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Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns

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Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns

#1

Post by PopAlongKid »

For years, I have been obtaining free annual credit reports (annualcreditreport.com) which must be provided by law. Recently, for the first time, when I tried to obtain my Equifax report, I was prompted for an email address and a mobile phone number, a new requirement that apparently cannot be bypassed. The other two bureaus, and Equifax previously, confirmed identity by asking knowledge based questions. They do not need my phone or email for anything.

Next, trying to obtain the report by phone instead of web site per instructions, I got to the point where I entered my ZIP code on the phone keypad, the voice menu system correctly repeated the number back to me, but every time I press 1 to indicate it is correct, the system acts like it got an invalid response and only gives me the option to enter further information by voice, not by the phone keypad. Just as with my phone number and email, they do not need to record my voice to provide my report.

I wrote a complaint to the annualcreditreport firm earlier this week, no response yet.

Re: Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns

#4

Post by eek2121 »

Banks and data companies are moving to biometrics for proof of identity and you may have hit this.

At least 3 credit card companies I use are signed up/using a biometrics/information provider. (they wouldn’t tell me who, despite federal disclosure requirements — I only knew they were using someone because my current accurate info was replaced by info from 7 years ago)

There are companies trying very hard to find out everything from your hair color, facial features, and skin type to your email address and connect them all for everything from identity management to advertising. They are working on getting your payroll data directly from your employer as well, so you will not be able to self declare income in the future. You will know when you run across the companies that use these providers because their data is often wrong or out of date and they usually ask you for a video of yourself holding your id to update it and may even give you a problem then.

The amount of information these companies are collecting and piecing together is scary — one company is tracking major website comment activity and tying it back to their core data sets which has your IRL info.

This means that in the future, you could be denied employment, a mortgage, or an auto loan because of something you said last year in Twitter.

Re: Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns

#5

Post by davidjade »

gfs wrote: post #2

Credit reports are a racket. I've barely had any luck obtaining one of my reports from the site in the past few years. I'm at the point where I think I will freeze my credit.

We’ve been living with credit freezes for over 10 years now, ever since a bunch of fraud incidents (thanks leaky IRS). Only ever have to deal with it when we need credit (rarely), putting in for a temporary lift. Bonus is we get zero refinance or CC offers in the mail.

Re: Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns

#6

Post by JamesSwift »

gfs wrote: post #2

Credit reports are a racket. I've barely had any luck obtaining one of my reports from the site in the past few years. I'm at the point where I think I will freeze my credit.

I recently had someone submit a fraudulent loan application using my information. I went through the process of freezing immediately after, and I would highly recommend you do it. It was the easiest thing possible. I just went to the links on here https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/how-to-freeze-cre... and was done in like 10 minutes for all 3.

Re: Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns

#7

Post by biftek »

gfs wrote: post #2

Credit reports are a racket. I've barely had any luck obtaining one of my reports from the site in the past few years. I'm at the point where I think I will freeze my credit.

Everyone should freeze their credit by default, it's very easy to unfreeze when you actually need to apply for something.

Re: Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns

#8

Post by breadwinner »

Remember, this is the company that could not keep the data they already have safe [1]. And now they want more info from you, so that they can store even more info about you (carelessly) and sell it? This is what happens when you have less regulation.

[1] https://www.csoonline.com/article/567833/equifax-data-breach...

Re: Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns

#9

Post by alistairSH »

biftek wrote: post #7
gfs wrote: post #2

Credit reports are a racket. I've barely had any luck obtaining one of my reports from the site in the past few years. I'm at the point where I think I will freeze my credit.

Everyone should freeze their credit by default, it's very easy to unfreeze when you actually need to apply for something.

Ideally, that would be the default state, and you'd request un unlock when you need to borrow money.

Re: Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns

#10

Post by nicholasjarnold »

eek2121 wrote: post #4

Banks and data companies are moving to biometrics for proof of identity and you may have hit this. At least 3 credit card companies I use are signed up/using a biometrics/information provider. (they wouldn’t tell me who, despite federal disclosure requirements — I only knew they were using someone because my current accurate info was replaced by info from 7 years ago) There are companies trying very hard to find out…

It's literally out of control. We cannot have a healthy democracy in a systematically surveilled society. When people understand they're being actively and constantly surveilled they tend to self-censor their expression. When we do not have a healthy and honest exchange of expression (something that has arguably been being eroded for a long while now) it will fundamentally erode one of the pillars of our society. Kudos to CA and IL for attempting to do something about this legislatively.

As a citizen with some modicum of hope for the future I will vote for strong privacy protections. As an engineer I will not work on products that progress our state of surveillance capitalism (yep, realize the constraints here). I hope others agree and act accordingly.

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