Consumer complaint received 2019-02-14 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with fraud alerts or security freezes — 
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: SC

Complaint narrative:
Two years ago, in XXXX Equifax, due to their own negligence had a security breach and recommended that we place freezes and alerts on our accounts. Today, my wife ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) and I XXXX XXXX XXXX, contacted Equifax to have freezes lifted from our accounts so we could proceed with a mortgage application. Equifax informed me, XXXX XXXX, that I never had a freeze on my account despite multiple mortgage lenders saying I do. Further, they insisted my student loans were with XXXX, when in reality I have been with XXXX XXXX since AT LEAST XX/XX/XXXX, today is XX/XX/XXXX. Then they stated they had two different names for me, one XXXX XXXX XXXX one XXXX XXXX XXXX, with both names having different addresses attached to them, despite the SAME SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER AND BIRTHDATE! 

Then they told my wife, they would not remove the freeze from her account because her name was different since we got married, in XX/XX/XXXX, again it is XX/XX/XXXX. They informed her she would need to submit a marriage certificate and ID, and when asked how they would make the change they stated she would need to include a letter authorizing this. 

They are making us jump through these hoops that THEY PUT IN PLACE because of THEIR NEGLIGENT actions and behavior. I am sick and tired of this credit agency putting our personal information at risk and when we need that information available for us to finally pursue the dream of home ownership for the first time, before our first child is due in XXXX, they are placing obstacles in our way that are not only unnecessary but burdensome as well. 

My wife is 5 months XXXX and does not handle stress well. Her XXXX has reiterated time and again the importance of low-stress environments and situations and Equifax has been completely unreasonable with our requests. We do not feel we have been treated fairly and that Equifax has placed an undue burden on my XXXX  wife with requests that should not be necessary. My wife answered her security questions, and because Equifax, not my wife or myself, but Equifax, because they have not done their part to update their files, they are now causing undue burdens on our family. We demand answers to why they can not process my wife 's request, why Equifax does not update individuals files in regards to things like student loan transfers ( i.e. From XXXX to XXXX ),  why they do not update an individuals name when that name change happened 10 months ago and was filed with the Social Security Administration, and why they have multiple names for one person who clearly has the same social security number and birthday. 

I am appalled that this predatory and deceitful agency is allowed to exist in this country. We demand answers to our questions in a timely manner, along with an apology from Equifax for their continued failures of the consumers they are supposed to protect.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief