Experian problems

[Chuckanut]

I am trying to thaw my credit freeze with Experian. It is an agravating process to say the least, and a great example of poor service. I also can't get my free credit report from them via the online portal.

First, I can't do it online even though I have my secret code thaw number and have gone through all the right steps.

I tried calling their customer service number. All I get is a robot system that seems to have a lot of problems understanding what I say to it and what I punch in on the phone keypad. Repeated attempts fail usually while I am in the middle of giving them the inforamtion they have asked for.

So, now I get to mail various paperwork to them, and wait for them to verify I am who I am, and then mail me back the information on the creidt thaw.

In the meantime, I can't take advantage of a good CD rate since the bank only deals with Experian.

Does anybody else have an Experian experience they would like to share? Misery love company.

 

[Chuckanut]

I am trying to thaw my credit freeze with Experian. It is an agravating process to say the least, and a great example of poor service. I also can't get my free credit report from them via the online portal.

First, I can't do it online even though I have my secret code thaw number and have gone through all the right steps. Phone calls were cut off by the robot before I could even complete giving them the information the robot asked for.

Edited to remove remaining rant....

I may have found the solution to my phone problems with Experian. Just as a guess, I called Experian back using my iPhone instead of my Google Voice number. All the stuff that did not work well, now worked and I got the freeze lifted.

So maybe they are suspicious of Google Voice accounts? I don't know.

 

[Sunset]

I just had to temporarily thaw mine at the big 3, as I wanted a new CC.

Experian was not fun, even as I had a login account. The others were better designed and worked as you expect when you already have a login.

 

[Chuckanut]

Interestingly, I went to Annualcreditreport.com to get my yearly free credit report.

Once again, a 'problem' prevented me from getting the report online. I am supposed to fill out the mail-in form and send it to Annual Credit Report and they will send me a copy of my records.

What is it with Experian?

 

[athena53]

I had the same issue with Experian and I also had a PIN that had worked just fine before. I ended up having to send them a copy of my Driver's License and something else- I forget what- by snail mail. Yeah, send MORE stuff to a place that had had a major data breach.

When I tried to re-freeze my credit with TransUnion they pulled the same crap. Needed more information by snail mail.

I went through it because I wanted to get a Costco credit card and I did, but it will be a long time before I apply for another credit card. My theory is that since they can't charge for thawing/freezing anymore they make it a big PITA.

 

[GrayHare]

Interestingly, I went to Annualcreditreport.com to get my yearly free credit report.

Once again, a 'problem' prevented me from getting the report online. I am supposed to fill out the mail-in form and send it to Annual Credit Report and they will send me a copy of my records.

What is it with Experian?

That might not work either (did not for me). Seems easier to obtain the info from whomever hacks them next.

 

[easysurfer]

I've had issues over the past few years trying to get my report online. Not sure if related because my credit was frozen. I'd answer those prove I am who I say questions but get flagged as incorrect.

To get my reports, I stop fooling with getting online and go the paper route. At least when I last tried (about a year ago), the reports arrived pretty promptly.

 

[Chuckanut]

That might not work either (did not for me). Seems easier to obtain the info from whomever hacks them next.

Thankfully I have a Credit Karma account that helps me watch my credit records on two of the bureaus.

 

[donheff]

Yeah, they have made it a king sized PITA. They are all dropping pins and going to online user ID and password approaches but it can be almost impossible to answer the goofy questions they ask you from your credit file to set up the account. Then they tell you to mail in a bunch of documents. Meanwhile someone who stole your data can probably answer the questions and steal your account.

 

[athena53]

Yeah, they have made it a king sized PITA. They are all dropping pins and going to online user ID and password approaches but it can be almost impossible to answer the goofy questions they ask you from your credit file to set up the account.

I was really creeped out when TransUnion asked me the birth month of my son, whom he named but did not identify as DS. DS is 35, we haven't shared an address since he got out of college 10+ years ago, and we have different last names since I never took my Ex's last name. I told the TransUnion guy I found it really creepy that they put all that info together and he said it's all in public databases, which is true, but... they must be mining a heck of a lot of databases and connecting the dots. And they still wanted me to snail-mail stuff to them. It looked form the last time I was able to access the sites, that my credit was frozen again with all 3 bureaus so I didn't send TransUnion anything else.

I really dread having to apply for a credit card again and hope I don't need to for a long time.

 

[travelover]

..........So maybe they are suspicious of Google Voice accounts? I don't know.

I ran into this when I was trying to deposit a large sum into a PenFed account. Even switching back to my regular cell phone was not enough once the alarm had been triggered.