXXX XXXX or Missouri. All three credit reporting agencies know this, and the information is not found used in conjunction with my background. 
XXXX. All credit reporting agencies have the XXXX XXXX debt collection information ( {$390.00} ) from XXXX, and how it was resolved and removed from my account, thereby restoring my XXXX XXXX of over XXXX. 
XXXX. I would like Experian to reinvestigate this blatant identity theft and back pay or refund my monthly fees that were wasted on their alleged expertise and false claims to providing a sense of a peace of mind. This agency is not to be trusted with securing and validating personal identifiable information. 
XXXX. Contacting Experian now includes fighting on the phone with their AI system. With identity theft, a customer is forced to call and waste valuable time being frustrated with AI. I prefer a direct connection if I am paying a monthly fee for specialized services. 

Recommendations : XXXX. Utility companies should conduct a hard credit check and not a soft one. My personal information has been hacked by agencies that collect my information to include the Social Security Administration, the state of Oregon, XXXX XXXX XXXX, and others. My information is easy to purchase and use when opening utility accounts and I am not protected from this identity theft. XXXX  and XXXX have indicated online that they might do a soft background check, and I have followed the steps to open accounts on their websites. All I need is my social security number and a few minor details that are easily purchased, and I can open an account. This process is too easy, and it must be made more difficult. 
2. Collection agencies should not be allowed to resubmit debt collection claims when investigations are not adjudicated in their favor.

3. The burden of amazing proof should not fall on the person that has been violated with identity theft. 

Supporting Evidence from XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : CFPB Sues Experian over " Sham Investigations '' into consumer complaints CFPB sues Experian over " sham investigations '' into consumer complaintsXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX When consumers disputed errors on their credit reports, Experian conducted sham investigations rather than properly reviewing the disputes as required by federal law, '' CFPB Director XXXX XXXX said in a statement. " Credit reporting errors can have serious consequences for a family 's finances, and it is critical that credit reporting giants follow the law. '' Specifically, the CFPB alleges that Experian is harming people by using faulty procedures in receiving information in handling consumer disputes. The company " routinely and uncritically accepts the original furnisher 's response to the disputed information, even when the response was improbable or illogical on its face, or when Experian has other information available that suggests the furnisher is unreliable. '' Experian then fails to inform consumers of its findings, and instead offers confusing and incorrect information, CFPB stated.

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