Apple wanted a credit check via Equifax. I paid cash for an iPhone 8 instead.

Screw you, Apple. I love you dearly for the beautiful devices you make. I've owned lots of Apple computers, tablets, printers, and phones ever since the Apple II+ with a floppy drive came into my life way back when.

But when I got to the very end of the ordering process for an iPhone 8 plus today, wanting to purchase it through the Apple financing program that I used to buy my iPhone 6 plus, I got a message that there was a problem with my credit.

I was pretty sure that I understood what the problem was. When this email message came a little while later from the bank Apple uses, Citizens One, I for sure knew what the problem was. 

I have a freeze on my credit report with each of the four major credit bureaus, which naturally includes Equifax -- the credit bureau that Apple, through Citizens One, is using to process applications to buy an iPhone on a monthly payment plan.

Yes, the very same Equifax that recently had a data breach affecting 143 million people. Yes, the very same Equifax that wants those people to sign up for a year of free credit monitoring that will probably turn into paid credit monitoring after 12 months are up. 

I've zero interest in voluntarily having anything to do with Equifax. They screwed up big time by having such poor security on those 143 million credit files. Yet Apple, through Citizens One, is requiring that anyone who wants to buy an iPhone through their payment plan have Equifax provide a credit report.

So I started over on the Apple web site. When I got to the "how to pay" part of my iPhone 8 plus purchase, I entered credit card information and bought the phone outright. 

Yeah, it was over a thousand bucks, with AppleCare, a case, and a wireless charging gizmo. 

But it was worth it to have nothing to do with Equifax. Sure, I know how to unfreeze my credit history for a couple of days with a $10 payment to Equifax. It's just that after the Equifax data breach, I don't want to unfreeze my credit for any length of time if this isn't absolutely necessary.

Here's what also irritates me.

Just about every story I've read about the Equifax breach recommends putting a freeze on one's credit for maximum protection. Also, I financed the iPhone 6 + purchase through Citizens One and made a timely monthly payment for two years.

That doesn't count, though. When I phoned Apple support, I was told that with a new iPhone purchase, I'd have to make a new credit application.

Like I said, screw you, Apple.

I realize that corporate decisions are made well in advance of product roll-outs. It just sure seems like after the Equifax breach, Apple should have demanded that Citizens One use a different credit bureau than Equifax. Lots of people, maybe millions, must have put a freeze on their credit history after the breach.

Us iPhone buyers shouldn't have to fork over $10 to Equifax to unfreeze our credit history. Bad move, Apple. I'm sure I'll love my iPhone 8 plus when it arrives. But the buying process sucked because of the Equifax connection. 

Comments

[J. Reimer]

Excellent post, Brian. I too have obtained (at least in theory) a credit freeze from the 4 big credit rating agencies. It is time that a credit freeze become the default option for everyone, and if you really truly need credit -- then there must be a way for you to do this in person - but quickly and easily.

It would be interesting to see that if everyone starts instituting credit freezes (like they probably should), what this would do to the consumer economy.

Imagine if we had to save up for something, instead of "buy now pay later"!
Thanks for sharing your story.

[Dee]

Good read! I actually just got my info to lift my freeze to buy a X.. but still don’t get why I have to pay $10 to shitty Equifax when Apple is requesting it.. or, at the very least, when Equifax screwed up. Unsure what to do. The major benefit of the program is trading in the phone after 12 months. But I expect they’ll want another credit lift then, too. #lame

[Ken]

Same issue. I solved it by ordering my phone from AT&T where I currently have a contract. No credit check, and the monthly charge goes onto my AT&T bill which I can pay with a credit card of choice and take a partial write off due to business use.