A very nice human being emailed me and gave me detailed instructions on what to do. Basically, the problem was/is Experian being unable to verify my address (probably because of my move), so I will be on the phone with them today at some point (depending on how things go, we may have a new worst company in the world). I’ll let you know how it works out, but right now, it is just nice to be out of the paypal infinite loop of computer-automated response.
And really, that is all I wanted. Someone to just tell me what to do. This might work out well in the end for me, but what do people without my resources (a complete lack of shame, a rather large mouth, and a website) do to resolve this. If I worked at paypal, this would be something I would think about.
I’m off to get a crown on a molar. Knowing that I now have to deal with Experian makes that the second worst thing I have to do today.
WereBear
I’m so happy for you, John! Well, not about the crown/molar thing, but you’re absolutely right about getting caught in an endless loop.
Ah, but companies don’t need actual employees. They just cost money!
steviez314
So now you have to deal with a credit reporting agency?
You are so f’cked, John.
geg6
OMG, Experian. Good luck with that, John. Hopefully, you’ll get a better result than some of the parents I deal with who have bad information on their Experian credit reports. I think I’d rather deal with Paypal.
arguingwithsignposts
Credit reporting agencies, right up there with the financial ratings agencies. and they all sit at the feet of the black box that comes up with your credit score.
Enjoy your dentistry!
4tehlulz
Credit reporting agencies are the worst companies in the world, or all worlds.
Steeplejack
Good luck on both fronts.
John Cole
Fortunately, it has nothing to do with my credit, and is just address related. Experian thinks I live at my old address still.
Punchy
So nice of Experian to tell you this.
Getting a crown? Now you think you’re fucking royalty?
John S.
Yeah, Experian thinks I still live at an address I haven’t been at for over a decade and that I still have my college job at the book store from 15 years ago. I have tried several times to have it updated, but to no avail. They are a truly shitty company.
JGabriel
So was this in direct response to the google bomb and the accurate website descriptions of Paypal’s egregious customer service? Or did they not say?
.
Rosalita
@JGabriel:
Yeah, that’s what I’d like to know, what prompted the phone call?
merrinc
I did fraud investigation for a mortgage insurer for several years. (Quit in 98 before the industry really went to hell in a handbasket.) The only good thing I can say about having to deal with Experian is that at least it’s not Trans Union because they suck even more.
Good luck getting your address corrected. One of the bureaus had me listed at an address that I’d never heard of – on a street which did not even EXIST in that city — and I could never get them to change it. Their excuse is they just report the data reported to them. Uh huh, whatever. And don’t even get me started on fucking credit scores.
TooManyJens
I guess this news just isn’t miserable enough to get us commenting on it.
Also, too, I’m with Rosalita and JGabriel. How did you finally get the attention of an actual human being.
Rob Roser
I don’t know why you didn’t just verify your identity in the 1st place.
You West Virginians are always expecting special treatment.
licensed to kill time
Wow, it only took 6 & 1/2 hours to get this thread fixed! That’s like, PayPal speed! :)
Tsulagi
How naive. What a rube. They got your hope up there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Though another entity has been the root source of the evil, yes they can change that. You’re feeling all warm and fuzzy, right? Well played, PayPal.
What the very nice human being didn’t tell you is they won’t do anything until they get the bipartisan support of one or two batshit crazy “No!” rubberstampers in the company to go along. It’s in the 11D policy manual. You’re still fucked.
RandyH
John- The reason Experian or the other CRA’s don’t have your new address is because none of your creditors have updated it with them yet. They may be providing payment and status info monthly but only periodically refresh your whole record.
It may be easier for you to call your credit card company or other lender who report to the CRA’s and ask them to refresh your full record (including address) with all three of the CRA’s if you need it right away. Easier than dealing with any of the CRA’s anyway. Otherwise your lenders should be doing it soon anyway. They should do it every few months on active accounts.
catclub
Somehow I think that, even though they will not send your money to you, if you paid someone elses paypal account – a friend who also has a working paypal account, then they would send the money to them.
It is probably too late for this strategy now that you have tried and tried to get the money out of your account.
Too bad Tunch has no account. They would pay Tunch.
Peter J
Fortunately? You should try to find a copy of Bureaucracy to prepare yourself for the true horrors you’re facing.
Ramalamadingdong
Virtually every major corporation has marketing and PR people monitoring social media to stop consumer complaints from going viral. I can’t believe how long it took PayPal to discover this. The good news for you is that they won’t let it go until it is resolved. I have a feel a well-placed tweet would have worked a bit faster
John Bird
Ah, Experian. Do you know that if they declare you dead, soon the other two credit raters will do the same, and then you won’t be able to buy a soda until you hire a lawyer to prove that you are alive?
True story – not mine, but one I was involved with incidentally. You may have a much harder time with Experian than PayPal – because those other two companies check their data against Experian, and when you tell Experian something, they’ll go back and check it against Transunion (which has updated its files to reflect the Experian error as fact), and then they’ll tell you, well, that you provided what they asked for, but they can’t verify your information.
I hope you’re not sick of that phrase yet. Also, credit rating agencies control your entire financial life. Good luck.