Consumer complaint received 2023-08-07
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: PA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Sub-issue: Information belongs to someone else

Complaint:
Dear Sir/Madam, While checking my most recent credit report, I noticed Fraudulent credit inquiries that I do not recognize and did not authorize anyone to pull my credit report. The inquiries made by the below listed companies. 

XXXX : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX This notice is to inform them that they are unlawfully reporting an unauthorized inquiry on my consumer report. I have not given you permission to access my credit profile and they have no permissible purpose by law to contact third parties with my private or personal information. Their offenses amount to Aggravated Identity Theft pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1028A. They have knowingly transferred, possessed, or used, without lawful authority, a means of identification of me, which is a felony punishable with up to 2 years of imprisonment, in addition to civil liability.

By obtaining my consumer reports without my permission, or without a permissible purpose by law, they are also in violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) codified at 15 U.S.C 1681b ( a ) 3 ( f ) ( i ). Chester v. Purvis, 260 F. Supp 2d 711 ( S.D. Ind. 2003 ) I have not initiated any transaction with these companies. Furthermore, I do not have an account as defined under 15 U.S.C. 1693a ( 2 ) with them for review or collection.

Pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 1681n ( a ), Any person who knowingly and willfully obtains information on a consumer from a consumer reporting agency under false pretenses shall be fined under Title 18, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both.

By willfully violating the FCRA, I am willing to settle their civil liability damages I have suffered as a result of their violations for {$1000.00} pursuant to FCRA 616 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( B ) [ 15 U.S.C. 1681n ]. Should they fail or refuse to settle the matter by tendering payment in the amount of {$1000.00} within ten ( 10 ) calendar days of receipt of this notice and demand, I will seek actual damages which are greater than {$1000.00}.

Send payment immediately via Certified Funds to : XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX PA XXXX Please validate info with these companies and provide me with a copy of any documentation associated with these accounts bearing my signature, authorizing an inquiry. In the absence of any such documentation bearing my signature, I formally request that these fraudulent inquiries be immediately deleted from the credit file they maintain under my Social Security Number. Please note that they have 30 days to complete this investigation, as per the Fair Credit Reporting Act section 611. Attached are copies of my state ID. 

Warm Regards, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation