Consumer complaint received 2024-03-23 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Unable to get your credit report or credit score — Other problem getting your report or credit score
Company: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
Previously received my Experian credit report. My Experian Credit Report is dated XX/XX/XXXX. ( I will provide my report number in the next section. ) Called the phone number found directly on my credit report, which is XXXX. I tried this number ( numerous times ), and various other Experian phone numbers found using internet search, and none of these numbers allowed me to speak to a live agent. I tried about 8 to 10 times earlier today ( Friday XX/XX/XXXX ), and none of them allowed me the option to speak to a live agent. All of my tries allowed me to first enter some initial information to verify myself ( which I did ), but after this, there was no option to go to a live agent. Each time I called, I tried a different route in your confusing automated phone system, but every time, the system would route me to an area that only allowed for automated responses, or general information on how to handle an issue via postal mail or the internet. If I kept asking ( verbally ) for an " agent '' to speak to, or dialed " XXXX, '' the system refused to accept this and would then just tell you it was disconnecting the person from their phone system. 

The Experian website has a page that says " Credit Report FAQs. '' Here is the direct url to that page... 
https : //www.experian.comXXXX The very last item on this page says the following... 
" How can I contact a customer service representative? 
Experian can best assist a consumer who has first obtained a copy of his or her personal credit report. To obtain a copy, order now or call XXXX XXXX EXPERIAN ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ). Once you receive your report, it will display the appropriate contact phone number or address. In order to speak to an Experian customer service representative about your personal credit report, you will first be required to enter your report number. '' When I called the phone number on the report, the system never asks, or prompts me, for my credit report number, in order to speak to a live agent. Never, not once. I feel that this is deceitful, and that Experian simply says one thing, but then makes it impossible to reach an agent. I feel this is deliberate by Experian, to completely avoid, or make it super difficult, for a consumer to reach an live agent. 

My question or " challenge '' to Experian ( what I want them to do ), is to give me ( us ) the exact steps on how to dial the phone number on my credit report ( XXXX ), and then how to enter my credit report number into their phone system, to then reach a live agent. Spell it out, and provide the exact steps for this. I will then try it, to see if it works myself. If there is no such procedure or method for doing this, then Experian needs to remove the section on their FAQ 's page, telling consumers that they can do this. My complaint is to have Experian provide a proper and correct method, to allow consumers with an avenue to reach a live agent, using their phone system. 

PS : I was eventually able to reach a agent, by dialing Experian 's North American Headquarters phone number at XXXX. I then had to lie to your phone system, by selecting the option that I was calling for a business related matter, and not a personal/consumer credit report issue. This got me to a live switchboard operator. After telling the operator, a compressed-version of my frustrating story, and that I was not really calling as a business, she transferred me into a phone queue ( waiting only 5 minutes or so ), to the Experian agent/representative who did assist me. I don't think that it should be necessary for someone to go through all the hassle I went through ( and to dial your headquarters and lie to your system that I was calling on a business matter ) to reach the proper phone queue, for a live agent. 

You are a big company. Do Better Experian!

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