Consumer complaint received 2021-06-29
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: SC
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem
Sub-issue: Difficulty submitting a dispute or getting information about a dispute over the phone

Complaint:
Equifax XXXX  XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX RE : UNFAIR ; DECEPTIVE ; CREDIT REPORTING AND ABUSIVE PRACTICES I had driven my XXXX XXXX XXXX for almost three years with well over XXXX miles until XXXX of XXXX when it began giving me problems. Having just started a new job three months prior and in knowing the higher of my three credit reports was well on the way to a XXXX credit score and nothing other than four med collections totaling less than nine hundred in dispute was on my credit report, I decided now would be a good time to get a reliable car. On the morning of XX/XX/XXXX, I decided to try for an approval with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, SC XXXX. 
To make a long story very short ; after being shown several of the XXXX  that according to the loan officer was offering big pricing breaks ; I decided to apply for one of them. After what probably was over an hour of waiting in his office after his collecting and providing my information to the person sitting in the middle of the car dealership who I was told was the person working on getting me approved ; the loan officer informed me that I had been approved ; asking if I could give XXXX XXXX dollars more than the XXXX XXXX along with my car for the down payment, I said I could do that. 
He then proceeds to tell me the payments for the car will be {$600.00} a month! I was completely shocked because one of the things that I had stressed numerous times during intake was that I wanted to keep my payments at {$350.00} no more than {$400.00} at the most. I reminded him of this. He then went on to show and to say my credit score was low at XXXX a lot lower than what I thought it was when I last checked. He also went on to lecture if I took the deal ; made the payments on time ; I could in a year, year and a half or so build my credit picture and refinance the car for a lower payment. I thought about the fact that I was definitely going to moving out of the home soon presently shared with my daughter and her family and a great credit score would improve my relocation effort ; with much reservation I still accepted. I was then taken to the Finance Officers office who once again gave me the song and dance of how much this was going to help my credit picture and the refinancing for lower payments. XXXX now lets me think clearly and if my credit score was not good enough to get a car with the payment of $ XXXX {$400.00} ; why would you be willing to sell me a car with a monthly payment of {$600.00} monthly. 
A year and a half later ; paying each payment a week to two in advance and one late payment ; the car that was bought in XXXX of XXXX  and the only active account on my credit reports HAS TOTALLY RUINED MY CREDITWITH THE SCORES SOMETIMES HAVING DECREASED MUCH LOWER THAN WHAT I STARTED WITH! 
Its imperative to know the makeup and other qualifying methods utilized by XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX that resulted in my not qualifying for reasonable car payment rate yet are being approved and qualifying to pay excessively high car payments. It is my belief that the dealership is acutely aware of the predatory lending practices of this lender XXXX ; the inability to not refinance the car ; and the high risk of the car being repossessed and resold all over again ; which could possibly result in the dealer coming back into possession of the car for resale. 
According to the summary information provided by the credit bureau ; the reductions are from remarks by the lender while also stating if it is not known what the remarks are for and to contact the lender if I dont know what the remarks are for. I did contact the lender in writing asking what remarks were being made to cause my credit score to decrease. I have enclosed the lenders reply. Worth Noting : I have been late on my payments one time ; while paying monthly a week or two always prior to the due date since XXXX of XXXX. 
The reply received, I also discovered was pretty much the same no answer that was given to hundreds! ; I discovered when I thought to contact the XXXX XXXX XXXX  only to discover this was a lost cause when I read posted on its website : The XXXX  has closed 447 complaints against XXXX XXXX XXXX in the past three years, with 91 closed in the past 12 months. Most of those complaints allege problems with billing and collections. Many complaints also allege problems with customer service. Also, with the pending lawsuit against the company noted at the XXXX XXXX XXXX  site against the company, I decided there was no point to file the complaint here. 
I am at this time seeking and hoping for the counsel of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for the assistance of the inaccurate credit report/credit fraud and unfair ; deceptive ; practices, that I believe is taking place by the lender XXXX against me. 
Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation