Consumer complaint received 2023-10-06
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: PA
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report
Sub-issue: Credit inquiries on your report that you don't recognize

Complaint:
Dear Equifax, I hope this letter finds you prepared to address a matter of utmost importance and gravity. I am writing to you today in a professional, yet uncompromising tone to express my deep concern and demand resolution regarding your organization 's actions, which have caused significant damage to my credit and reputation. 

It has come to my attention that Equifax reported inquiries on my consumer credit report without my consent. Furthermore, these inquiries were inaccurately reported and were eventually deleted after I disputed them. The act of deletion serves as an admission of wrongdoing and inaccurate reporting, which is a clear violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ).

Your violations of the FCRA are multifaceted : 1. Reporting Without Consent : Equifax reported inquiries without obtaining my consent, a clear violation of my rights under the FCRA.

2. Inadequate Investigation : Equifax failed to conduct a proper investigation into the accuracy of these inquiries as required by the FCRA.

3. Inaccurate Reporting : The inaccurate data reported in my consumer report further compounds your FCRA violations, as the FCRA mandates maximum accuracy in credit reporting.

To add to the gravity of this situation, I recently checked my consumer report and was astounded to discover that the two inquiries in question, from XXXX, are still prominently reporting on my consumer report. This revelation highlights a severe level of negligence on the part of Equifax in failing to fulfill its obligation to delete these inquiries from my report, even though they were willfully noncompliant with the FCRA in reporting these inquiries in the first place. 

The consequences of your actions have been substantial. My reputation and financial standing were unjustifiably damaged due to Equifax 's inaccurate reporting and subsequent negligence in correcting the issue. Considering these violations, I am within my rights to seek compensation under the provisions of the FCRA.

Pursuant to 15 USC 1681n, Equifax is liable to me in the sum of {$1000.00} per inquiry due to your willful noncompliance with the FCRA. Consequently, you have been invoiced for a total amount of {$2000.00} ( {$1000.00} per inquiry ) to address the damage ( s ) incurred by your actions. I kindly request that you fulfill this invoice by mailing a check of {$2000.00}.

This matter is of great urgency. You have a window of 10 business days from the date of this letter to respond and fulfill the invoice. Failure to respond within this timeframe will be deemed an admission of violating the FCRA and neglecting your obligation to fulfill the invoice. I have enclosed with this letter the invoice and exhibits, including documentation of your deletion of the inquiries from XXXX, as well as screenshots of recent consumer reports that show the inquiries still reporting on my consumer report to provide you with complete clarity regarding this matter. 

I expect Equifax to take this matter seriously and act promptly to address the violations and the invoice. I urge you to consult your legal team and ensure compliance with the FCRA in resolving this issue. Failure to comply will leave me with no alternative but to escalate this matter to appropriate regulatory authorities and legal representatives specializing in consumer rights and FCRA violations. I am prepared to exercise my rights and pursue necessary actions to rectify this situation. 

I implore you to take this seriously and rectify the situation immediately. It is in your best interest to act swiftly to amend your mistakes and ensure that such violations do not occur in the future.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief