Ok, I was in need of a car. Long story but it involved a car accident, was driving a rental, insurance money ran out for the rental.
My financial situation and personal preference put me in a good spot for a lease. I went back to a local Hyundai dealership where I already have a lease (Wife's car). I like the dealership. I liked the Hyundai Elantra GT. This dealership pushes the leases hard, they even let me negotiate with them and almost got the terms I wanted.
On to Equifax. I froze my credit with them about 3 days after the breach. I did have in the back of my head that this might be a bad idea because I might need a car loan/lease. When I froze my credit they fucked up again!! They served me a 500 error but still froze my credit. NO PIN!! Numerous phone calls to their hotline, other numbers they gave, my experience can be summed up in this Washington Post article.
Now I'm sitting at the dealership waiting to sign a lease and they can't get into Equifax because of the frozen credit. I explain I can't unfreeze it because they did not issue me a pin. The finance guy remembered me from our other lease and he tells me I can drive the car away. They will figure something out with Hyundai Motor Finance, Hyundai's finance arm. Two days later they ask if they can run a TransUnion check. I say, "thanks for asking" go for it. I watch my credit pretty close and noticed they pulled an Experian report also. I have great credit, right in the 740 range.
A month goes buy and I'm waiting for my first bill but instead I get a call from a guy at Hyundai Motor Finance. He starts the conversation along the lines of "What's going on with you man, how come you haven't lifted this freeze." He proceeds to tell me that they can't approve the financing with out Equifax's report. After some back and fourth about how pissed I am at Equifax, and some small logical arguments with him questioning why they don't have enough information from the other two credit bureaus to approve me. I tell him we should move this conversation to Email. I sent him this tonight:
After our discussion yesterday I called Equifax and it was once again a disaster. They literally can't do a single thing for me over the phone. Please read this Washington post article that almost mirrors my experience (Look at the comments also).
Here are our options:
1) I can send Equifax the lost pin stuff by snail mail as detailed in this link. This could take a week and is not a guarantee. 2) You guys accept my Trans Union and Experian credit pull and we call it good. (BTW, you justified needing my Equifax credit score by saying you need a complete picture. How come, then, are you guys ok with just a single credit pull from Equifax as your normal operating procedure? That does not make sense) 3) I can provide pay stubs of my last two paychecks and other reasonable documents directly to you. 4) I can return the car, you return my 1,000$ down payment, and Hyundai loses my business.
Let me know what you would like.
I feel so powerless. I feel so pissed at the system. I haven't felt this angry at an institution (both Equifax and HMF) maybe ever.
What can I do to give myself some power in this situation? Any advice on what I should do?
Submitted October 10, 2017 at 03:34AM by joninsky http://ift.tt/2y7Bt2O
