Consumer complaint received 2022-10-08
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA
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:
I honestly can't believe I'm back submitting another complaint, but I have experienced an unbelieveable amount of difficulties in the past couple weeks, all due to my attempts at re-establishing creditworthiness, by ensuring that inquirers receive accurate and updated personal information, as well as having those " in charge '' of the safetly and dispersal of this data actually follow through with rights and requests that are provided to me in their own documentation - rights and requests that I wouldn't even know existed had it not been explicity written in said documents I've been given following dispute resolutions. 

In this case, I submitted multiple disputes to Equifax on the XXXX and XXXX of XXXX ( confirmation # 's XXXX and XXXX ), regarding a hard inquiry that I did not recognize or authorize. I both instances, Dispute Results denonted that this inquiry was " verified as accurate '' and will as such " remain on the Equifax credit file for XXXX years from the date of the inquiry ''. 

Options that are then listed for me to pursue include firstly, that I should contact the " company that reports the information to us and dispute it directly with them ''. I attempted this many times, requesting they provide proof that this inquiry was done so with either my authorization, or simply my knowledge that it may be conducted. I have not received any such information, nor any at all to be frank, from this " company '', who instead of responding to any of the questions or requests I send via email, request that I " call for further assistance ''. I made it clear that I did not trust them, and as such wanted a written record of all our communications forthwith, should it be necessary to have for my own protection or future conflict. Again this was not respected, nor really even addressed- they would just respond with " please call to speak with us ''. They are a disreputable lending " organzation '', that one read through of their " privacy policy '' would convince anyone of. 

Bias aside, this came about after an evening of research into potential options for myself during a tough time, where certain personal info like phone and email are required to even " get in the door '' of these " services '', and I was only looking to see what types of rates were available. I did not provide any authorization nor complete any application, knowing that doing so could result in this exact scenario. These people operate by providing misleading information or outright lies, in an obvious attempt to get more and more personal information just to proceed to the next screen, where of course what was promised on the previous one ( like specific rates ) aren't quite available yet ... unless more info is given. I purposefully did not venture to the end of these ridiculous mazes, sign any agreements, or were provided any terms to sign, as I again was afraid of receiving inquiries to me account. Unfortunately even stopping where I did, led to the absolute craziest display of unprofessional behavior that I am still dealing with the fallout from. XXXX straight days of unceasing phone calls, where blocks would be bypassed by spoofing a single digit in their number and continue calling, leading me to have to call my cell provider and pay for additional screening protection that was only mildly successful. Emails coming in so fast that my watch was on " perma-buzz '' of alerts and had to be removed, which continue to this day regardless of how many unsubscribe attempts I have made. 

That was meant to just provide some context for this- I still have not received any of the requested proof / documents / anything from the company responsible for the hard inquiry, who is also I believe at the middle of the onslaught I just described. 

My complaint today is that after pursuing this avenue, I attempted the next one provided by Equifax under their " Notice to California Consumers '' section, which is " You may request a description of the procedure used to determine the accuracy and completeness of the information, including the business name and address of the furnisher of information contacted, and if reasonably available the telephone number ''. 

I called and tried to find out what I needed to do or who could help me procur the " description of procedure used to determine the accuracy and completeness of the information.. '', as I already knew too much about the " business '' and would like to forget about their existence. I tried very calmly, and repeatedly, to obtain aid from the Equifax XXXX, reading verbatim what I quoted above, and was told all I could do was try and contact the company. I explained very clearly my attempts to do so, and again that I was just requesting what was provided by Equifax as a request I had the right to make in this instance. When it became clear that she wasn't going to get rid of me with repeating the same lines, I was hung up on without a word. 

I apologize for the length of this- I can not begin to express the amount of displeasure I have experienced with each of the reporting agencies, all while trying to ensure accurate information is listed so I can work to enhance my " creditworthiness ''. Each attempted contact feels worse than the previous, with no actual help or desire to help experienced by me personally at this point. These past couple weeks and exposure to these agencies and other " companies '' as mentioned above, has done nothing but enhance my cynacism- and that's a truly sad realization.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation