Particular Issue Freezing Credit at Equifax

[RenoJay]

Hi,

I've been following the steps of what to do after the Experian hack including signing up with creditkarma (score 837!), and freezing my credit at the reporting bureaus. It went fine with Experian and TransUnion, but at Equifax, I followed the links to freeze credit. Then I got to a page that offered me only three choices:

1. Temporarily lift a Security Freeze by Date Range
2. Temporarily life a Security Freeze by Specific Party
3. Permanently remove a Security Freeze.

There was not a choice for placing a freeze. Has anyone else run into this? Any ideas?

 

[calico1597]

I was able to place a freeze for DH and myself on the Equifax website with no problems, I did mine last week, DH over the weekend.

 

[ocean view]

Based on the choices presented it sounds like there is already a freeze on your account. I'd suggest calling them to see what's going on.

 

[razztazz]

Based on the choices presented it sounds like there is already a freeze on your account. I'd suggest calling them to see what's going on.

I have had a freeze on all 3 for 3 years. I went to Equifax to see if I could get a new pin, since they had been using some 1st grader's system of generating PINs. One thing I noticed was nowhere on my "dashboard" or anywhere else after logging in did it tell me I had a Freeze on my account or "Account Status" or anything like that.

I tried to simply implement and new freeze but it was giving me that "Cannot process your request at this time" tap dance so I gave up. Thus far I have not been able to verify that they have or have ever had a freeze on my account!

Another thing: I have not found a phone number that allows me to talk to anybody. Just the endless cookie cutter list of selections none of which do what I want.

If anybody has been able to talk to a human could you slap up the number plea-uz

 

[ocean view]

Try this to get a new equifax pin: 1-866-349-5191

I've not tried this number yet. It was listed in a NY Times article last week, noted specifically for pin replacement. Calling is on my to-do list.

 

[razztazz]

Try this to get a new equifax pin: 1-866-349-5191

I've not tried this number yet. It was listed in a NY Times article last week, noted specifically for pin replacement. Calling is on my to-do list.

Thank you so much

 

[alaska55]

Hi,

I've been following the steps of what to do after the Experian hack including signing up with creditkarma (score 837!), and freezing my credit at the reporting bureaus. It went fine with Experian and TransUnion, but at Equifax, I followed the links to freeze credit. Then I got to a page that offered me only three choices:

1. Temporarily lift a Security Freeze by Date Range
2. Temporarily life a Security Freeze by Specific Party
3. Permanently remove a Security Freeze.

There was not a choice for placing a freeze. Has anyone else run into this? Any ideas?

Don't you mean Equifax hack?

 

[alaska55]

I had no problems with TransUnion and Euifax, but Experian I can't do anything with them.

 

[RenoJay]

Don't you mean Equifax hack?

Yes, thank you. I just realized that and will edit the original post. It's amazing that, even with all the news of this swirling around, I made this mistake. I feel bad for the guilt-by-association that Experian is facing due to Equifax's incompetence.

Added later...

Hmmm, I'm not seeing an edit button for my original post, so not sure how to fix my mistake.

 

[Spock]

... I feel bad for the guilt-by-association that Experian is facing due to Equifax's incompetence.
....

99% of credit bureaus give the rest a bad name.

 

[ocean view]

Try this to get a new equifax pin: 1-866-349-5191

I've not tried this number yet. It was listed in a NY Times article last week, noted specifically for pin replacement. Calling is on my to-do list.

I just used this number to get a new equifax pin, or at least start the process (and listen to 25 minutes of on hold sales pitch recordings). Once I got a live body on the line, they explained that in order to get a new PIN they just remove your freeze completely, you wait 15-30 minutes, then call them back or go online and put the freeze back on, where a randomly generated PIN is issued.

When I went back online to re-initiate the freeze I realized that I could have removed the freeze myself, without having to wait on hold. So if you need a new pin don't bother calling, just go to their credit freeze page and one of the options is to completely remove he freeze...

 

[aja8888]

I just used this number to get a new equifax pin, or at least start the process (and listen to 25 minutes of on hold sales pitch recordings). Once I got a live body on the line, they explained that in order to get a new PIN they just remove your freeze completely, you wait 15-30 minutes, then call them back or go online and put the freeze back on, where a randomly generated PIN is issued.

When I went back online to re-initiate the freeze I realized that I could have removed the freeze myself, without having to wait on hold. So if you need a new pin don't bother calling, just go to their credit freeze page and one of the options is to completely remove he freeze...

How did you get the new pin?

 

[ocean view]

How did you get the new pin?

1. Go to the Equifax freeze credit page where the header says something like "Add a Freeze, temporarily lift a freeze or permanently remove freeze", enter your info on page 1.

2. On the next page you will be given options depending on whether you have previously frozen your account or not. If you have a freeze in place you can temporarily or permanently remove the freeze. Select permanently remove freeze and submit

3. On the next page enter your old pin and submit. You'll see a completion/confirmation page.

4. Then wait 15-30 minutes for your change to be processed.

5. Now go back to step 1 and repeat the process on page 1, submit

6. Now on page 2 you will be offered "place a freeze on this account", submit. Then a completion window open with a link to a PDF which displays the pin. It will also be mailed to you.

If on step 6 you don't receive the "place a freeze" option, but instead get the remove options, then your freeze removal request is still in progress and you just need to wait a bit longer and try again.

Good luck everybody!

btw, I've been toying with the idea of sending an invoice to Equifax for the freeze fees incurred from the other agencies. I'm not hopeful that they actually reimburse me, it will just make me feel better.

 

[aja8888]

1. Go to the Equifax freeze credit page where the header says something like "Add a Freeze, temporarily lift a freeze or permanently remove freeze", enter your info on page 1.

2. On the next page you will be given options depending on whether you have previously frozen your account or not. If you have a freeze in place you can temporarily or permanently remove the freeze. Select permanently remove freeze and submit

3. On the next page enter your old pin and submit. You'll see a completion/confirmation page.

4. Then wait 15-30 minutes for your change to be processed.

5. Now go back to step 1 and repeat the process on page 1, submit

6. Now on page 2 you will be offered "place a freeze on this account", submit. Then a completion window open with a link to a PDF which displays the pin. It will also be mailed to you.

If on step 6 you don't receive the "place a freeze" option, but instead get the remove options, then your freeze removal request is still in progress and you just need to wait a bit longer and try again.

Good luck everybody!

btw, I've been toying with the idea of sending an invoice to Equifax for the freeze fees incurred from the other agencies. I'm not hopeful that they actually reimburse me, it will just make me feel better.

Did you have to pay a fee to unfreeze and re-freeze? In TX it's $10 to unfreeze.

 

[MichaelB]

Did you have to pay a fee to unfreeze and re-freeze? In TX it's $10 to unfreeze.

Yes, unless you live in a state that does not allow fees. in Florida, for example, seniors (>65) pay no fees to freeze or unfreeze.

 

[aja8888]

Yes, unless you live in a state that does not allow fees. in Florida, for example, seniors (>65) pay no fees to freeze or unfreeze.

I'll try to call them and get a new PIN without spending $20 since I paid to freeze a while back. They owe that to us who had their info lifted.

 

[razztazz]

I went to get a new PIN. Once I had determined that I'd have to UNFREEZE the whole shebang then refreeze I decided not to rock that boat for a while. So, for the time being I am staying with my old PIN and signing up with a Life-Lock-type of service. I'm kind of burned-the-hell out with the whole thing. I plan to make another go of it later though

 

[ocean view]

Did you have to pay a fee to unfreeze and re-freeze? In TX it's $10 to unfreeze.

I'm in CA where normally there would be a $10 fee (the other credit agencies are charging fees), but Equifax did not charge any fees to remove and replace my freeze. I've done both mine and DH's with no problems.

 

[bizlady]

Hi,

I've been following the steps of what to do after the Experian hack including signing up with creditkarma (score 837!), and freezing my credit at the reporting bureaus. It went fine with Experian and TransUnion, but at Equifax, I followed the links to freeze credit. Then I got to a page that offered me only three choices:

1. Temporarily lift a Security Freeze by Date Range
2. Temporarily life a Security Freeze by Specific Party
3. Permanently remove a Security Freeze.

There was not a choice for placing a freeze. Has anyone else run into this? Any ideas?

Back to the OP question--- I have the same thing showing, but when I enter my info they say they cannot find my file...