Equifax is ignoring me.

Residents of Georgia like me are entitled to two free copies of our credit report a year. Transunion and Experian have complied with my requests after some prodding.

On 06Jun2002 I sent Equifax a request for a copy of my credit report by postal mail with documentation. I got no response of any kind.

On 18Aug2002 I sent them a letter asking why they hadn't responded. I got no response of any kind.

On 25Sep2002 I sent them a letter asking why they hadn't responded, certified mail, return receipt requested. After a week or so, I received the receipt back with a stamped signature and dated 27Sep2002. I have received no other response.

As of Monday that will be over a month since I know they got a letter, and almost 5 months since this all started.

Equifax has carefully set up their website and phone systems so that it is impossible to communicate with them in unless you have already got a copy of your credit report. And the "order by phone" section won't talk to me it says my SSN and/or street number is incorrect.

Lovely little "Catch-22" setup there.

I'll be damned if I'll pay them for what they are legally required to give me for free. Although I suspect that is what they want here.

What do I do now?

Sending more postal mail seems unlikely to do any good.

There is a Equifax building in Atlanta I see from the highway. While I could go there in person, I'd really not, I have trouble remaining calm when greedy scumbags lie to me about my personal welfare, which seems the most likely prognosis.

But the only other thing I can think of is to hire a lawyer to sue them. Which would be expensive, even if it works (assuming a lawyer will want to do something so trivial).

Does anyone know what the magic trick is to get them to cough up?

Is there anywhere I can complain to, that will actually accomplish anything?

(There is a complaint form at the FTC website but they clearly indicate that they won't do anything for you, they just build file for future class actions or some such.)


Anyone have any suggestions or relevant experiences?

-CB

Is there anywhere I can complain to, that will actually accomplish anything?

How about the state AG's office? If they're breaking Georgia law, this is the place to go.

Anyone have any suggestions or relevant experiences?
-----------------------------

How about copying all that to your state Attorney General's office.

I'm only guessing here, but the 'required' reports are probably required by Georgia state law. Maybe you could bring it to the attention of your Attorney General. Maybe his/her office could jar those reports loose.

Chuck

So, if this is a 'Georgia state regulation' then i'd suggest that you go that route. The trick is going to be the discovery of which state agency is responsible for the enforcement of this stuff.

I guess you start here : http://www.georgia.gov/

WHOA!!!! Hold on a second. With all due respect to everyone, for the time being, you need to forget their advice.

I have been a resident of Georgia for many years and I have never had a single problem getting my free credit report from any of the agencies...I have never even had to prod them in the least. But I have also never tried to get the reports by mailing them a request...I use the phone ordering system or the on-line ordering system when it is free.

For TransUnion, you can order it on-line and see it right away. I love that. For Experian and Equifax, you have to give them a call and they mail you a free copy. Not as nice, but no big deal.

In your case, to get the Equifax report, you should call 1-800-685-1111 and follow the prompts. As a Georgia resident, it will eventually admit there is no charge for the report and it will be mailed right out. Within a week or so, it will arrive in the mail.

ACME

ACME,

I didn't realize you are a Georgia resident, and went to Tech no less... I graduated from Tech in May. woohoo!

To be on-topic, I agree with your post. I always call to get my free report from Equifax.

laura

laura,

Congrats on graduating from a fine school. I went to Tech for grad school (graduated in December, 2000)...and Virginia undergrad, so Tech is a distant second for my loyalties. Go Hoos! Kick the Jackets' tails this weekend! ;^)

Out of curiosity...what did you study at Ga. Tech?

ACME

Out of curiosity...what did you study at Ga. Tech?

Arh, um... Well, see, that's an interesting question. Let's just say I had several different majors, from CE to ID. But my degree is in history. :)

How about you? From your profile I'd guess either CompE or CS.

laura

Generally, AcmeFool, you're correct. Just call the 1-800 number to order, but the original posted indicated that this was impossible because:

And the "order by phone" section won't talk to me it says my SSN and/or street number is incorrect.

Perhaps the AG office is the best way to go.

Why would you not call the Equifax corporate headquarters and ask to speak with their Office of the President?

Most mojor corporations have a front desk. Get the number and call it. When you get through ask to speak with the president of the company. 999 times out of a thousand, you will go to an office that represents the president of the company and will never speak with the president, who will then respond to your question/issue on behalf of the president.

I know that I have escalated issues that way many times in the past. The other avenue would be to address the letter to the office of the president & see if you get action that way.

RaVeN

Generally, AcmeFool, you're correct. Just call the 1-800 number to order, but the original posted indicated that this was impossible because: [info I originally missed deleted]

In which case you follow the instructions they provide. Or you call other Equifax phone numbers and have someone transfer you to the right department...such as the alternate number that is supposed to be for when they deny you credit -- 1-800-997-2493.

IMO, going to the AG is not something that should be done after a few missteps. I actually don't think Equifax has done anything wrong...I just think there is a disjoint that needs to be figured out. Once that has been solved, I bet the whole problem will disappear and the credit report will be easily available.

In any case, I think going to the AG would be the wrong way to proceed here.

ACME
(who cannot believe he is defending a CRA)

Send them the $8 bucks or so....You've probably spent more than that on postage and your accurate credit report is worth more than $8 - and your time is worth more the that too.

It's unfortunate that they haven't responded but the big picture is accuracy in your report, not the failure to provide the free report. I know that's not what you want to hear, but, sometimes, it's simpler to just do it.

Maybe you could take them to small claims...:)

cat

Firstly, my thanks to everyone who replied with advice.

Update:

Ok, first off one of those witty little jokes fate like to play. Yesterday morning Equifax spammed me but I didn't find out till the evening, after posting here. Claiming I signed up for "MyEquifax" service, which I'm pretty sure I didn't.

Weird. Especially as I didn't give my email in any of my letters. And I haven't gone to their website from my own computer, at least not recently.

Anyway I decided to try the phone request for credit report again, trying with my old addresses in case they didn't have my current one.

Went around three or four times being told my address didn't match until on the third or fourth try the system sends me to an actual human being. There was no indication anywhere this was possible. My only speculation is that after several failed tries it decided I was an identity thief trying address numbers at random.

Anyway, the lady on the phone seemed nice, helpful, and competent (which may make her a rarity at Equifax, but I digress). She says that (according to their records) they have sent me out a copy of my credit report three times. But they may have messed up the address. Apparently like The Vanguard Group and Airborne Express, they are too big a company to be bothered about piddly little things like postal regulations.

(I checked at Mail Boxes, Etc. just to make sure the credit reports hadn't gotten misfiled or something, but they couldn't find anything.)

She said another copy of my credit report will be sent out within 72 hours, to the exact address I gave her over the phone. So I'll have to wait and see on that.

She also said that the reason the website and phone system wouldn't send me anything was because their machines don't like dead people, which American Express claims I am (Transunion also has been told of my tragic death by Amex, I've discovered previously). Annoying but not too unreasonable. She said she'd try and remove the Amex account which was pretty old anyway.

So I'm back in a wait state, and making a note to send her a "thank you" letter if things work out.

-CB

Well, if you're dead - what's your FICO score :-)

Well, if you're dead - what's your FICO score :-)

Probably 600 or so. But, on the plus side, you qualify for the new Plutonium Providian Secured Visa! This card only requires a valid burial address, a small security deposit equally $35 over your credit limit, and a $50 annual fee - assessed the month you are closest to your credit limit, of course. The interest rate is similar to those charged at payday loan establishments.

To apply, call our operators at 800-Screw-U2 today! Act now to reserve your very own Plutonium Providian Secured Visa in the attractive Flag design - show your patriotism by buying things you can't afford!

impolite

Cptbutton wrote
Equifax is ignoring me.
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My Equifax problem is the opposite.
Their pop-up ads have caused my computer to freeze badly.
Another bad pop-up is "Internet Washer"; it is extremely difficult to get rid of it. I hate all pop-ups. These two are the worst!