|
03-07-2018, 08:38 AM
|
#1
|
Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 609
|
Fun with Equifax
Six months ago when the big data breach occurred, I froze my credit at the three big reporting agencies. Two of them, Experian and Trans Union, gave me a PIN to use for unfreezing. But Equifax's website sent me in circles and, though they froze my credit, they didn't give me a PIN.
Fast forward six months. I bought a new car for cash. Before doing so I called my State Farm agent for an insurance quote. On the day I picked up the car, my State Farm guy informed me that, because my credit was frozen, the premium would be 50% higher than quoted. Apparently having a great credit score saves a lot of money with insurance premiums. He asked me to do a 30 day "unfreeze" at all the reporting agencies.
I sent Equifax a letter and documentation requesting a PIN. Three weeks later they hadn't responded. So I Googled and called a phone number. After lots of hold time, I spoke to a person who informed me this was the Equifax Canada number and she gave me a U.S. number. When I called the U.S. number, I went through some theatrics to get to a human. She had a thick accent and it sounded like she was in a call center in another country. I had to give her my social security number, address, middle name, and all sorts of other stuff that made me feel really violated. Supposedly my credit freeze is temporarily lifted now (and a new PIN is in the mail coming to me) but for all I know, I may have just told a terrorist group how to open a credit card under my name.
I feel like I need a shower after all this!!
__________________
Saved 8 figures by my mid-40's as a professional bubble-spotter. Beware...the Fed creates bubble after bubble after bubble.
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
03-07-2018, 08:41 AM
|
#2
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Spending the Kids Inheritance and living in Chicago
Posts: 17,099
|
I thought if you had a relationship with an insurance company or bank, that they can still check your credit report even with a freeze on it. Just not issue new credit.
__________________
Fortune favors the prepared mind. ... Louis Pasteur
|
|
|
03-07-2018, 09:10 AM
|
#3
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,906
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by RenoJay
I had to give her my social security number, address, middle name, and all sorts of other stuff that made me feel really violated.
|
I would too. Some of that data Equifax likely did not have before, but now they can distribute it in the next hack.
|
|
|
03-07-2018, 09:20 AM
|
#4
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Laurel, MD
Posts: 8,328
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunset
I thought if you had a relationship with an insurance company or bank, that they can still check your credit report even with a freeze on it. Just not issue new credit.
|
I agree, but when I had credit monitoring many years ago, my insurance (auto/Homeowners) company had more inquiries than any other merchant. These were routine inquiries every 60 days or so even when I was not making any policy changes.
__________________
...with no reasonable expectation for ER, I'm just here auditing the AP class.Retired 8/1/15.
|
|
|
03-07-2018, 09:58 AM
|
#5
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,985
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunset
I thought if you had a relationship with an insurance company or bank, that they can still check your credit report even with a freeze on it. Just not issue new credit.
|
It is my understanding that they go through a third party like LexisNexis. I've had my credit frozen for years yet have still gotten insurance ratings and discounts. Its the first thing I check when I get a bill to be sure I'm getting the max discount.
__________________
Took SS at 62 and hope I live long enough to regret the decision.
|
|
|
03-08-2018, 10:30 AM
|
#6
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Georgia
Posts: 2,240
|
I would be very upset if someone could unfreeze my credit WITHOUT providing a lot of very specific personal data about me.
__________________
Class of 2019
|
|
|
03-08-2018, 03:22 PM
|
#7
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Madison
Posts: 1,337
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by bUU
I would be very upset if someone could unfreeze my credit WITHOUT providing a lot of very specific personal data about me.
|
That is true. In any other industry they should have been out of business in a month and bankrupted.
__________________
Wild Bill shoulda taken more out of his IRA when he could have. . . .
|
|
|
03-08-2018, 05:46 PM
|
#8
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Georgia
Posts: 2,240
|
You seem to have misunderstood the post to which you replied.
__________________
Class of 2019
|
|
|
03-10-2018, 09:48 AM
|
#9
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Ormond Beach
Posts: 1,407
|
I think he got it perfectly, and it doesn't look like Congress is going to take any action to regulate them. So they'll continue to do whatever they want with no repercussions.
|
|
|
03-10-2018, 09:54 AM
|
#10
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,906
|
Too bad we can't each copyright our credit history.
|
|
|
03-11-2018, 02:36 PM
|
#11
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Georgia
Posts: 2,240
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by GTFan
I think he got it perfectly, ...
|
Given that it was my comments he was replying to, I can assure you that you are wrong.
__________________
Class of 2019
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Threads
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
» Quick Links
|
|
|