Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns • Hacker News Board

Re: Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns

#11

Post by olliej » Fri, Feb 23, 2024, 9:40 PM UTC

I still love the whole "we know our data is wrong, but we sell it as fact, and know that that information is used to impact cost to you, but you're required to constantly check with us, or pay us to tell you when we're lying". Yet somehow this isn't extortion, and somehow it's not illegal defamation.

The moment credit agencies started running their own monitoring services, it seemed like they were openly admitting that they were defaming people. I still do not understand why this is legal.

Re: Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns

#12

Post by dylan604 » Fri, Feb 23, 2024, 9:47 PM UTC

> confirmed identity by asking knowledge based questions

I'm not sure I feel good about this either. Isn't your mother's maiden name, the street you grew up on, your first concert, or your pet's name all information that is pretty much well known by now. Primarily by you (royal) for taking those stupid social media quizzes.

Re: Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns

#13

Post by thedanbob » Fri, Feb 23, 2024, 9:49 PM UTC

It is mind-blowing to me how incompetent the credit agencies are. I just tried to check my credit was frozen everywhere and I couldn't log into Experian. Tried "forgot my password"... oops, "can't find your username". Tried entering my email, "please verify with your phone number"... oops, "doesn't match our records". Tried "verify another way" and it asked for my phone number and last 4 of my SSN. Hey, that worked! That should not be an option...

And guess what, my account lists my username, email, and phone number exactly as I entered them. But I still can't change my password since that requires verifying my current password, which they've apparently forgotten. What an absolute joke.

Re: Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns

#14

Post by arkadiyt » Fri, Feb 23, 2024, 9:53 PM UTC

I continue to request my reports via certified mail to the annualcreditreport address, and this time for the first year Equifax just ... didn't reply. Completely ignored my request.

Re: Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns

#15

Post by gottorf » Fri, Feb 23, 2024, 9:58 PM UTC

arkadiyt wrote: post #14

I continue to request my reports via certified mail to the annualcreditreport address, and this time for the first year Equifax just ... didn't reply. Completely ignored my request.

Do you have your credit frozen with just Equifax, or something? Just trying to think of vanilla (i.e. incompetence rather than malice) reasons to explain this. Of course, it goes without saying that they all suck...

Re: Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns

#16

Post by cheesemayo » Fri, Feb 23, 2024, 10:01 PM UTC

Giving them the benefit of a doubt, it could be a first (or half) step in adding a level of security around credit information. It wasn't long ago that they were breached (not though user identity checking! by a software vuln!) and they're probably still smarting from it. Maybe this is part of a half-baked auth scheme or notification system.

Re: Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns

#17

Post by nickff » Fri, Feb 23, 2024, 10:02 PM UTC

nicholasjarnold wrote: post #10

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. Kud…

I’m not sure that these requirements are actually due to Surveillance Capitalism; Government KYC requirements may be the culprits, as they’re steadily on the rise (especially with all the recent sanctions).

Re: Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns

#18

Post by dheera » Fri, Feb 23, 2024, 10:04 PM UTC

They already have your mobile phone number because banks and credit lines you take will report that information to them.

They ask you for your phone number to verify you, not because they want your phone number when they already have it.

If you want to avoid them knowing your "real" phone number and leaking that to marketing agencies, the best thing you can do is get 2 mobile phone numbers, one you actually use with your friends and family, and one you provide to businesses and stick that SIM in a beater phone and keep it silent.

I HATE this system and wish we had some GDPR-like law for preventing sharing of such information outside the corporation you provide it to, but such is the current state of the system in the US.

Re: Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns

#19

Post by theturtletalks » Fri, Feb 23, 2024, 10:04 PM UTC

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…

You’re forgetting about the KYC/AML laws that lets these companies do that.

They can deny bank loans, auto loans, etc based on comment history and then hide behind KYC/AML laws. Under those laws, they don’t have to provide any reason whatsoever for the rejection and can operate without impunity. They are the judge, jury, executioner and the government gave them that power.

Re: Tell HN: Equifax free credit report dark patterns

#20

Post by MyFirstSass » Fri, Feb 23, 2024, 10:06 PM UTC

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…

Are they tracking anonymous comments or how does it work?

This should be illegal in all countries.