Consumer complaint received 2023-03-28
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: NJ
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: Investigation took more than 30 days

Complaint:
Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to dispute the accuracy of the information reported on my credit report by the creditor, XXXX, regarding account number XXXX. The creditor has reported inaccurate information that has caused me undue financial hardship and emotional distress. 

The creditor has violated multiple laws, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act ( FACTA ), Truth in Lending Act ( TILA ), and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ). Specifically, the creditor may have violated the following sections : FCRA Section 607 ( b ) : This section requires that credit reporting agencies maintain accurate information in consumer reports. The creditor may have violated this section by reporting inaccurate information about my payment history.

FCRA Section 611 : This section gives consumers the right to dispute inaccurate information in their credit reports. I have disputed the inaccurate information, but the creditor has not corrected it, thereby violating this section.

FACTA Section 612 ( a ) : This section requires that credit reporting agencies provide consumers with a free annual credit report upon request. The creditor may be in violation of this section if I have not received my free credit reports. 

TILA Section 127 : This section requires that creditors provide accurate and timely disclosures of the terms and conditions of credit. If the creditor provided inaccurate information about my credit limit or the date the account was opened, they may be in violation of this section.

FDCPA Section 807 : This section prohibits debt collectors from collecting any amount that is not expressly authorized by the agreement creating the debt. If the creditor attempted to collect a debt that was not owed, they may be in violation of this section. 

The inaccurate information reported by the creditor has had a significant impact on my life. I have been denied credit, including a car loan, due to the negative information reported on my credit report. Additionally, the creditor 's inaccurate reporting has caused me emotional distress and anxiety. 

Therefore, I am requesting that the creditor remove the unverified collection account from my credit report and take appropriate action to correct any inaccurate information that has been reported. I also request that the creditor be held accountable for the violations of the aforementioned laws. 

XXXX XXXX with account number XXXX. The account is reporting that it was opened on XX/XX/XXXX, by XXXX, and on XX/XX/XXXX, by XXXX, but not by Equifax. The Last Reported Date for XXXX was XX/XX/XXXX, whereas the Last Reported Date for XXXX was XX/XX/XXXX. Equifax omitted to report. XXXX was reported once more. Date XXXX was last active on XX/XX/XXXX, or it was XX/XX/XXXX for Equifax. 

I believe that the creditor has violated several sections of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ). Specifically, the creditor may have violated Section 607 ( b ) by failing to report the account to Equifax, and Section 605 by reporting inaccurate or incomplete information to XXXX and XXXX. In addition, if I have disputed the accuracy of the information with the CRA and they have not conducted a reasonable investigation, the creditor may be in violation of Section 623.

The impact of this inaccurate and incomplete information on my credit report has been devastating. It has affected my ability to secure credit and has led to higher interest rates and fees. This has caused me significant financial stress and has made it difficult for me to provide for my family. 

Therefore, I ask that you enforce the legal protections provided to me under the FCRA and require the creditor to remove this unverified collection account from my credit report. 

XXXX XXXX, with account number XXXX. According to the information provided by the credit reporting agencies, XXXX and XXXX reported the account as opened on XX/XX/XXXX, and XX/XX/XXXX, respectively. However, Equifax did not report the account at all. Additionally, there are discrepancies in the reported high credit score for the account. 

I believe that XXXX  XXXX has violated Section 607 ( b ) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) by failing to report the account to Equifax, and Section 605 of the FCRA by reporting inaccurate and incomplete information to XXXX and XXXX. Furthermore, XXXX XXXX may have violated Section 623 of the FCRA by failing to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation of my dispute. 

These inaccuracies have had a significant impact on my life. I have been trying to obtain a loan to start my own business, but the negative information on my credit report has made it difficult for me to secure financing. I have been struggling financially, and the inability to obtain funding has prevented me from pursuing my dreams and providing for my family. 

I am requesting that XXXX XXXX be required to remove the unverified collection account from my credit report in order to bring it into compliance with the FCRA. 

XXXX ( Original Creditor : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) XXXX : XXXX reports this account as a collection, but XXXX and Equifax do not. Additionally, XXXX recorded the date opened as XX/XX/XXXX, but XXXX and Equifax did not. 
These errors are in violation of Section 607 ( b ) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), which requires that credit reporting agencies maintain accurate information in consumer reports. If XXXX is reporting the account as a collection and XXXX and Equifax are not, the creditor may be in violation of this section. Furthermore, Section 623 of the FCRA requires that CRAs conduct reasonable reinvestigations of disputed information. If you have not conducted a reasonable investigation of my dispute, the creditor may be in violation of this section as well. 

These mistakes have had a significant impact on my life. As a result of these errors, I have been denied credit, loans, and housing opportunities that I would otherwise qualify for. I have been forced to pay higher interest rates on the credit that I have been able to obtain, resulting in unnecessary financial strain. 

I am requesting that you take immediate action to remove these unverified collection accounts from my credit reports. I believe that this is the only appropriate remedy for the harm that has been caused by these errors. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX : This account is reporting credit card information on XXXX and XXXX , but Equifax did not . Furthermore, XXXX and XXXX reported a credit limit of {$3500.00}, while Equifax reported none. The last active dates reported by each bureau also vary significantly, with XXXX showing XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX showing XX/XX/XXXX, and Equifax showing XX/XX/XXXX. 

These discrepancies may be in violation of Section 607 ( b ), which requires that credit reporting agencies maintain accurate information in consumer reports. Additionally, Section 605 requires that credit reporting agencies follow reasonable procedures to ensure the maximum possible accuracy of consumer reports. If the information reported by XXXX and XXXX is inaccurate or incomplete, the creditor may be in violation of this section. 

XXXX regarding account number XXXX. According to my credit reports from XXXX, XXXX, and Equifax, there are inconsistencies and potential violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ). 

Section 607 ( b ) of the FCRA requires that credit reporting agencies ( CRAs ) maintain accurate information in consumer reports. If XXXX and XXXX are reporting conflicting information about the account 's payment status and date opened, the creditor may be in violation of this section. Additionally, Section 623 ( a ) ( 8 ) of the FCRA requires that CRAs include a consumer 's statement in their credit report if the consumer disputes the accuracy of any information in their file. If I have disputed the accuracy of the information with the CRA and they have not included my statement, the creditor may be in violation of this section. 

This inaccurate information has had a significant impact on my life. Due to the negative information being reported, my credit score has dropped significantly, making it difficult for me to obtain loans or credit cards with reasonable interest rates. I have been denied job opportunities and apartments due to the false information being reported. 

I am requesting that XXXX immediately remove the unverified collection account from my credit report. I also request that the CRAs include my statement disputing the accuracy of the information in their reports. 

Furthermore, I would like to bring to your attention a potential violation of Section 611 ( a ) ( 1 ) of the FCRA, which requires that CRAs provide a free copy of the consumer 's credit report once every 12 months. If I have not received a free copy of my credit report from any of the CRAs in the past 12 months, they may be in violation of this section. 

XXXX XXXX and the CRAs are reporting conflicting information regarding the high credit balance and date last active of my account. XXXX is reporting a high credit balance of {$3900.00}, while XXXX is reporting a balance of {$0.00}. Furthermore, XXXX is reporting a date last active of XX/XX/XXXX, while Equifax is reporting XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX has not reported anything at all. This conflicting information may be a violation of Section 607 ( b ) of the FCRA, which requires that CRAs maintain accurate information in consumer reports. 

Secondly, XXXX XXXX and the CRAs are not accurately reporting the date of delinquency on my account. This may be a violation of Section 623 ( a ) ( 2 ) of the FCRA, which requires that CRAs include the date of delinquency on any account that is reported as being delinquent. 

Thirdly, the account is inaccurately reported as charged off or in dispute, which may be a violation of Section 623 ( a ) ( 5 ) of the FCRA, which requires that CRAs report the current status of the account accurately. 

Lastly, I have not received a free copy of my credit report from any of the CRAs in the past 12 months, which may be a violation of Section 611 ( a ) ( 1 ) of the FCRA, which requires that CRAs provide a free copy of the consumer 's credit report once every 12 months. 

XXXX regarding account XXXX. According to my credit report, this account is being reported differently by different credit reporting agencies, with XXXX and XXXX reporting it as a credit card, while Equifax is not reporting the account type at all. This discrepancy is a violation of Section 607 ( b ) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), which requires that credit reporting agencies maintain accurate information in consumer reports. 

In addition, I am concerned that there may be inaccuracies in the reporting of the date of delinquency and the current status of the account. According to XXXX and Equifax, I was 30 days late on XX/XX/XXXX, but XXXX shows that I made all payments on time. This discrepancy may be a violation of Section 623 ( a ) ( 2 ) and Section 623 ( a ) ( 5 ) of the FCRA, which require that credit reporting agencies report the date of delinquency and the current status of the account accurately. 

This situation has had a significant impact on my life. As a result of these inaccuracies, my credit score has been negatively impacted, which has made it difficult for me to obtain credit and loans at reasonable rates. I have been unable to secure a mortgage to purchase a home and have had to put off other important financial decisions. These inaccuracies have caused me undue stress and hardship, which is unfair and unjust. 

I am requesting that XXXX remove these unverified collection accounts from my credit report and take the necessary steps to ensure that my credit report accurately reflects my payment history and current account status. 

XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( # XXXX ). I have been severely affected by these false reports, as they have made it nearly impossible for me to secure a loan or credit card with favorable terms. 

According to my credit report from XXXX, XXXX XXXX has reported my account as being in collections or chargeoff with an unpaid balance. However, neither XXXX nor Equifax has reported anything on this account. Additionally, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, to whom XXXX sold my account, has failed to provide me with any necessary paperwork or a signed agreement. As a result, I am disputing the accuracy of this report. 

I believe that XXXX XXXX and/or the credit reporting agencies may be in violation of FCRA Section 607 ( b ) and 623 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) for reporting incomplete and inaccurate information. Furthermore, FCRA Section 623 ( a ) ( 2 ) may have been violated due to the inaccurate reporting of the date of delinquency. Additionally, if XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX is considered a debt collector, they may be in violation of FDCPA Section 809 ( b ) for failing to send me a written notice within five days of their initial communication, and FDCPA Section 807 ( 2 ) ( A ) for making false or misleading statements. 

I want to emphasize how much this has affected my life. Due to these inaccurate reports, I have been denied credit and loans on numerous occasions. I have also had to pay higher interest rates on credit cards and loans that I was able to secure, leading to increased financial strain. This has caused me immense stress and has made it difficult for me to achieve my financial goals. 

Therefore, I am requesting that these unverified collection accounts be removed from my credit report. I also urge the CFPB to enforce the laws that have been violated in this case to ensure that consumers are protected from such practices in the future. 

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation