@Absolution16 What everyone above has reported is accurate. For Sync cards (Dual and Store), for prequalifiers and for credi tlimit increase requests, frozen/locked reports interfere with their internal systems.
Sagestream (which used to be IDA), which was independently an alternate credit repoting agency much like ARS and Innovis. Alot of people who opted out (back when that became a thing), likely opted out/froze IDA/Sagestream along with ARS (Advanced Resolution Services) and Innovis. LexisNexis is a data broker that historically was used for identification purposes / red flags by the credit reporting agencies. That's how those ID questions (annoying questions that typically are comprised of previous street names, middle names of relavtives, previous phone numbers, payment ranges of current / previous loans etc) were produced. Think one step below OFAC.
Some years ago, that business really started to blow up and data brokers started to really get out of hand resulting in people blocking/blocking data brokers from sharing their data. LexisNexis was one of THE most difficult to do so but also the most commonly used by the big three. However that changed when they purchased/merged with Sagestream. As a result of the purchase/merger, anyone who already had a frozen Sagestream report was automatically frozen with LexisNexis. This causes identification problems with any creditor that uses Sagestream/LexisNexis as their data broker and provider for marketing - soft pull prequalifiers and especially opening bank accounts as they communicate directly with Chex.
I pretty much went through this a few years ago.
@Absolution16 wrote:
Only the 3 "major" CRAs were frozen. At the time, I did not even know about SageStream. It was NOT frozen.
How and why would they use an outdated, prior information if SageStream was NOT frozen at the time when I checked PRE-QUAL?
When I checked SageStream, under section called "Other Reported Personal Information," it CLEARLY lists Synchrony Bank with the date of Feb 4, 2023, as having obtained my personal information.
Sagestream doesn't have any credit information.
@Absolution16 wrote:
Thank you for the detailed information and background. Very informative.
So basically, any CRs necessary for either approval, prequal, CLI, etc ALL need to be available at the same time in order to avoid internal system glitch? Does that mean that the "reasoning" and the "score" given to me "based on data from SageStream" could be incorrect due to the internal systems interference?
I will be sure to make all 3 CRs available anytime I make any applications/inquiries, as well as LexisNexis if I am dealing with Synchrony or Comenity.
Request mailed versions of your Sagestream and LexisNexis reports. You should be able to request physical copies. The LexisNexis one is going to be an encyclopedia. You need to see what the actual printed copies look like. It should also state the status of your files for both. If you do indeed have nothing but an inquiry on your physical report, there is something else going on.
@Absolution16 wrote:
Thank you for the detailed information and background. Very informative.
So basically, any CRs necessary for either approval, prequal, CLI, etc ALL need to be available at the same time in order to avoid internal system glitch? Does that mean that the "reasoning" and the "score" given to me "based on data from SageStream" could be incorrect due to the internal systems interference?
I will be sure to make all 3 CRs available anytime I make any applications/inquiries, as well as LexisNexis if I am dealing with Synchrony or Comenity.
Yes it has to be incorrect since Sagestream doesn't have any credit information at all.
@Absolution16 wrote:
I requested their Consumer Disclosure Report at LexisNexis' website, and they had me wait for a letter in the mail which contained a link I can access to my report online. Is that the same?
LexisNexis one is indeed a long encyclopedia of personal information, going back very far in the past with very sensitive details. SageStream data was attached at the very end, and only contained 2 or 3 pages.
As far as I can see, there were small minor errors like an apartment number missing a number, but nothing major. I am not sure if I have to update them with any missing information, as that seems like I am helping them out collecting mlre information about me. The only thing that caught my eyes was that I was listed with someone with the same name in some business association I have never had relationship with.
I realize now that what I have been calling the Sagestream report is the LexisNexis report. I too have only a couple of pages at the end which comprise the Sagestream report. The vast number of addresses, phone numbers, and business "associations" listed -- half of them wrong -- are actually the LexisNexis report.