My daughter's employer's computer records were broken into. She's in the Third World for several months, and has spotty email service. She got the email and since phone service is difficult to impossible, asked me to get Equifax and Trans Union to put an alert on her file, as recommended by the employer.

Equifax, no problem. It was done by inputting data into a series of phone menus. Trans Union, completely different story. First half an hour on hold (I've since found out that this was pretty good for them), then a "live" agent who refused to talk to me--even though my daughter had emailed me all the info I needed for verification. It had to be my daughter on the line. Note that I wasn't trying to get into her file, just get an alert put on. In view of the crime committed at her employer's offices, I expected a little more interest. Nope. I asked for a supervisor, same response, quite arrogantly. She could also write them. The fact that this might take a couple of weeks during which time anything could happen with the stolen records was of no concern to them.

Maybe the experience is different for clients, i. e. companies that need credit info. But this one experience--dealing with their lack of adequate phone response, and the attitude and lack of training of their personnel--tells me all I need to know about this company. I would not trust anything they get their hands on.

@Daniel - pretty soon you'll have an outlet for "secret information" - openleaks will be open soon as a competitor to wikileaks

@footloose - when writing to my MP and MPP I was speaking about lack of high speed internet in this "1st world country"

it's easier to get high speed in Mexico than where I live just north of Barrie, ON and that's not near the Arctic Circle or Baffin Island

Bogey, Calypso, it's all your fault. How do you expect to communicate with TransUnion if you don't know Tagalog or Hindi?

Yes, credit bureaus, government agencies, banks, collection agencies trade personnel. I can't name names to protect friends, but it's all one big happy family. Brian Pitkin and his staff staunchly protect credit bureaus, creditors and collection agencies from any discipline.

It's hard to believe the rhetoric he gives as reasons for not enforcing consumer laws whenever it proves detrimental to the above groups. That's why TransUnion is allowed to get away with the stuff it does.

The thing is, until Pitkin leaves, nothing will change because change comes from the head down. I can't understand that guy writing to his MP for action though. He should know Consumer Affairs is a provincial ministry, particularly when he's worked at an MP's office. In this case, as Silverthorn points out, because Brian Pitkin is a minister, the Office of the Premier is the only one that has direct jurisdiction over his portfolio.

I encourage those who have experienced endless frustration with credit bureaus and collection agencies, which follow neither the law nor their own advertised standards, to use Silverthorn's letter to Dalton McGuinty as a template for their own complaint about Brian Pitkin. It doesn't have to be elaborate, just clear and substantive.

http://www.collection-calls.ca/mark-calls-resignation.html

If enough people write to McGuinty, maybe one day we'll have a Registrar's Society of Upper Canada Discipline Committee, just like the one for Natale Law Offices.

Probably the reason that you received no response from your MP is that credit bureaus are governed by provincial legislation, not federal legislation. However, my experience with politicians, whether they be federal or provincial is the 3 monkey response ---- hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.

@footloose

the all too big business friendly shills in the current CONservative gov't of Canada need to be ousted too

I've been living near Barrie, Ontario for 6 years now and have yet to get get high speed internet

Bell keeps telling me "real soon now" and I've tried all the "solutions" yet my CONservative MPP tells me "it's a private business matter" and my MP won't even reply to my emails on the subject

One thing about those big corporate gov'ts - the best that money can buy

@bogey

You're right on the money, my friend. Now you are beginning to see how the system really works. Fortunately, we have the legislation in place to enforce the rules. Unfortunately, we don't have any people with "any guts behind their belt buckle" such as ex-sheriff Brian Pitkin who is responsible for the credit bureau reporting in Ontario to enforce the rules. I mean, what do you expect when they all drink together, play golf together and party together. It's the "Old Boy" network in action. Mark Silverthorn has written a letter to Dalton McGuinty demanding that Brian Pitkin be removed as Registrar of Consumer Reporting Agencies due to his gross incompetence but McGuinty has chosen to look the other way. Our only hope is a change of government in October 2011. Perhaps by then, enough pressure will have built up to see a change at the top. But don't hold your breath waiting.

@footloose

have you ever tried to contact and communicate with these companies?

"behind the scenes" is that these monsters of companies, called credit bureaus, do as little as possible for the consumere as their money is made by selling their services to banks and issuers of credit

speak to a bank manager and see how nicely they are treated by transunion and equifax

then read the myriad of anecdotal evidence given here by consumers

newbie indeed

You must be a NEWBIE to this site. If you had read some of the blogs about credit bureaus you would have a better understanding of what goes on behind the scene. Check out the following blog.

RE: Correcting Credit Report Errors ---- Virtually Impossible

See The Forum --- Canadian Credit Repair

@Calypso

good for you to use your old parliamentary contacts

these credit bureau hooligans need to be taught some manners

I suggest everyone keep bugging their federal MPs and support any candidate that proposes reform that is good for the majority of Canadians and not just the big banks

I once read that each time an MP gets a letter, they presume that hundreds (or thousands) depending on your riding are thinking the same thing

keep plugging away !

the truth is out there !