We are unable to verify your identity...

[krial]

So Equifax is never able to verify my identity for my annual credit report. Transunion and Experian manage at least. Hate having to mail in the stuff and waste a stamp and take the time for it to get here every year!

However, that's not the point of this particular post.

I got my Transunion credit report online from the annual credit report site just fine. I went back to their website to dispute something, and they were mysteriously unable to verify my identity with the information provided, even though they had just verified it 10 minutes earlier when they gave me my free credit report. What kind of BS is that?

Experian also "locked me out" for some undetermined time because the CreditSesame site kept bugging out when I tried to sign up, and apparently it kept trying to access my credit report too often in a short period of time or something. Now I can't dispute with Experian either.

I think the credit reporting agencies should really be "fixed" somehow, so that they work correctly and consistantly. With our credit scores and reports playing such a profound role in our lives, the least they should do is be fair, accurate, and easy to use. For some random groups to have such utter control over such important aspects of our lives is ridiculous as it is, but when they can't even manage simple tasks it really solidifies my notion that the system is flawed to the very core.

[periferel]

i had this problem too when i started rebuiling my credit. annualcreditreport gave me my tu and ex but not eq. i also couldnt get my score at myfico. the reason was bc i had not had 6 months of revolving credit on my file. after 6 months of payments i was able to see both of those reports. i see all your credit in sig was opened this month. wait 6 moths then try again.

[DONx88]

I too had the same issues with EQ and had to mail them the identification documents they needed. 

[krial]

Looks like my sig is cut off a bit. The secured Visa from my local credit union I have had for just over 2 years!

The fact that TransUnion could identify me for my free credit score, but not to dispute something on that score is the most ridiculous of all though.

[krial]

So after mailing a copy of my driver's license and my social security card to Equifax, they responded with a letter telling me that I need to send in my driver's license and social security card. Genius. Thankfully they also sent my credit report to me in another envelope, so I'm not sure if they really even know what they are doing over there!

Anyway, I logged onto the website to dispute an address after viewing my report. If I enter the 10 digit confirmation code along with all of my information it works finally. If I enter the information without the code, then it asks me those 4 verification questions about items that may or may not be on your report.

All four questions were about accounts I never had and the amounts they were, and when I answered them all correctly (about a mortgage and an auto loan, and I have never had either from anywhere, nor have they ever appeared on any of my reports) it still said the information does not match what they have on file. This is after I mailed them my information and had a hard copy of my credit report sitting right in front of me.

I swear these companies need better regulation. You shouldn't have to bite and scratch your way through their ridiculousness to get anything accomplished!

[krial]

So I got around to calling TransUnion today to "confirm" my identity, despite the fact that they gave me my annual credit report 10 minutes before they decided they couldn't confirm it. The number they had me call just gave me a different number to call, so that was fun.

Second number worked well though and the lady was nice, but the "confirmation" was about a joke. They asked me 5 or 6 questions about stuff that was on my credit report to confirm my identity -- which if I didn't know the information, the credit report they had just given me had it all listed anyway! What good does that do? If it wasn't really me, whoever they just gave my report to could have answered all of their questions just by reading it while they were on the phone. Ridiculous.

Why even bother confirming my identity if that's how they are going to go about it?

[Volpes]

I hear you, I'm still trying to get my free annual Equafax report.

Those 3 bureau websites are primary designed to sell you products, not resolve a dispute... 

[Volpes]

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@krial wrote:

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With our credit scores and reports playing such a profound role in our lives, the least they should do is be fair, accurate, and easy to use.  ...

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That will be the day. 

Millions of Americans may not even know that there are errors on their report, yet alone know that the credit reports they send to us is NOT the same report they sell to banks/lenders. The whole system is sketchy and secretive. 

[krial]

So I applied for an American Express card knowing full well that I would be denied since I have a few unpaid collections from a few years ago on Experian. I did this just to get my Experian FICO from the denial letter and have a look at my credit report that I should get free because of the denial. Experian is my worst report, and I wanted to check out an updated copy so that I could figure out what to work on next.

However, they are "unable to honor my request". I have to print out the page, make a copy of my ID, go get a copy of my bank statement, and make a copy of my AMEX denial letter and send it all in so that I can get yet another paper copy of my credit report.

WHY ON EARTH do I have to send in all of this crap every single time I want to look at my report? I'm so frustrated at the process of viewing my report! This is cumbersome, unnecessary and uncalled for. It almost makes me want to give up and just let my credit remain however it is, because simply looking at it is proving to be such a big ordeal!

Done venting now, I'll go crawl back in my hole ^^

[cnon]

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Yet alone know that the credit reports they send to us is NOT the same report they sell to banks/lenders. The whole system is sketchy and secretive. 

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Pathetic, isn't it.....................................................

Cnon