EXP no longer accepting disputes by mail?

[LeslieR]

I am a member of the Costco Identity Guard site, and just got a notice (as well as saw on their site) that Experian is no longer accepting disputes by mail -- only online.

I know most of us do our disputes online, but I have had some success with mail-in disputes in the past. Anytime a company just rejects a form of communication with its consumers, one has to wonder about it. Especially since they are the bureau that basically will only investigate everything once online (you get that annoying FOAD message that they've already investigated once) For me, it just confirms what lovebug already knows -- EXP IS THE DEVIL

[ShortBus]

If true, I don't know how well it'll fly. I wasn't able to find anything in the FCRA that dictates on how they can accept disputes, but there is law on how they inform you of the results of the dispute.

FCRA § 611(3)( states that they are obligated to send you the results of your dispute "by mail or, if authorized by the consumer for that purpose, by any other means available to the agency." So if you don't authorize them to email your your results, I don't know how they're going to comply with the FCRA? Of course they could accept disputes online and mail you the results, but that's not what happens in my experience.

[x-ray]

Where did you see it on their site?

I am checking their site and cannot find it. On the contrary, I see:

"For fast resolution, dispute online, or for assistance, call us at the toll-free number on your report or write to us at the address on your report."

http://www.experian.com/customer_service/mail.html

Online, after "they've already investigated message" they offer to dispute via mail:

"Please mail us this letter (or the information in it), along with a copy of the additional relevant information that supports your claim that information on your credit report that has previously been verified as accurate by the data furnisher is inaccurate. Be sure to indicate the specific account and account number that you are disputing and give the specific reason why you believe it is inaccurate. To protect your personal identification information, Experian does not return correspondence sent to us. Send copies of any documents you wish to provide to us and always retain your original documents.

Mail this form, along with payment (if applicable) to:

Experian

PO Box 9556

Allen, TX 75013 "

P.S. Does anyone know their physical/corporate/legal address (Experian Legal Department, for example) where they can be served? I want to mail them ITS letter.

I see it as a waste of time mailing anything to their PO Box address, everything is scanned and coded in India (it does not matter what you write in your letter, everything gets a 2-digit code)

Experian’s procedures about distutes (EX employee testimony):

Q. After you receive a dispute such as Exhibit 1[a multipage dispute letter with nearly 60 pages of supporting documentation], if you were following Experian’s mandate or requirement, you would plug the information into the computer, the name, address and social, and pull up the file on the screen, correct?

A. Yes.

Q. You would then review to learn what items were being disputed, is that correct?

A. Yes.

Q. What is the next step that you would follow if you were obeying Experian?

A. I would process the items. [. . .] I highlight on the [tradeline] item, and I enter the option. [. . .]

Q. What options do you have to choose from?

A. I would choose the one ‘the consumer states the item is not theirs due to fraud.’

Q. So there is a list of multiple choice options that you would click on?

A. Yes. [. . .]

Q. And can you list some of the other multiple choice codes you could click on?

A. [After estimating that there were as many as 15 dispute codes] There’s one for ‘not mine, for mixed file.’

Read (lengthy, but worth every page): "The CRAs Never Conduct a ‘Reinvestigation’ and Always ‘Parrot’ their Creditor-customers."

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/financialsvcs_dem/osbennett061907.pdf

ADDENDUM

Experian: Games They Play With Their Address[es]

Experian seems to regularly change its Allen, Texas PO Box; it changed from POB 949 to POB 2002; now it is POB 9701, Allen TX 75013 (at least I hope it is). I suspect that Experian regularly changes the POB and does not have any mail forwarding from the old POB to discourage consumers from writing to it.

Another reason to use physical legal address:

TRANS UNION, LLC

1561 E. Orangethorpe Ave.

Fullerton, CA 92831

EXPERIAN INFORMATION SOLUTIONS, INC.

NATL CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER

701 Experian Parkway

Allen, TX 75013

EQUIFAX INFO. SERVICES, LLC

SERVICE CENTER

1550 Peachtree St NW

Atlanta, GA 30327-1428

INNOVIS DATA SOLUTIONS

1651 N.W. Professional Plaza

Columbus, OH 43220

[LeslieR]

It wasn't on Experian's site. I got an email from Identity Guard informing me of the change. It provided a link to the Identity Guard site, which I don't think will work for you since I had to enter my login info to see it, but here is the contents of the page:

Credit Reporting Agency Contact Information

Equifax

P.O. Box 740256

Atlanta, GA 30374-0256

TransUnion

P.O. Box 2000

Chester, PA 19022-2000

Experian

Disputes are no longer accepted by mail or telephone, but you may file a dispute online.

--------------------------------------------------

As for EXP's corporate HQ, there are here in SoCal -- the address would be either Irvine or Costa Mesa. I drive by it everyday and get pissed off.

[LeslieR]

If true, I don't know how well it'll fly. I wasn't able to find anything in the FCRA that dictates on how they can accept disputes, but there is law on how they inform you of the results of the dispute.

FCRA § 611(3)( states that they are obligated to send you the results of your dispute "by mail or, if authorized by the consumer for that purpose, by any other means available to the agency." So if you don't authorize them to email your your results, I don't know how they're going to comply with the FCRA? Of course they could accept disputes online and mail you the results, but that's not what happens in my experience.

I think they will still give you the option to hear back via mail (I just did an online dispute with them and although they recommend email for a response, the mail option was still there). I think this is saying they will only accept disputes online.

[jasen]

Er... most of us dispute by mail, as we need our green cards for proof of receipt.

Especially for court cases.

[LeslieR]

Er... most of us dispute by mail, as we need our green cards for proof of receipt.

Especially for court cases.

I don't bother sending disputes to the CRAs via CMRRR -- I only send out DVs this way to the CAs. I have had quite a bit of luck disputing online. But I want the option of mail for the pesky things they aren't budging on.

[brokeinok]

Not everyone who needs to dispute something will have access or the knowledge to use the internet, they won't get away with it for long. People will start complaining.

[Rick9972]

*sticks head out of cave*

*sniffs the breeze*

*Smells Class action lawsuit in the wind*

[Amerikaner83]

Very true.

[TTigggers]

That is discrimination plain and simple.

I know a lot of people that don't have a computer or just won't use one.

I hope they get their a** sued off.

[Magdalen77]

EX better accept my %$^**(& letter. I just sent an ID theft affidavit, a FTC complaint and a police report. They really don't want a Philly gurl coming down to Allen TX and going postal on their a@@es.:medusa:

[isislc]

EX better accept my %$^**(& letter. I just sent an ID theft affidavit, a FTC complaint and a police report. They really don't want a Philly gurl coming down to Allen TX and going postal on their a@@es.:medusa:

Wow, all those evil icons and such an angelic Avatar.

[Been_Ponzied]

A tenant background check company told me that Experian is the BIG KAHOONA of the CRAs. That everything goes through them first. You can tell that Experian does not miss ANYTHING, an address going back forever, NOTHING. The other Bureaus are just paper tigers, fakes, as far as I'm concerned. They will remove an address and Experian won't. It's only worth fighting Experian on something...the others probably just get their info from them anyway!

[ShortBus]

A tenant background check company told me that Experian is the BIG KAHOONA of the CRAs. That everything goes through them first. You can tell that Experian does not miss ANYTHING, an address going back forever, NOTHING. The other Bureaus are just paper tigers, fakes, as far as I'm concerned. They will remove an address and Experian won't. It's only worth fighting Experian on something...the others probably just get their info from them anyway!

The background check company was misinformed; EX/EQ/TU all get their data from individual data furnishers (creditors, CAs, etc), not from each other.

[LeslieR]

They did delete a few addresses on mine. 1 I had never lived at and several that were variations of an existing address i.e. adding an apartment number to my house. For some reason they would not delete an old work address that they have listed as a residence so I'll have to call Monday and find out which DF gave them that address. All in all though I did get 4 deletes but F*&king LVNV verified.

How did you accomplish that, NASCAR. I have found that most of my EXP success, actually, came through a couple of lengthy (but clear) letters that I sent them. Just about everything got taken care of except the address issues. I viewed those as small compared to some of the other stuff I needed to clean up, so have not pursued further. Speaking of which, in the online dispute, they tell you to WRITE IN (snail mail) about inquiry and personal address disputes....so they have to accept that mail.

I have always ignored EXP's requests for personal ID.

So, how'd you get old addresses removed?

[Rick9972]

Got six old addresses and 4 name variations off DW's report by phoning in.

[msldystrkr]

You have a right to dispute and the CRA must investigate or re-investigate once it receives a dispute. So I don't care if you decided to dispute by carrier pigeon express; once they receive a dispute by you then they must investigate...

§ 609. Disclosures to consumers [15 U.S.C. § 1681g]

© SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO OBTAIN AND DISPUTE INFORMATION IN CONSUMER REPORTS AND TO OBTAIN CREDIT SCORES-

(1) COMMISSION SUMMARY OF RIGHTS REQUIRED-

( CONTENT OF SUMMARY- The summary of rights prepared under subparagraph (A) shall include a description of--

(iii) the right of a consumer to dispute information in the file of the consumer under section 611;

§ 611. Procedure in case of disputed accuracy [15 U.S.C. § 1681i]

(a) Reinvestigations of disputed information.

(1) Reinvestigation required.

If the completeness or accuracy of any item of information contained in a consumer's file at a consumer reporting agency is disputed by the consumer and the consumer notifies the agency directly, or indirectly through a reseller of such dispute, the agency shall, free of charge, conduct a reasonable reinvestigation....

[firemanjim]

On the Ex site is a FAQ page, and right tehre in writing they say it...

http://www.experian.com/customer_service/faq.html#2

My question is, is that legal? To refuse to be contacted by US Mail? Doesn't the FCRA require them to be available by mail?

Jim

[TTigggers]

On the Ex site is a FAQ page, and right tehre in writing they say it...

http://www.experian.com/customer_service/faq.html#2

My question is, is that legal? To refuse to be contacted by US Mail? Doesn't the FCRA require them to be available by mail?

Jim

It says E-Mail not US mail.

Here it is

How can I dispute information on my report that is inaccurate?

If you already have an Experian credit report you can dispute online for fast resolution. Or, contact us at the phone number on your report. We cannot accept disputes via email.

[Amerikaner83]

Yes - it says E-mail. Good catch - ya beat me to it Ttigggers

[TTigggers]

Yes - it says E-mail. Good catch - ya beat me to it Ttigggers

Wow I beat the post whore to something.

[2001Badyear]

A very rare honor indeed.

[isislc]

It says E-Mail not US mail.

Here it is

How can I dispute information on my report that is inaccurate?

If you already have an Experian credit report you can dispute online for fast resolution. Or, contact us at the phone number on your report. We cannot accept disputes via email.

Yeah I saw that too.

[firemanjim]

Guess I misread it... Could have sworn it was US mail...

Oh well....