Equifax: can’t log in

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Leesbro63
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by Leesbro63 »

I didn’t realize I had to sign up for a credit monitoring service to get the $125.
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nisiprius
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by nisiprius »

Leesbro63 wrote: Sat Sep 07, 2019 2:17 pm...Got an email today that seemed to indicate that they were changing the deal... It appears they are trying to weasel out of the $125 that was promised earlier this summer when I signed up. Anyone else get this?
Yes, I did. I think they're trying to weasel out of any "claim for alternative compensation of up to $125."

I don't quite know what is going on but apparently the FTC let Equifax get away with a settlement that only provided enough money for $31 million / $125 = 248,000 claimants [see correction below*] and is simply going to divide up that amount among however many people made claims. They are pretending to be surprised by the "overwhelming" response, and weeping crocodile tears about how sorry they are that people are going to be disappointed. They are doing a hard-sell on how much happier you'd be with free credit monitoring, and I think this email is the first shot in an attempt to play hardball, and that this is the first of many hurdles that will be placed in the path of anyone who actually wants cash money.

Equifax Data Breach Settlement ! Federal Trade Commission
The public response to the settlement has been overwhelming. Millions of people have visited this site in just the first week. Because the total amount available for these alternative payments is $31 million, each person who takes the money option is going to get a very small amount.
The first announcement was captured by the Wayback Machine here:

Equifax Data Breach Settlement -- SUMMARY OF BENEFITS
Once the claims process begins, if you were affected by the breach, you can request... up to 10 years of free credit monitoring OR $125 if you decide not to enroll because you already have credit monitoring.
Notice that there's no hint that you might get less than $125.

I think that initial announcement was picked up by a lot of news services, who assumed that $125 meant $125, not "$31 million divided by tens of millions." There was a blizzard of news stories, with links to the claim sites, all with headlines like "don't forget to claim your $125." Not one of them indicated that $125 was a soft number.

*CORRECTION: The July 22, 2019 FTC press release says that "Equifax will add up to $125 million to the fund if the initial payment is not enough to compensate consumers for their losses." So it would seem that $156 million is available, enough to give the $125 compensation to 1.248 million consumers.
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by 3-20Characters »

We filed for the $125 (me and my wife) but at this point, I couldn’t care less about it. I’m happy to be able log in and get my credit unfrozen/frozen as needed. Maybe that was their evil plan all a long, :twisted:
njuser
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by njuser »

I also like the free freeze/unfreeze feature I have now. I make good use of it.
goaties
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by goaties »

I just discovered something about the mysterious "can't log in" problem. If I use Firefox, I get the usual "password is incorrect" or whatever it says. However, if I use Microsoft Edge, I can log in with no problem!

Hope this is of use to someone.
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by 3-20Characters »

goaties wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2019 7:56 am I just discovered something about the mysterious "can't log in" problem. If I use Firefox, I get the usual "password is incorrect" or whatever it says. However, if I use Microsoft Edge, I can log in with no problem!

Hope this is of use to someone.
It proves that equifax IT is a hot mess. I tried several browsers—including mobile and desktop (but not Microsoft Edge). All failed. Someone reported success limiting the password string (repeating characters or some such thing). I tried that and it didn’t work for me. Even the phone/PIN option is seriously compromised. It worked for me a while back but when I tried recently, it could not conform my identity. Yes, I know my PIN and answered all questions carefully and correctly.

I finally figured what works for me to log in but it’s no guarantee that it will work for anyone else—or continue to work down the road. Equifax, if they know the golden recipe, aren’t saying. The only advice CS gives is to wait 24 hours after account lock out and try again. Pathetic!
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nisiprius
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by nisiprius »

goaties wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2019 7:56 am I just discovered something about the mysterious "can't log in" problem. If I use Firefox, I get the usual "password is incorrect" or whatever it says. However, if I use Microsoft Edge, I can log in with no problem!

Hope this is of use to someone.
That's... disgusting. Slightly curious: can you log in with Chrome?

Image

I don't mind that much if a website doesn't work with Apple Safari, but there's no excuse for not supporting Firefox.

(Firefox is highly standards-compliant, available on every popular platform with very high cross-compatibility--I've never encountered a site that worked with Firefox on Windows but not with Firefox on Mac OS, and very popular--with many corporate IT departments, and many more-or-less "public" facilities like public libraries or hotel "business centers.")

One of life's little mysteries is that if a website detects that I'm using Safari and gives me a warning, suggesting other browsers... it always works just fine with Safari. While the websites that don't work with Safari never say so. The explanation, I think, is that if a site issues a warning, it means that the IT department was being careful about browser compatibility and actually did SQA on more than one browser--and that if they got their site to work on several browsers, they probably have good standards compliance and thus probably do work on Safari.
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness; Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by 3-20Characters »

nisiprius wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2019 9:20 am
goaties wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2019 7:56 am I just discovered something about the mysterious "can't log in" problem. If I use Firefox, I get the usual "password is incorrect" or whatever it says. However, if I use Microsoft Edge, I can log in with no problem!

Hope this is of use to someone.
That's... disgusting. Just for laughs, can you log in using Microsoft Internet Explorer?

I don't mind that much if a website doesn't work with Apple Safari, but there's no excuse for not supporting Firefox.

(Firefox is highly standards-compliant, available on every popular platform with very high cross-compatibility--I've never encountered a site that worked with Firefox on Windows but not with Firefox on Mac OS, and very popular--with many corporate IT departments, and many more-or-less "public" facilities like public libraries or hotel "business centers.")

One of life's little mysteries is that if a website detects that I'm using Safari and gives me a warning, suggesting other browsers... it always works just fine with Safari. While the websites that don't work with Safari never say so. The explanation, I think, is that if a site issues a warning, it means that the IT department was being careful about browser compatibility and actually did SQA on more than one browser--and that if they got their site to work on several browsers, they probably have good standards compliance and thus probably do work on Safari.
I don’t find nearly as many Safari incompatible websites as a few years ago—and that includes mobile Safari. In fact, hardly any. But I do have Firefox updated on my Mac just in case. I can confirm that I couldn’t log in to equifax using Firefox.
90south
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by 90south »

I don't post much, but this login problem with Equifax has been annoying me. I don't really want the login but I wanted to capture it to prevent possible fraud.

Three days ago, using chrome, I reset my password, created a much simpler password that met the criteria and successfully logged in. Logged out and back in using Firefox. Success! Fast forward to today. Login with Firefox - failed, switched to Edge - success, switched to Chrome - success, switched back to Firefox - success. Internet explorer isn't installed on my Windows 10 so I couldn't try that.

This reminds me of long ago dealing with a large sheet fed printer that we used to make large maps. Before printing we always did a magic dance in order for it to print correctly. We have no idea what sequence led to a successful print but a magic dance in front of the printer sure was helpful.

Now I have to try and resurrect my wife's login.
Nicolas
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by Nicolas »

I needed to unfreeze our two Equifax reports today. I had frozen them in 2017. I tried online first and it directed me to open online accounts with Equifax to unfreeze, which we didn’t need to do to freeze back in 2017.

Well, when I got to the challenge questions none of the questions bore any relation to reality for our situations. It said we had taken out loans or leased cars in 2015-2017, which was not true, and asked us to pick the financial institution and monthly payment. I didn’t recognize any of them and anyway we didn’t take out any loans or lease any cars! Our answers to each were “none of the above”. These are either canned nonsense questions that everybody gets or they pertain to different people! Needless to say the identity challenge failed for both of us. I clicked the button to send me access codes by snail mail.

But thanks to a poster upthread I was able to unfreeze immediately using the automated phone line. I had stored our PINs in LastPass two years ago and they worked.
adoptshoe1
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by adoptshoe1 »

My login information, which I had not changed, is no longer recognized as valid, and I am not receiving the password reset emails. Has anyone had this issue? My SSN has been stolen over 15 times, and even though I have a freeze and fraud alert in place, I can never answer the challenge questions correctly because they regard fraudulent credit activity and past addresses other than mine.

Does not receiving the password reset emails mean my email has been breached, as well? I've searched in all Gmail folders (in:anywhere) and manually checked each folder, as well.

Thank you.
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dmcmahon
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by dmcmahon »

I froze my credit at all 3 bureaus immediately after the breach. I recently ran into a situation where it would have been useful to unfreeze temporarily, and so I looked into it was quickly got web access to the other 2 bureaus, but Equifax left me with the unexplained unable to log in problem. Calls went to a foreign call center and seemed to produce no useful response. Lo and behold, after weeks of inaction my access is suddenly fixed!
rtt22
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by rtt22 »

I have never tried this but some people were able to resolve problems with Equifax by tweeting to @askequifax:
https://twitter.com/AskEquifax/with_replies
Example: https://twitter.com/JoyceWhiteVance/sta ... 6200625157
LeftyAce
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by LeftyAce »

investor4life wrote: Wed Jun 26, 2019 11:59 am
It has been a nightmare. I posted about this a couple weeks ago (viewtopic.php?t=283344). I was finally able to log back in after ensuring that my password had no repeating characters (see the final post at the above thread for more info.)
Just created an account to say thank you! This worked. Password must not contain any repeating characters (Two identical characters in a row). This is different from the password rules Equifax enforces on their password reset page (of course).
phillyangel
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by phillyangel »

It’s Chrisms Eve and I am unable to log into my account. On one screen requesting my birthdate and SSN, the response comes back as incorrect. ??? Perhaps they need to go out of existence.
meebers
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by meebers »

FireAway wrote: Wed Jun 26, 2019 2:43 pm Equifax is a joke and a nightmare. I spent 2 hours on the phone with them yesterday just trying to get my identity verified so they could talk to me. All the info they have about me seems to be incorrect, so the answer to just about every question is 'none of the above'. They ask me how much my monthly payment is on credit cards when I never have a balance. They insisted I supply details of a mortgage which I paid off 10 years ago, and when I couldn't answer, or find my records, they said there was no workaround.
Your experiences gives me less concern when all the challenge questions were none of the above for me. Asking about my recent loans, Heloc, bank loans on a 2016 auto purchase, (13 is the last time a got a car loan) Of course I am thinking some else is using my name etc. Experian is the same way, won't let me in to even do a 1 time code for a creditor. Sent all the information that they requested, still nothing. Finally sent an snail mail to them with the same information on the 15th of Dec and received my credit report on the 24th. Everything seems normal there, still waiting for Equifax. Transunion had no problem logging in. :confused
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beyou
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by beyou »

phillyangel wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2019 10:29 am It’s Chrisms Eve and I am unable to log into my account. On one screen requesting my birthdate and SSN, the response comes back as incorrect. ??? Perhaps they need to go out of existence.
+100000000
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by 14Characters »

I created an account just to say Thank You 3-20Characters!

I've been trying to login for over a year with various browsers and passwords, resets, and calls to Equifax. The last time I Googled there was no post such as this. After following your magic formula I was able to reset my password and login finally!

Thanks again!!!
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by 3-20Characters »

14Characters wrote: Sun Apr 26, 2020 4:49 pm I created an account just to say Thank You 3-20Characters!

I've been trying to login for over a year with various browsers and passwords, resets, and calls to Equifax. The last time I Googled there was no post such as this. After following your magic formula I was able to reset my password and login finally!

Thanks again!!!
Glad the thread helped you. :sharebeer
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batpot
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by batpot »

I keep getting a page that says:
We are temporarily unable to complete this request.
Please try again later.

Tried Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.
When I went to "Need Help Signing In?" page, put all my info in, and same screen. :annoyed

Luckily, haen't had any issues with 2 out of 3 being unfrozen - don't need all 3.
Blake7
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by Blake7 »

I had to call them yesterday. After successfully obtaining credit reports through annualcreditreport.com for all three members of our family, I went to check on the the credit freeze status of our files. Equifax (and TransUnion) no longer use PINs to freeze/unfreeze, instead, an account needs to be set up. Fair enough. So I proceed with that for all 3 of us. I received a message each time on the site the account was set up successfully, and and email stating the same. Then I proceeded to login, and got a message for all 3 accounts basically saying there was an issue and we had to call in. I did nothing for a few days, until we each received letters in the mail with “verification codes” to finish setting up our accounts. So I went through that process exactly as specified in the letter and again got an error message saying we had to call in. When in called in, I explained what had happened, including that we had no trouble obtaining our credit reports online and successfully answering the challenge questions. They said we must now mail in a copy of our SS card and drivers license, explaining the problem, etc. What happens next, I don’t know. What a frustrating experience. 3 years after exposing the sensitive data of millions (through incompetence that was entirely preventable), Equifax still doesn’t have it’s act together.

Edit: It appears TransUnion does still allow PIN use for the telephonic system. The option to change your PIN is in the online control panel. They indicate the PIN/telephonic method is optional to the online account method.
Last edited by Blake7 on Sat Sep 12, 2020 8:34 am, edited 2 times in total.
iamblessed
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by iamblessed »

What a nightmare. Had to send in a copy of social security card and drivers license. Finally got it unlocked over the phone. Delayed us more than a week. They said when would you like to refreeze it? We said not ever. LOL I am worried more about them than the criminals right now.
BogleMelon
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by BogleMelon »

iamblessed wrote: Thu Sep 10, 2020 8:27 pm What a nightmare. Had to send in a copy of social security card and drivers license. Finally got it unlocked over the phone. Delayed us more than a week. They said when would you like to refreeze it? We said not ever. LOL I am worried more about them than the criminals right now.
A similar story as mine. This is the only bureau I keep unfrozen due to the complexity of unfreezing (no matter what I do, they will never allow me to manage the freeze online!)
"One of the funny things about stock market, every time one is buying another is selling, and both think they are astute" - William Feather
tlrstack
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by tlrstack »

I sufferred from the same problem. With a little digging, I found the root cause (or at least one of them).

My password had a "+" in the middle. When the login page submits my password to the server, it replaces the "+" with a space (" "). That's why the authentication fails. You can verify this by opening the browser console and look at the network payload sent to the server. This is obviously a bug on their frontend code. After resetting my password again, and removing the "+", the login works now. The special character I am using is "@". I did not verify every other special character.

In summay, use "@" as the ONLY special character in your Equifax password.
Last edited by tlrstack on Mon Sep 21, 2020 11:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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beyou
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by beyou »

iamblessed wrote: Thu Sep 10, 2020 8:27 pm What a nightmare. Had to send in a copy of social security card and drivers license. Finally got it unlocked over the phone. Delayed us more than a week. They said when would you like to refreeze it? We said not ever. LOL I am worried more about them than the criminals right now.
This is their entire business strategy. Prevent freeze so they can sell more credit reports.
tomprc
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by tomprc »

investor4life wrote: Wed Jun 26, 2019 11:59 am
3-20Characters wrote: Wed Jun 26, 2019 9:18 am Equifax is still not ready for prime time.

I have a lock at equifax. I keep meticulous passwords and notes in 1Password. I know for sure that I have the correct login info for equifax but equifax says it’s incorrect and will not let me log in. Says it will lock me out of my account after 3 failed attempts. So I tried resetting the password after attempt #2. Equifax recognizes my email and allows me to reset the password after I supply some personal data. Then, it doesn’t let me log in with the new, reset password.

Now I’m locked out. I called tech support. They sent me a new reset password email. I reset again. Still can’t get in. They suggest I wait 24 hrs. Tech inspires zero confidence. More adventures tomorrow, I guess.

:annoyed

Anyone run into this? Advice?
It has been a nightmare. I posted about this a couple weeks ago (viewtopic.php?t=283344). I was finally able to log back in after ensuring that my password had no repeating characters (see the final post at the above thread for more info.)

DW then tried to set up her account. Everything went well until the final step, when she was presented with some challenge questions (for which all the answers were obviously "none of the above" or some such) and she's now locked out. We've had to send in additional documentation via snail mail now :annoyed

Has anyone had luck using the PIN they had created (around the time of the Equifax breach) to do a freeze/thaw via phone?
Year is 2021. I am still having this problem! I tried this password character trick. But it doesn't work, any more. I think this is related to the fact that I had a very old equifax.com account pre-hack. Their database link between these 2 acounts kinda messed up, big time.
aidan5
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by aidan5 »

Now late Sept. 2021. I too am unable to log in. Have tried all the suggestions here, except trying to use a browser other than Safari and Firefox. I've had an existing account for years. sigh.
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ThereAreNoGurus
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by ThereAreNoGurus »

Just for the heck of it, tried logging into Equifax on Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.

Received, the, "Please give us a call. We can't complete your request at this time. Please call the Customer Care team."

I will refrain from commenting further.
Trade the news and you will lose.
acljump
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Re: Equifax: can’t log in

Post by acljump »

When I try to log into the myEquifax website, it keeps giving me the "Try again later" error message. So, I contacted Equifax and the agent told me they couldn't verify my identity. He said I needed to send a picture of myself and my driver's license to them via a text link. I found this odd and told him I needed to think about it.

I'm already wary sending my driver's license through a text link but its even stranger that Equifax wanted me to take a photo of myself also. Is this something normal for Equifax to request?
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