Equifax' Credit Watch service failed to send me 10 e-mail alerts for over the course of more than a year. The alerts, for larger-than-usual increases on credit card balances, were listed on their website, but Equifax suddenly failed to notify me by email as they had for years before.

After calling-in to correct the problem, I called again to request a credit for failing to provide the service I was paying for. The rep, Gissele, who mumbled through a barely intelligible accent, refused to credit my account, so I told her to cancel the service. She put me on hold, came back and said she could credit me for the annual service fee not used since the statement dates, "October 12, September 12, November 12, December 12, January 12." After pointing out that September comes before October, I asked to talk to her supervisor. She said her supervisor was busy and would have to call me back. I never received the call-back.

I check all my credit card accounts regularly online to download transactions, so what alerts Equifax provided was always old news. They provide an annual credit report as part of the account, but everyone can get that annually for free from them and the other two credit reporting services.

In summary: an essentially useless service that they charge money for but nonetheless fail to provide, combined with a rock-bottom level of customer service.

Equifax? Save your money and stay away.