Consumer complaint received 2025-01-11 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with fraud alerts or security freezes — 
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MA

Complaint narrative:
In the beginning of XX/XX/XXXX, I placed an initial fraud alert on my accounts with all three credit bureaus ( XXXX, XXXX, Equifax ) as a result of someone using my personal information to fraudulently apply for unemployment benefits as well as applying for a credit card using my information. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I mailed a request to Equifax for an extended 7 year alert to be added to my account- I completed the form and included all requested documents, including a fraud report from the FTC and an affidavit of fraud, as the form indicated that one of the two was required. I received a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX rejecting my request because the FTC form was " invalid. '' I called and spoke to XXXX at Equifax on XXXX XXXX, who was unable to explain what about the FTC was invalid. He was also unable to explain why the affidavit of fraud was not used in its place, as the form said either was acceptable. He said if I submitted a cover letter reiterating my request for the 7 year extended fraud alert, along with a copy of the police report documenting the identity fraud, Equifax could process my request. He repeatedly assured me that I did not need to re-submit all of the other documentation, including my driver 's license, SSN card, and affidavit of fraud because Equifax already had those scanned in. Based on his representations, I mailed the letter and police report on XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received a letter from Equifax stating that my request to implement an " initial 1 year fraud alert '' was rejected because I did not include any documents proving my identity. On that same date, I called Equifax and spoke to XXXX - she confirmed that I already had a 1 year alert on my account but that my request for the 7 year alert was rejected by the " document verification team '' because I did not re-submit the entire initial package, including SSN card, driver 's license, etc. She said that no police report was received, only my cover letter. I explained my conversation with XXXX, and she said that in essence he was wrong - even though she could see the document verification team had received the initial package, everything would need to be re-submitted. She could not explain how the police report got lost, but said I would need to re-submit the entire package, plus the police report and a valid FTC report. All of my correspondence to Equifax was sent via certified mail, return receipt requested, and I kept physical and electronic copies of what was mailed. Once again, XXXX was unable to explain what about the initial FTC report was " invalid '' - just that the document verification team had determined that it was not valid. When I asked to speak to them, I was told I could not and that I would have to re-mail the entire package. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I re-submitted the entire packet, including a new FTC report. In response, I received XXXX letters from Equifax, both dates XX/XX/XXXX. In the first letter, Equifax represented that it was unable to match the documents I had submitted to any individual they had on file. The second letter stated that Equifax understood I may have been the victim of identity fraud and provided information on how to request either a one year or 7 year extended fraud alert. I called and spoke to yet another customer representative, who advised me that the 7 year alert had been placed on my account on XXXX XXXX, XXXX, and to " just ignore the letters. '' She assured me that Equifax would notify XXXX XXXX and XXXX of the extended alert so that they would place it in their files as well but said there was no " time line '' for when they would do that. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I checked XXXX and XXXX XXXX and saw that there was no extended alert. I contacted XXXX, who told me that Equifax was supposed to notify them within XXXX hours of placing the alert on my file but that no notification had been received and I would have to ask Equifax to re-submit the notification. That same day I contacted Equifax, who advised me that they had submitted the notification but had no way to re-submit it without removing and replacing the extended alert ( which I declined given how difficult it was to get in the first place ). The representative said she could place a " complaint '' on my file which would prompt the mailing department to re-send the notification but that there was " no way '' to tell how long that would take and that I could submit independent requests for extended fraud alerts separately to XXXX XXXX and XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I checked XXXX and XXXX and they still have not received the extended fraud notification from Equifax. It has now been almost a month, and Equifax has utterly failed to notify the other two bureaus, as they are required to do. Moreover, when I call to speak to someone I am repeatedly told there is " no timeline '' for notifying the other bureaus and there is " no way '' to resend the notification. This is yet another massive failing on the part of Equifax.

Additionally, I submitted a CFPB complaint against Equifax for their repeated failure to process the extended fraud alert, mismanaging the documents I sent in, and repeatedly providing incorrect information -- their response did not address at all my complaint, and instead stated that I was disputing information on my credit report and provided a link to where I could dispute that information. That was not, in fact, my complaint.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation