| Comment Number: | 545091-00406 |
| Received: | 10/15/2009 |
| Commenter: | Stevens |
| Organization: | |
| State: | MD |
| Agency: | Federal Trade Commission |
| Rule: | 16 CFR Part 610 Amendments to Rule to Prevent Deceptive Marketing of Credit Reports and to Ensure Access to Free Annual File Disclosures |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
These comments may not pertain directly to the subject above but the issue raised does impact the ability to obtain a yearly free credit report. A year or so ago, Maryland required the credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion to implement a process to allow a person to freeze his/her credit report. The credit freeze process is available in many states. I established the freeze with all three companies. Since I implemented the freeze, I find that Equifax is the only bureau that does not permit ordering of a credit report online via www.annualcreditreport.com. They require a form to be mailed with 2 pieces of identification and documentation of the pin number associated with the freeze. I feel this mail-in process is a problem since it circumvents the exact problem I am trying to prevent, identity theft. I am forced to provide information via the mail that could be stolen and used for identity theft - both valid identification and my security freeze number. In addition to this problem, I wanted to note that the mail-in process, controlled by Annual Credit Report Service, is fraught with additional problems such as mailing incorrect reports and letters. For example, I was initially informed that I did not supply my pin number which was clearly in the documentation. Then, they mailed all three credit reports when I only requested one. I believe the credit bureaus should be required to support online ordering of a credit report, even if a security freeze is placed on the account. The authentication of a user by using the freeze pin, an account pin and multiple security questions that need to be answered correctly is certainly a more secure process than mailing the information. Perhaps this problem has been corrected since my last experience with ordering the yearly report from Equifax. However, if not corrected, I think requirements to allow all people to order the reports online should be pursued. thanks!