Consumer complaint received 2024-11-04 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MO

Complaint narrative:
I am writing this complaint today because several years ago I was exposed to a credit breach by Equifax. Before this I had always maintained the most stringent of identity protection hygiene and measures. Shortly after their breach a few credit cards were fraudulently opened with my information. I had never even had a credit card before by choice. It took me months of working around the clock - nearly XXXX hours per day to clean the situation up. A choice that was offered to me by Equifax customer service was to lock my credit profile which I did. 

A few years later - beginning XXXX months ago I came into the need for additional credit. Every place I applied kept denying me for " suspicious activity '' and would not explain more to me. I need to buy a car and I've still been unable to do this. I have found that the reason is - Equifax has placed a special type of lock ( not the consumer requested lock ) on my account that they will only unlock after I specifically request it. ( Thanks for doing that without my knowledge leading to a decrease in credit score due to multiple inquiries when only one should've been necessary and an additional hit to my credit for them being denials - lenders don't like to see that. ) So I typed out a long request explaining I need them to unlock my credit profile, remove the fraud prevention measures and set my account to a status that I can begin the process of trying to finance a vehicle ( XXXX and XXXX and car rentals are killing me thanks so much Equifax ). With that request I spent {$35.00} to make full color copies of front and back drivers license, front and back social security card, front and back birth certificate, a letter from my utility provider on official letterhead explaining I am their customer- with company authorized signature, a few of the denials I received thanks to this situation, a copy of my lease, a few other miscellaneous proofs of address, and a copy of my diploma - again front and back. 

After almost 30 days they sent me a letter in the mail explaining that after all of that I had not satisfied their requirements for identity verification and that I needed to send them an additional paycheck stub, with my social security number on it ( which my employer does not provide due to PII laws, we can get a stub- it's a pain to do but it doesn't contain much personally identifiable information specifically my social security number ) or a copy of my tax filing which I did not need to file last year therefore I didn't - I was in school. If I were to submit to their outrageous demands XXXX Himself only knows if and when my credit file will finally be unlocked, reset, and ready to use, meanwhile the time is passing and I do not appreciate these continual games - after it was THEIR company who screwed up with the data breach in the first place. 

This is as irresponsible as it gets considering I have no choice in the matter- for some reason companies like this just get to up and decide they deserve access to my most sensitive information in the first place, and I just have to submit to that without my approval. This is egregious, irresponsible, dangerous, and unfair. What am I just somebody who suffers through XXXX hours of work per week in a laborious position so these guys can sit in comfy chairs at desks and pretend they are offering a necessary service to society on the back of my labor and suffering? 

The worst part is I didn't sue them or approach them for the settlement. I let it go. I took the high road but before this complaint is over - that's going to change. 

The only acceptable solution, is to unlock my credit profile from their special lock they have placed, so that I can finally use it after months of this battle with them. Additionally- now they are going to pay me a settlement. I kept track of each and every hour - which can be verified by my wife and other witnesses and my labor is worth {$25.00} an hour, I have additionally kept exceptional records of every communication I have had with them in a file cabinet, along with all of the cost out of my pocket, to fix their destruction of my life that occured in the data breach. We should begin speaking about a settlement amount because if we can not come to an agreement and get my account unlocked quickly through this complaint - I have already spoken with multiple consumer protection attorneys who specialize in dealing the the main XXXX CRA 's and credit law and all of them are anxious to take my case with no money upfront simply because of how ergregious their actions have been. 

I personally do not wish to do that I like to take the high road. I'm a XXXX and we try to settle our differences with each other - out of court. But I'll tell you this, I'm not walking away at this point with an unusable credit file, and without compensation for their damages. Each time recently I've spoken with one of their customer service agents, I've never even brought it up. My forgiveness is no longer on the table. It's time to make right for their mistakes and it will cost me nothing, literally nothing to have this filed in court and have exceptional legal counsel. 

Let 's work together to fix the mistakes of the past, make me whole again, fix my credit file and walk away with both of our shoulders high so that we can move forward in an amiable manner. So far I fail to see any action on behalf of your company that indicates to me you take the law seriously or the FCRA which unfortunately I've practically memorized at this point. You need to remember it is an HONOR to work with the most sensitive information of Americans - not a right. This can be addressed via monetary loss and or fines and sanctions if you've forgotten this fact. 

If I do not feel you are willing to work with me on this matter I will additionally file with the attorney general of my state and all XXXX states so they can be aware of how badly some people are left hanging by your corporation after having been destroyed by your actions. By the way it was the first time I ever had exceptional credit which I studied hard for and worked to meticulously craft before you allowed my information to be exposed into the hands of XXXX XXXX criminals. 

Please understand this is my final attempt to amiably address your company in a manner that protects the integrity of your name and image among Americans. I will absolutely sue you in a court of law if my expectations are not met. Please do not take that as an empty demand. I've had enough of this game with your company. 

Lastly I would like to sincerely thank the agency mediating this issue, and I would like to thank the staff responsible. I can not tell you what it means that Americans have somewhere we can take these issues to be mediated by a party who understands the law, plans to apply it evenly, and doesn't fear an organization such as Equifax who thinks they are invulnerable and can act and behave as they wish. 

I give everyone involved all my best and I hope this communication finds you well. Thank you for your time, looking forward to a resolution that is fair for everyone, and makes a statement of the appreciation for our information. 

Yours truly - XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation