Consumer complaint received 2024-11-13 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with fraud alerts or security freezes — 
Company: TRANSUNION INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, INC.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
About two months ago, I learned that I had become a victim of identity theft. In response, I froze my credit with the three major credit bureaus and signed up for a credit monitoring service ( XXXX  ) to ensure no one could access my accounts. 

Upon discovering that my TransUnion profile had been tampered with, I took immediate and urgent action. I reported the unauthorized changes to TransUnion, requesting the removal of the incorrect address and phone number, and the placement of a fraud alert on my account. It was clear that my account had been compromised, and swift action was necessary. 

Despite taking all these precautions to protect my account, I received a notification from XXXX XXXX days ago indicating a hard inquiry from XXXX XXXX XXXX . I was unsuccessful when I tried to log in to my TransUnion account. The person with my information could easily access my account and change my password. After several attempts to use the " forgot my password '' option, I regained access to my account. 

Discovering that the fraud alert I had requested was canceled and the freeze on my account was removed was not just a surprise, but a shock. It was alarming to learn that someone could easily request access to my account by providing certain information, without any verification process in place. This highlights the serious and concerning security vulnerabilities in TransUnion 's system. 

Furthermore, I noticed that my profile information, including the answers to my security questions, is not encrypted. Anyone who accesses my account using my name, Social Security number, and email address can view my entire profile. I spoke with a supervisor at TransUnion, who explained that as long as someone provides the name, email address, and Social Security number, they can gain access to the accounts, The only solution that TransUnion offered was to delete my online account. I inquired whether there would be an alert if the individual attempted to call or create a new account using my information again, as this would help secure my account. Once again, they indicated that if this person had the necessary information, they could create another online account or gain access to my current account. 

After a lengthy conversation with a TransUnion supervisor, who was very helpful and sensitive to our concerns, an alert was placed to restrict anyone from unfreezing our credit unless they provide a specific code. This provided us with some comfort. 

It is unacceptable that a credit bureau like TransUnion, which holds sensitive financial information, operates with such lax security measures. I strongly urge the company to prioritize the security of its customers ' accounts by implementing robust protections. The need for these measures is urgent, such as sending verification codes or links to the account holder 's phone number or email, or establishing a secret code for account access. 

Please let me know if you need additional information or details about the identity theft incident. I am more than willing to provide any information that could help improve your security measures. 

Thank you. 

XXXX XXXX

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