Consumer complaint received 2019-07-04
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: AL
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:
XXXX XXXX Account XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX I have attempted to resolve the debt with XXXX XXXX since XX/XX/XXXX. Please see previous case numbers XXXX and XXXX. 

The initial debt was with XXXX XXXX. I failed to make payments due to unemployment, and the account was transferred to XXXX XXXX. Prior to the account being transferred to XXXX Once, I attempted to contact XXXX XXXX to resolve a modified payment arrangement due to my employment status. A representative, XXXX, instructed me there was no record of my account. The account was transferred to a third party. He provided the account would be transferred back to XXXX XXXX after the account was brought current. I contacted XXXX XXXX and provided payment in the sum of XXXX to bring the account current. The next payment was not due until the XXXX. A representative, XXXX, contacted me prior to the XXXX and attempted to collect additional monies. I instated I would not make another payment until the due date. XXXX incited to begin using derogatory remarks and comments related to my refusal to pay the debt. I terminated the phone call and contacted XXXX XXXX to report the incident. A representative from XXXX XXXX provided they were not able to provide any plan of action based on the remarks of the representative from XXXX XXXX. I provided information to the representative related to my payment to bring the account current. The representative provided the account was still being held by XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX was unable to resolve the issue of harassment ; therefore, I filed a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ). The incident report numbers for XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX are detailed above. I contacted XXXX XXXX on the XXXX to provide the next payment. I was told the party assigned to my account was out sick. A phone call was returned, and the supervisor informed me the assigned representative was no longer employed with XXXX XXXX. He continued to share they received information related to my complaint to CFPB ), and they would no longer be able to work with me or accept payments. The supervisor provided the account was being transferred back to XXXX XXXX. Following, this conversation, I began to make payments online to XXXX XXXX. In XX/XX/XXXX, I included the account into debt consolidation as the account was current. I proceeded to make monthly payments. The balance has been reduced from over XXXX to approximately XXXX. A copy of my credit report was retrieved to review the progress of the debt management program. I noted XXXX XXXX reported the account to all three credit bureaus as a charge off. I never received communication-related to the debt being transferred to a charge off account. This was unannounced to me pending the review of my credit report. Also, this was not indicative in XX/XX/XXXX when the account was entered into the debt consolidation program. The account was current as of XX/XX/XXXX, and it is being paid in full. The account was NOT settled for a lesser amount than what was owed. I have contacted XXXX XXXX approximately five times to resolve the issue of the reporting. The last call was on XX/XX/XXXX. A representative, XXXX, informed me the account was listed as a charge-off in XX/XX/XXXX. XXXX XXXX began to accept payments from the debt consolidation company in XX/XX/XXXX.  XXXX XXXX incited this action, enlisting the account as a charge-off, after receiving initial contact from the debt management agency. I questioned why I didn't receive notification and expressed concern as the card was current. Payments were made through XXXX XXXX and online with XXXX XXXX. XXXX communicated he was unable to help me or reverse the charge off. The charge-off was unfairly reported on my credit report. I have attempted to resolve issues with payment and recording through XXXX XXXX related to this account since XX/XX/XXXX. Documentation can be noted in the complaint based though CFPB. XXXX XXXX has been unwilling to determine the following : why I did not receive communication about the status of the account being changed to charge-off ; why the account status was changed to a charge-off account after the account was brought current ; documentation of payments from XXXX XXXX, and rationale for unfair/inaccurate reporting to the XXXX credit bureaus. The account was brought current in XXXX. Moreover, the account is being paying in full. The reporting of a charge-off has and will continue to have a negative impact on my credit score. 

In correspondence provided by XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, they recognized the unprofessional behavior by the XXXX XXXX employee and resolved I would continue to make payments to XXXX XXXX until the account was paid in full. However, XXXX XXXX informed me they would no longer accept payments from my following my complaint to CFPB. XXXX XXXX instructed me to resume payment to XXXX XXXX. I resumed payments online. 

The discontinuity of communication between the creditor ( XXXX XXXX ) and debt collector ( XXXX XXXX ) has caused undue stress. In addition, the inconsistencies in receipt of payment possible contributed to errors in crediting payments to my account during the transitions of the account from XXXX XXXX to XXXX XXXX and back from XXXX to XXXX XXXX again. In turn, this contributed to inaccuracies being reported to the three credit bureaus.

I have attempted for more than two years to rectify the error in reporting or changing the account to a charge-off status. The account was closed by the creditor while it was in current status. Also, the account is being paid in full. There was NO settlement agreement for the due amount.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation