The Equifax Shaft
Florida woman wins multimillion-dollar jury verdict against Equifax — OrlandoSentinel.com
Angela P. Williams says she got nothing but a runaround from Equifax as she tried for more than a decade to clear up an identity mix-up that ruined her credit. Now she’s hitting the credit-reporting giant where it hurts: on the bottom line. An Orlando jury awarded Williams a multimillion-dollar verdict against Equifax for years of failing to correct dramatic errors in Williams’ credit report that led to her credit score being trashed. Atlanta-based Equifax must pay the medical-transcription worker $219,000 in actual damages and $2.7 million in punitive damages for negligent violation of federal credit-reporting laws, according to the verdict Friday in state Circuit Court in Orlando.
I suffered an identity theft in 2001. To this day I am in dispute with Equifax, the worst offender of the big three credit reporting agencies. They refuse to remove the 3 bogus addresses along with misspellings of my name the thief used to purchase cell phones, gold and other jewelry. Unlike the woman in the article, I gave up after years of struggling. Her victory is for all of us.
“I’m not sure this will bring resolution,” she said. “I don’t have a lot of confidence especially in Equifax, after so many years of having problems. I’m just not confident that I won’t have to go through this again.”
I know firsthand exactly how she feels.
But you have to realize there are also fees involved with credit freezes. When you place a freeze, you pay a fee. From there on, if you want to open any new line of credit (loan, credit card, cell phone) the freeze must be lifted; there will be a fee for that as well.
I’ve had my service with LifeLock for almost two years and couldn’t be happier.
PMR #31
It depends on what state you live in. Besides with LifeLock you are paying all the time without the level of security a credit freeze provides. I bet what I pay to lock and unlock my credit is a lot less than what you pay with Lifelock and it is more secure.
Like I said if it is a problem with a person that they can’t plan in advance to open a credit line perhaps they are the kind of person that shouldn’t be using credit.
When the owner of a company that sells identity security has his own identity stolen I don’t think that I would be feeling that way
#29 – Anyone who can’t be bothered with that probably shouldn’t be using credit in the first place.
Why should I, the innocent victim of the credit reporting agencies, be forced to “bother” with anything at all.
They profit by marketing private information about me, and to use any financial services I must submit to their blackmail.
Equifax (EFX) is publicly held. Publicly Held is a fancy phrase for privately held by rich people. It also means that Equifax needs to be profitable and that the only customer served by Equifax is the stockholder, of which the overwhelmingly vast majority of citizens who use credit services are not. Thus, Equifax has absolutely no interest in serving you, protecting the data about you that they profit off of without your permission, or correcting errors reported about you. After all, they don’t care if you can pay tuition, buy a house, repair a care, get medicine, live, die… Equifax’s position is fuck you, bitch.
Credit Reporting agencies are in desperate need of dramatic government regulation. They should never have been allowed to be public companies in the first place. You Ayn Rand worshipping acolytes can mock me and call me a commie if you want (even though you’d be wrong) but these companies need to be responsive to me and you. They have amazing power to impact your life in significant ways… but have no responsibility to maintain accurate information and correct errors?
OFTLO- I couldn’t agree more. I just received THIS MORNING a letter from them saying someone has pinged my account. I know who it is, its the same MFers that my attorney has told to submit proof of my purchases. At this point, I can live with it, and keep this negative mark, or starting paying the attorneys to sue. I will probably live with it, I cant afford more years of this crap, its already been 6. I was told after seven it will go away, but if the creditor sells it to another creditor, the cycle starts all over. Now I can understand why people can lose their heads and go postal. I have fantasies, I do. I am here to kick ass and chew bubble gum…………..
McCullough,
You need to learn your federal rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). These are the federal laws the regulate the collection industry and give you rights.
In particular, you need to send this CA a Cease and Desist letter. They have to then stop contacting you, or sue you. I can’t believe your attorney has not done this.
If they continue to hound you, then you have the right sue them in federal court for violations of the FDCPA. You don’t need an attorney for any of this.
The attorney is the corporate attorney for my wifes business. Basically just doing me a favor. Firing off some documentation to let them know we are preparing…but its all bluff, and they probably know it. Thanks for the information, I may get my back up enough to pursue this some more..but its wearing on me.
OhForTheLoveOf #33
“Why should I, the innocent victim of the credit reporting agencies, be forced to “bother” with anything at all.”
Because it is called being responsible and being a grownup!
First off I find that most people who claim they are “innocent” are far from it. How carefully do you protect your private information? Do you shred all you financial data before disposing of it? Do you shred CC offers before throwing them out? Do you give out your SS # when applying for a job? Do you give your SS# when trying to rent an apartment or home?(only applies to those that rent) Do you have a freeze on your credit report? Do you store you financial information on a PC? Do you bank online?
My guess is most people don’t bother to protect their information beyond what is easy.
Well we are living in a very advanced criminal corrupt world. If you don’t protect yourself IT IS YOUR OWN FAULT!!!!
I have lots of credit cards and lots of money and NEVER once have I had a problem. I have had my credit card # compromised but it cost me nothing! I got a new one and the charges were not applied to me. That same person tried to open new credit line in my name and they were refused. Not because I knew about it but because long ago I protected myself and without my permission they were denied. No problem for me! Only for the crook!
“They profit by marketing private information about me”
It is not private information so stop pretending that it is or ever was!
Ron Larson is correct there are laws that protect people from erroneous credit marks. The reason most people cant get rid of them is because they are not REALLY incorrect.
McCullough #34
“I was told after seven it will go away, but if the creditor sells it to another creditor, the cycle starts all over.”
This is simply not true. Look up the laws before making such urban myth claims.
I find that most people who complain about the CC reporting agencies are those that either don’t pay their bills or those that have poor credit.
Oh Also
Do you give your SS# to the phone company, Gas company, electric company, cable company?
You shouldn’t and you don’t have too either. They are not intitled to it and cannot refuse you service for not giving it to them.
#37. You are making assumptions about me, and you are dead ass wrong. I have never had any problems before ID Theft. My credit rating today stands at around 830. There were 14 accounts of fraudulent activity on my report, all but 2 were voluntarily erased by the creditors, including Kohls, the ones that started all this by submitting simple affidavits. I was able to prove I didn’t open up these accounts because I was living and working in another country, and could account for my whereabouts. The two remaining are just harassing me in the hope that I will relent and pay them off. You must work for a collection agency, it would explain your asinine response.
#38. And also, having been through this hell for 6 years, there isn’t one thing you’ve said that I haven’t known forever.
#39 – You must work for a collection agency, it would explain your asinine response.
…not to mention his attitude.
#37 – Well we are living in a very advanced criminal corrupt world. If you don’t protect yourself IT IS YOUR OWN FAULT!!!!
Your blame the victim attitude pretty much tells it all. Go fuck yourself.
It is info about me… I have a right to know what these corporate mobsters are doing with it. It is private. It is mine.
McCullough #39 #40
I made no assumptions about you but you sure do respond like someone that is represented.
I do not and have not ever worked for a credit agency.
I find your statement about your score to be questionable. You claim there are 2 remaining bad claims (fraudulent) against you. Yet you claim to have a credit score around 830? Hum? That sounds fishy considering the highest credit score you can obtain is 850. and that is reserved for people like me who have a lot of money, always pay there bills on time, never have had any bad marks on their credit and whose debit is less than 1% of income. The way they calculate credit scores I doubt serioulusly that you have a score above 750.
I doubt your claims!
Besides 14 claims against you. That is your fault! because you were not doing what you should have to prevent that from happening in the first place. I attribute it to laziness.
Also what are you bitching about? If it is 830 or even 750? It wouldn’t be like you couldn’t get a loan or buy a car. Get a phone with caller ID and don’t answer the phone when they call. Hell with 830 you could get my kind of interest 0%
You don’t think there are instances of people trying to steal my ID from me. Ha they try all the time but I am not a dumb ass and have my protected. I actively protect my ID so that such events don’t take place.
It is nothing but your own fault.
If you knew about all of that then you are a dumb ass because you could have stoped it from ever happening.
LIKE I SAID IT IS ALL YOUR OWN FAULT!!!!
OhForTheLoveOf #41
“Your blame the victim attitude pretty much tells it all. Go fuck yourself.”
How polite of you.
You choose to be a victim. All the power to prevent it is there. You choose not to use them!!!!!
“It is info about me… I have a right to know what these corporate mobsters are doing with it.”
Yes you do and you can get it anytime you want. Well once a year for free. You even have the power to stop them from handing it out too!!!!!
See you do have that right!!!!!
“It is private. It is mine.”
Sorry but NO IT ISN’T Your name, your birthday, your address history, your education, your job history, your credit information are all PUBLIC RECORD!
Being stubborn isn’t going to stop a criminal from stealing you ID and fucking you over. They all know it is public record and maybe you should learn that too.
Stop pretending that these companies control you and take the control back.
1) Don’t use credit. You don’t have to have that fancy car. Or if you do save up and write a check.
2)If you must use credit because of your consumerism at least be responsible and protect it. Not by trusting someone else to protect it but by doing it yourself. Also don’t overspend yourself. I think the average debit is like $8000 or something like that. Was that Xbox really worth it?
3)Even if you don’t use credit. FREEZE YOUR REPORTS. If you don’t use credit it won’t be much of a problem for you.
J. “Also what are you bitching about? If it is 830 or even 750? It wouldn’t be like you couldn’t get a loan or buy a car. Get a phone with caller ID and don’t answer the phone when they call. Hell with 830 you could get my kind of interest 0%”
Actually, I don’t give a flying fuck about the collection agency, my wife however does, purely on principle. This happened back when SS# were still on drivers license. How did it happen? I have suspicions, but who knows for sure.
You know, generally I wouldn’t wish ID theft on anybody, but, I’ll make an exception this time.
#43 – How polite of you.
It seemed appropriate in light of your smug attitude.
You choose to be a victim. All the power to prevent it is there. You choose not to use them!!!!!
But I’m not a victim. And you have no idea what I do or don’t do, and nothing I wrote is A) wrong or B) able to give you insight beyond what my opinions are.
#44 – Stop pretending that these companies control you and take the control back.
Funny. I’ve been saying that about government. I don’t think I heard anyone claim to be controlled by companies…
1) Don’t use credit. You don’t have to have that fancy car. Or if you do save up and write a check.
What do you think I drive? You are delusional if you think I’m sporting around in anything you’d call “fancy”
2)If you must use credit because of your consumerism at least be responsible and protect it. Not by trusting someone else to protect it but by doing it yourself. Also don’t overspend yourself. I think the average debit is like $8000 or something like that. Was that Xbox really worth it?
I’ll let you know if I ever buy an Xbox… or a TV to use with it… or home theater speakers… or anything like that.
It’s amusing to hear someone like you use the word consumerism with that tone. That’s almost liberal of you.
3)Even if you don’t use credit. FREEZE YOUR REPORTS. If you don’t use credit it won’t be much of a problem for you.
I’m not applying for credit, so why do I have to take steps to force data pirates to stop playing fast and loose with my private information?
Why should I opt out? Opt out should be everyone’s default state. I should have to opt in. I should not have to jump through hoops.
OhForTheLoveOf #46
First off you are wrong.
Second You talk a lot of shit.
If you are not a victim of credit fraud then you have nothing to complain about.
So STFU!!!!
YOUR “PRIVATE” INFORMATION IS PUBLIC RECORD!!!!!!! IT DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU!!!!!!!!
Get that through your stupid fucking skull!!!
I finally understand why so many people here have a problem with you. I tend to be on the liberal side of the argument on politics and such. Please do us “common sense” liberals a favor. Go to the other side because you argue with the same logic they use and for the same reason. You have a small penis and you need to make up for it by taking your anger out on other people and complaining about a straw man problem.
McCullough says he has problems with Equifax. I have had plenty of problems with Experian. The last graf of the Sentinel story points out the other two companies settle out of court. That tells me all three are worthless.
Throw in Hotels.com, Ernst & Young, E-trade and my employer (they were responsible for the loss) and there is a real mess.
If you have had problems with any credit agency, file an online complaint with the FTC. They will provide you with a case no. Learn to use it when you complain in writing to the credit agency. In fact it’s a good idea to complain to the FTC first.
Skip the online complaint resolution process. Send them a certified letter. They have to answer it in writing. Sure it’s a hassle, but it documents everything.
If you believe you are a victim of ID theft, fill out the FTC ID theft complaint. Also report it to your local police department. In Florida, the authorities are required by law to take your police report even if the ID theft happend in another jurisdiction.
Send the ID theft affidavit to all three of the credit reporting companies along with the police report case number. Also report the case number to the FTC online complaint board.
If you have been a victim of ID theft AND send a copy of the affidavit to the three agencies, you are entitled to a lock on your credit records for free for 5 years. Mine is frozen for life because I have reported three separate incidents.
I also sent the ID theft affidavit to each company listed in my credit report. It took a lot of time and effort.
There is one upside. I get NO junk mail. None. Nada. I am opted out of everything.
If a thief can’t access your credit report or other personal info, it’s hard for them to use your info. Sure it’s hassle when you want credit….
Also it helps when you fill out forms to tack on a little note at the bottom: You do not have my permission to buy, sell, trade or laon my personal information.
I don’t think any private firm should be allowed to gather and profit from my private personal information without my written permission.
#47, J,
Get a life. I don’t give two shits what you claim your political leanings are. So far on this post you are blaming the victim and refuse to see that criminals are allowed to get away with robbery with the assistance of the credit reporting agencies.
It doesn’t matter what preventive steps were or were not taken. The facts are that a criminal used someone else’s identity to steal money and goods. That is the crime.
Are you going to blame someone who had their house broken into for not hiring a private security firm to house sit? Would you blame someone’s whose house was arsoned for not building it of non flammable material? Would you blame a rape victim because they live in the same society as the rapist? How about blaming a gun shot victim because they didn’t wear a bullet proof vest.
By the way you blame the victim, I wouldn’t put it past you to be an ID thief. It is evident though, you are a moran.
This is not my call but if it was I would nominate you for the Bubba Ray Dip Dork Award of the Week.
#50 Mr. Fusion
How exactly do the credit reporting agencies “assist” ID thieves?
Nice set of straw man arguments. But you are being disengenuious and you know it
It is more akin to the “victim” that knows they have an illness for which there is a cure but instead of getting the cure they would rather sit around and blame others for getting them sick.
Think about it this way. Would you leave your wallet on the dash of your car while you go into the mall? Would you think someone stupid who did?
Now in reguards to your rudeness. I tend to find myself on the same side of the argument with you most of the time. Despite the fact that you get many of your facts wrong or grossly misrepresented. Only now do I understand what others here have said about you.
BTW never once did I say that ID theft wasn’t a crime.
There could not have been a better time for this article to have been posted.
A short little Time piece that talks about how you don’t really have to give out your SS#.
One of my major points. People who just hand it over because it is the easy way to get what you want deserve NO sympathy for there loss.
http://tinyurl.com/yuvvea
#47 – Overwhelmed with the bravery of being out of range are you?
You are not a liberal. You aren’t even close. And your invitation to go and fuck yourself remains open.
As for why I speak on the issue even though I am not a victim… well, unlike you, I’m not a selfish prick.
#53 OhForTheLoveOf
“And your invitation to go and fuck yourself remains open.”
Could you send me a diagram on how this is done? You seem to have a lot of experience with such matters.
It must suck when you know your wrong and have run out of straw man arguments to defend your position.
It is people like you that give liberal a bad name.
You oppose things without reason or evidence just because you “believe” you are right. This make you no better than the right wing overly religious zealots you oppose so much.
Do us a favor……Join the other side. We don’t need your help and we don’t want it. You do nothing but give the right wing a weapon to use when they claim liberals are a bunch of morons. That goes for you too Mr Fusion. I am done letting you slide on you inaccurate statements and I plan to make an effort to point them out whenever I can stomach reading them.
As far as being selfish. How much of your income do you give to charitable causes? We can do this by amount or by percentage. Let me know when you want to compare how unselfish we are. My bet is you will lose no matter how we measure it.
For the onlookers. I have equal disdain for credit card companies and reporting agencies as the morons I argue with but the difference is I take responsibility for my “private” data and refuse to let others steal it or use it. Unlike my friends here that would rather blame someone for their own laziness. This attitude does not help the liberal cause and does nothing more than give the right wing a punching bag.
J, It wasn’t too long ago when your SS# and Drivers license # were the same. In many states this was true. When I traveled internationally, I was required to present 2 forms of picture ID. to the ticketing agent, passport (required), and drivers license. Both having SS# on it. So, if you want to fly, you hand it to the ticket agent, and again to TSA.
Also, the Dept of Taxation, where I lived, decided to dispose of records one day. Instead of shredding, they took the records to the dump. Reams and Reams of greenbar paper, with the name, address, phone nr, and SSN of every resident. A wind picked up that day, and blew the paper into the hills.
So you see, its not all cut and dried, there are many ways for your ID to be compromised. It was not my fault my ID was stolen.
#54 – It’s funny that you can’t recognize that it was your condescending attitude that raised the ire against you in the first place… and not your position on the issue.
But I recognize a brick wall when I see one, so forgive me I don’t want to engage in a more productive debate with you. You aren’t any less resolute in your position than I am, so are you the pot or the kettle?
I don’t know why you think charitable contributions should be a competition, and if you are rich as you claimed above, then yes… you’d win. I can only do what I can… You want me to believe you have greater resources and more charitable inclinations than I do, so okay… I choose to believe you.
It doesn’t make you better than anyone else here and it doesn’t make your attitude any less irritating.
So, you don’t like me and I don’t like you. And neither of us care. What do you want to do? Go outside and fight?
#55 McCullough
I am well aware that mine, yours and probably 100 of millions of SS# are out there for the taking.
That isn’t the issue. Even if it is, you can protect yourself from any credit damage by freezing your report status.
“So you see, its not all cut and dried, there are many ways for your ID to be compromised.”
Yes it is!!! and Yes there are. Still doesn’t change the fact that you could protect yourself by FREEZING your reports.
“It was not my fault my ID was stolen.”
Maybe not but it is your fault that the thief was able to open a credit line (more than one) in your name. You could have prevented it. Which is the reason why Mr. Fusions argument is a straw man. In all his instances Those victims could not “resonably” prevent what happened to them.
My issue is with people who are lazy and just want to blame others for the problems that occur due to their laziness. I know my SS# is out on the market and I have had people try to steal my ID and use it for nefarious purposes. Why is it do you think that I have never had any credit damage under my name? It is because I am proactive about protecting myself. I don’t sit around and wait for it to happen just so I can bitch about it.
#56 OhForTheLoveOf
“But I recognize a brick wall when I see one”
Facts are a real hurdle aren’t they?
“I don’t want to engage in a more productive debate with you. ”
I don’t think I have ever seen you engage in a “productive debate on this blog. You are a whiny little bitch giving liberals a bad name.
“so are you the pot or the kettle?”
Neither. I am the water inside. “Be like water my friend”
“I don’t know why you think charitable contributions should be a competition”
I don’t. You questioned that fact of whether I am selfish by calling me a “selfish prick”. I provided you a opportunity to measure my selfishness against yours.
“I can only do what I can”
That is why I offered you the percentage measure. Even someone that has $10 can give a percentage. 10% of $10 would be 1 dollar. Where as 10% of $10,000,000 is 1 million dollars. In my book they are equal in their generosity. But like I said either way I probably give more of what I have than you do. So, for you to call me a selfish prick reeks of jealousy
“I choose to believe you.”
I don’t care!
“It doesn’t make you better than anyone else here ”
Never said it did nor do I think it does.
“it doesn’t make your attitude any less irritating.”
I am sure it does irritate you. The facts usually upsets those with unjustified beliefs or positions.
“So, you don’t like me”
That is the first thing you got right.
“What do you want to do? Go outside and fight?”
LOL
You probably wouldn’t stand a chance there either. Considering your lazy attitude about protecting your privacy. My guess is you are out of shape and slow to the draw.
J,
The protections you’ve put in place are insufficient to defend against indirect attacks. You may well feel safe, but you could be financially attacked on your flank.
I would guess you are 24-29 years old woman, living in a mid-Atlantic state, and believe you have everything figured out.
That may be so, but you haven’t demonstrated to me you know how to think like a criminal.
#58 Dorksters
“The protections you’ve put in place are insufficient to defend against indirect attacks.”
Wrong! Other than the Credit freeze you don’t know what other protections I have in place. So you speak without knowledge. But lets just speak to the credit report.
No one can even look at my credit report without my permission. NO ONE! No bank, No credit card company, Not even my current creditors. NO ONE!
NO LOAN OR CREDIT CAN BE ISSUED UNDER MY NAME WITHOUT A DIRECT SAY SO FROM ME.
Please enlighten me on how someone could attack me financially from the flank. I would like to see if you are just being coy.
“I would guess you are 24-29 years old woman”
Not even close.
“living in a mid-Atlantic state”
LOL Not even close.
“and believe you have everything figured out”
Nope Not even close but it is a long journey
“That may be so,”
Like I said No I don’t have everything figured out but I am ahead of most.
“but you haven’t demonstrated to me you know how to think like a criminal.”
Why should I have to demonstrate anything to you. Who the fuck are you that I must “demonstrate” anything at request. You see my views, take them, leave them or debate them but don’t sit there like you are some kind of arbiter of knowledge or accuracy. You have shown in only this one post that you have no idea what you are talking about.
You have no idea of the type of people I have dealt with and what I understand about them besides the criminal thought process is highly overrated. Most are illogical and slow and over burdened with social behavior issues. VERY PREDICTABLE. Just like roaches.
J,
You are a moron.