Consumer complaint received 2022-11-12
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: PA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, 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:
After careful review of my credit report I noticed that your organization ( a consumer reporting agency ), has violated my right to privacy from furnishing my information to creditors and other persons in addition to continually report fraudelent inquiries. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX What information did you or do you have verifying these inquiries? They are in clear violation of the below following FCRA violations : Violation # 1 15 U.S. Code 1681 - Congressional findings and statement of purpose ( a ) Accuracy and fairness of credit reporting TheCongressmakes the following findings ( 2 ) An elaborate mechanism has been developed for investigating and evaluating thecreditworthiness, creditstanding, creditcapacity, character, and general reputation ofconsumers.

( 3 ) Consumerreporting agencies have assumed a vital role in assembling and evaluatingconsumercreditand other information onconsumers.

( 4 ) There is a need to insure thatconsumerreporting agencies exercise their grave responsibilities with fairness, impartiality, and a respect for theconsumers right to privacy.

( b ) Reasonable procedures It is the purpose of this subchapter to require thatconsumerreporting agencies adopt reasonable procedures for meeting the needs of commerce forconsumercredit, personnel, insurance, and other information in a manner which is fair and equitable to theconsumer, with regard to the confidentiality, accuracy, relevancy, and proper utilization of such information in accordance with the requirements of this subchapter.

Violation # 2 15 USC 1681-c -- 1 -- Identity theft prevention ; fraud alerts and active duty alerts ( 1 ) Initial alerts Upon the direct request of aconsumer, or an individual acting on behalf of or as a personal representative of aconsumer, who asserts in good faith a suspicion that theconsumerhas been or is about to become a victim of fraud or related crime, includingidentity theft, aconsumer reporting agencydescribed insection 1681a ( p ) of this titlethat maintains afileon theconsumerand has received appropriate proof of the identity of the requester shall ( A ) include afraud alertin thefileof thatconsumer, and also provide that alert along with anycreditscore generated in using thatfile, for a period of not less than 1 year, beginning on the date of such request, unless theconsumeror such representative requests that suchfraud alertbe removed before the end of such period, and the agency has received appropriate proof of the identity of the requester for such purpose ; and ( B ) refer the information regarding thefraud alertunder this paragraph to each of the otherconsumerreporting agencies described insection 1681a ( p ) of this title, in accordance with procedures developed undersection 1681s ( f ) of this title.

( 1 ) In general Upon the direct request of aconsumer, or an individual acting on behalf of or as a personal representative of aconsumer, who submits anidentity theft reportto aconsumer reporting agencydescribed insection 1681a ( p ) of this titlethat maintains afileon theconsumer, if the agency has received appropriate proof of the identity of the requester, the agency shall ( A ) include afraud alertin thefileof thatconsumer, and also provide that alert along with anycreditscore generated in using thatfile, during the 7-year period beginning on the date of such request, unless theconsumeror such representative requests that suchfraud alertbe removed before the end of such period and the agency has received appropriate proof of the identity of the requester for such purpose ; ( B ) during the 5-year period beginning on the date of such request, exclude theconsumerfrom any list ofconsumersprepared by theconsumer reporting agencyand provided to any third party to offercreditor insurance to theconsumeras part of a transaction that was not initiated by theconsumer, unless theconsumeror such representative requests that such exclusion be rescinded before the end of such period ; and ( C ) refer the information regarding the extendedfraud alertunder this paragraph to each of the otherconsumerreporting agencies described insection 1681a ( p ) of this title, in accordance with procedures developed undersection 1681s ( f ) of this title.

Violation # 3 15 USC 1681C-2 -- Block of information resulting from identity theft ( a ) Block Except as otherwise provided in this section, aconsumer reporting agencyshall block the reporting of any information in thefileof aconsumerthat theconsumeridentifies as information that resulted from an allegedidentity theft, not later than 4 business days after the date of receipt by such agency of ( 1 ) appropriate proof of the identity of theconsumer ; ( 2 ) a copy of anidentity theft report ; ( 3 ) the identification of such information by theconsumer ; and ( 4 ) a statement by theconsumerthat the information is not information relating to any transaction by theconsumer.

( b ) Notification Aconsumer reporting agencyshall promptly notify the furnisher of information identified by theconsumerunder subsection ( a ) ( 1 ) that the information may be a result ofidentity theft ; ( 2 ) that anidentity theft reporthas been filed ; ( 3 ) that a block has been requested under this section; and ( 4 ) of the effective dates of the block.

I hereby put your organization on notice and would like to inform you that I never gave consent to these above aforementioned creditors/furnishers or for this report being furnished by you on my behalf and I am also aware of the fact that your organization assumed a vital role. As a result, my livelihood has been adversely affected. Furthermore, there is no such law stating anything needing to be reported to a consumer reporting agency. Therefore, your organization is liable for these ongoing abusive tactics that has caused serious pain & suffering and mental health for myself.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation