Trouble Pulling Free Credit Report

[FIRE me]

Today I tried pulling my free credit report from the official (the only site mandated and authorized by federal law) site at

https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action

When I tried to pull my Equifax report, after entering my name, address (I've been there 7 years), and SS number, and finally the capcha (very easy capcha, I know I got it right), I got this error:

“ We're sorry. A condition exists that prevents Experian from being able to accept your request at this time.”
“To obtain your Experian annual credit report, please mail your request to the address below using the Annual Credit Report Request form.”
“Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281”

This error happened BEFORE the page where you verify personal info like employers, address, and phone numbers in multiple choice format.

I was browsing with AdBlock plus and Ghostery, using Incognito mode in Chrome.

So I tried getting my Experian report. Same result. My last downloaded report was February 2014, so I am eligible for all three reports.

I have had no fraudulent activity, no identity theft, no charge backs, no holds or locks placed on my credit. No Life Lock or similar.

However, I was in two of the of the recent huge data hacks, the Home depot breach and the Anthem Blue Cross hack. Which is why I decided to be more proactive in checking my credit report for accounts that I did not open.

I really did not want to mail my credit report request  (contains my full SS #) and the report itself through the US mail.

So I tried one last time, this time with AdBlock and Ghostery paused, and not using Incognito. I tried the one remaining report, TransUnion.

After answering the security questions, the TransUnion report came up fine. A sea of green “OK”, and all accounts known to and opened by me.   :-)    Whew, I was a little worried, considering I could not get in the other two and was one of the millions affected by the Home Depot and Anthem data breach.

So my question is, why could I not get my Equifax and Experian reports?

Was it AdBlock, Ghostery, and Incognito mode? Again, to repeat myself, I've had no fraud, locked nothing down, no subscription to Life Lock or similar. I didn't even sign up for the free credit monitoring from the HD or Anthem breach.

Anyone willing to be a guinea pig? Try accessing Equifax or Experian with AdBlock, Ghostery, and Incognito mode?

[the_fella]

You should really give ublock or ublock origin a try. They're forks of Adblock, but haven't sold out to advertisers.

[Kaikou]

You should really give ublock or ublock origin a try. They're forks of Adblock, but haven't sold out to advertisers.

Sorry to derail the thread, but is there a thread to know what apps to add for information protection on your computer and phone?

I currently have the ccleaner, free avg. I just added the ublock as an extension.

[FIRE me]

You should really give ublock or ublock origin a try. They're forks of Adblock, but haven't sold out to advertisers.

I'd never heard of uBlock Origin (uBlock looks like an unrelated copy cat that I would avoid), but uBlock Origin does look to be better than Adblock Plus. I'll probably give it a try.

Still, Adblock Plus vs uBlock Origin does not address the problem accessing free credit report that I am posting about.

[FIRE me]

You should really give ublock or ublock origin a try. They're forks of Adblock, but haven't sold out to advertisers.

Sorry to derail the thread, but is there a thread to know what apps to add for information protection on your computer and phone?

I currently have the ccleaner, free avg. I just added the ublock as an extension.

Depends on your OS and browser.

I look for apps with a significant install base (in the thousands) and at least 4.5 out of 5 star reviews. I also check the bad reviews. And check the 4 star reviews, they are usually more helpful than the gushing 5 star reviews. Last, I check most recent reviews, to make sure the app has not been recently sold, or otherwise gone downhill.

[Frankies Girl]

I can't be a guinea pig, as I've had identity theft in my past (complete identities stolen for me and the husband back when an asshole at a car dealership stole a stack of purchase applications so they got EVERYTHING).

But what you are describing is exactly what happens when I tried to pull my credit report from the website from any of the credit reporting agencies. I can't. I have to do it in writing.

You could go ahead and write to them, but I'd also call them (there used to be an 800 number, which I used to have memorized... sigh) and see if you could speak to someone to find out why you have to write.

[FIRE me]

I can't be a guinea pig, as I've had identity theft in my past (complete identities stolen for me and the husband back when an asshole at a car dealership stole a stack of purchase applications so they got EVERYTHING).

But what you are describing is exactly what happens when I tried to pull my credit report from the website from any of the credit reporting agencies. I can't. I have to do it in writing.

You could go ahead and write to them, but I'd also call them (there used to be an 800 number, which I used to have memorized... sigh) and see if you could speak to someone to find out why you have to write.

Thanks for the info and sorry about your bad luck. I'll try calling them this Monday.

How long did it take to straighten out your identity theft?

[Kaikou]

You should really give ublock or ublock origin a try. They're forks of Adblock, but haven't sold out to advertisers.

Sorry to derail the thread, but is there a thread to know what apps to add for information protection on your computer and phone?

I currently have the ccleaner, free avg. I just added the ublock as an extension.

windows 10 chrome browser

Depends on your OS and browser.

I look for apps with a significant install base (in the thousands) and at least 4.5 out of 5 star reviews. I also check the bad reviews. And check the 4 star reviews, they are usually more helpful than the gushing 5 star reviews. Last, I check most recent reviews, to make sure the app has not been recently sold, or otherwise gone downhill.

[Frankies Girl]

I can't be a guinea pig, as I've had identity theft in my past (complete identities stolen for me and the husband back when an asshole at a car dealership stole a stack of purchase applications so they got EVERYTHING).

But what you are describing is exactly what happens when I tried to pull my credit report from the website from any of the credit reporting agencies. I can't. I have to do it in writing.

You could go ahead and write to them, but I'd also call them (there used to be an 800 number, which I used to have memorized... sigh) and see if you could speak to someone to find out why you have to write.

Thanks for the info and sorry about your bad luck. I'll try calling them this Monday.

How long did it take to straighten out your identity theft?

About 3-6 months. The asshole hit my husband's identity first by opening up (in person) a jewelry store credit card to purchase $4k man earrings. My husband is bearded chubby college professor looking white guy, NOT the large, tattooed, musclebound black guy that actually made the purchase (we got a bit of a giggle out of the idea that husband would even wear earrings, let alone 1 carat diamond solitaries - he'd have been pretty fly for a white guy!). The thief had the credit card sent to OUR address, and it was apparently done within a day or two of the purchase, so I jumped on it immediately and had both of our credit reports flagged in less than an hour. He tried about 6 more times over about two months time - but was blocked due to the red flag on our credit. We had to institute a 7 year lock down - no instant credit during that time and a note to call our home number to confirm any inquiries. And this was before they streamlined the process (they kicked that in one year after) so I was on the phone for months, mailing affidavits and faxing picture IDs and swearing we didn't do this or that purchase. So much headache. Supposed to be a million times easier now. ;)

I am hoping your issue isn't anything to do with this, because even if it is easier to deal with now, it changes how you see things forever. I'm always suspicious of everything and paranoid to the extreme now about money and accounts, and frankly, I really lost trust in humanity in general (this all happened during an extremely bad point in our life so it got lumped in with the other traumas). Sort of a PTSD thing concerning money and credit and general lack in trust in people. :(

[FIRE me]

About 3-6 months. The asshole hit my husband's identity first by opening up (in person) a jewelry store credit card to purchase $4k man earrings. My husband is bearded chubby college professor looking white guy, NOT the large, tattooed, musclebound black guy that actually made the purchase (we got a bit of a giggle out of the idea that husband would even wear earrings, let alone 1 carat diamond solitaries - he'd have been pretty fly for a white guy!). The thief had the credit card sent to OUR address, and it was apparently done within a day or two of the purchase, so I jumped on it immediately and had both of our credit reports flagged in less than an hour. He tried about 6 more times over about two months time - but was blocked due to the red flag on our credit. We had to institute a 7 year lock down - no instant credit during that time and a note to call our home number to confirm any inquiries. And this was before they streamlined the process (they kicked that in one year after) so I was on the phone for months, mailing affidavits and faxing picture IDs and swearing we didn't do this or that purchase. So much headache. Supposed to be a million times easier now. ;)

I am hoping your issue isn't anything to do with this, because even if it is easier to deal with now, it changes how you see things forever. I'm always suspicious of everything and paranoid to the extreme now about money and accounts, and frankly, I really lost trust in humanity in general (this all happened during an extremely bad point in our life so it got lumped in with the other traumas). Sort of a PTSD thing concerning money and credit and general lack in trust in people. :(

Sorry I asked you relive such an unpleasant experience by retelling it. But it looks like to me like you and your husband handled it with great competence. He only got what he wanted once, the other six attempts failed. I hope he was arrested.