Consumer complaint received 2023-12-22 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: FL

Complaint narrative:
I have been a paying, monthly member with Experian 's Credit Monitoring and Identity Protection service for well over a year, which is not cheap, after my SSN was found on the dark web from a XXXX breach ( after only visiting their website, never even a customer - be careful ). I appreciated the ease of accessing my score via Experian 's paid services, but on XX/XX/2023 I decided to use their Credit Cards tool to look for debt consolidation options and found directly matched cards to my comprehensive credit profile ( or so I thought- this is Experian after all, not XXXX XXXX ). I was immediately denied upon clicking submit on the prefilled, Experian mediated application to both a XXXX and XXXX credit card, that was directly applied to through the Experian website. These matched offers had terms that entirely applied to my credit score, situation, and needs, and offered what I was looking for regarding debt consolidation. This was not a marketing e-mail to me, this was done directly through their online tools and services. 
This immediately resulted in 2 hard inquiries on my credit, bringing my score down within 24 hours, so I sought XXXX and information from Experian as to why they would match me to offers that were so incorrect that the denial was immediate and was not even worth considering from the credit card companies especially before even checking my credit profile or reviewing my history and details. I was really unhappy about this, considering this is one of 3 major Credit Bureau services, and one I pay {$25.00} per month for. I gave these tools more weight while making the big step of applying for a credit card, and in considering what I thought the reputation of this company exuded. 

2 days later on XXXX XXXX XXXX  I receive an response from a " Your Experian Team '' member, stating blankly that what I had applied through was a " marketing e-mail '' ( untrue- it was directly through their member tools ), of which merely contains offers supposedly geared toward pre-qualified customers. Additionally, the response stated there are obviously no guarantees as I am not obligated to follow their recommendations in matched offers. They then plainly stated " In presenting our partner 's offers on our website, we may receive compensation, should you pursue an offer. This allows us to provide our free members with ongoing access to their benefits and Experian credit report. '' This is not my first time applying for a credit card ; I understand the risk included and the results if not favorable and if denied. I also understand many ( especially free ) companies partner with credit card companies and sponsors which incentivize them to offer their products. What is entirely non-transparent before inquiring about this, is the fact that they will, and do, flagrantly match you with offers that they get compensation for and are not fundamentally matched to your ( comprehensively overseen ) Experian credit profile in any concrete way, as a paying member or consumer of their services, nor do they hold any liability whatsoever when that gets denied after being overtly recommended to you, and they get paid from partners, while you pay them an expensive monthly fee for a service that is supposed to do the exact opposite ; it is intended to do the work for you in monitoring your entire credit worthiness and give you the absolute best, most accurate, pre-qualified offers as a credit bureau, in various realms, for various purposes. But, in reality I have learned directly from the source, it is a service in which they profit, free of even a customer support experience obligation, while you get to watch your credit score decrease from applying to offers in earnest that they match you with as a paid feature by you. All for trying to be responsible and improve your credit profile as a hard working consumer. 

There was no attempt at keeping me as a customer, no form of compensation for paying monthly for a service that has been highly misleading and damaging to my credit, no apology for the fact that their paid for products and tools for debt consolidation have no substantial basis to your qualifications, and no remorse for the fact that they get paid to do it. Learn from my mistake- do not think that Experian has your best interest or credit worthiness in mind as a paid customer for " credit protection services '' - they are nothing but another corporate entity incentivized by greed and take pleasure in conducting business liability free, and ultimately do not care about you as a customer or a consumer.

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