Therefore, we must verify your identity before proceeding. To begin with, please say or enter your complete Social Security number."
When calling Experian's 877-870-5640 phone number, it's important to know that you can't really get anywhere without giving personal information to Experian. This number is meant to alert Experian to fraudulent activity on your account, which means that security has to be treated with the utmost care and importance.
As such, Experian requires you to enter your Social Security number before you're allowed to speak to someone about your credit file. However, you can get information about how to set up a fraud alert if you're not willing to provide personal information.
If you decline to provide your information three times, the system will ask you one more time if you want to enter your personal information. Declining a fourth time takes you to an alternate menu, where you can explain why you're calling and get assistance from the automated system. Through this setup, you can request information about setting up a fraud alert.
If you do, the system will offer two options: you can either get assistance walking through the steps needed to set up a fraud alert on your account or you can ask for the website to get the steps to set things up. I opted for the website, and the system immediately provided the website I'd need to check. I then had the opportunity to either go to the main menu, hang up if I had received all the help I needed or ask them to repeat the address. I chose to hang up at that point.
Overall, I think this is a properly managed automated system that makes it easy for people to get the assistance they need. The inclusion of a chokepoint for speaking with a live person is vital in this situation, because this number's main purpose is for fraud monitoring. The people who call this number are already in a stressful situation because they've noticed something unusual happening with their credit and need assistance right away. Protecting sensitive information like that is of the utmost importance, especially when people need a bit of reassurance that they haven't had their information fall into the wrong hands.
Even if someone isn't willing to enter their personal information because of security concerns, they can still get some form of help. Using the automated system to get either a walkthrough of how to contact Experian or get the website address covers everyone who might be calling. People in rural areas might not have an easy time getting online and finding information, so sending the address directly to them makes it easier to get assistance.
Based on how seriously Experian takes its security and how it offers other options when people aren't willing to provide information, I would absolutely use this number for fraud monitoring services if I faced such an instance with Experian.