Consumer complaint received 2022-09-26
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: OH
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: Their investigation did not fix an error on your report

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX I received an email alert from XXXX regarding a change to my credit. I think discovered that XXXX Bank reported to the credit bureau that my account was 30 days past due. I have been enrolled in a payment plan with XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX since being laid off from my job in XX/XX/XXXX and depleting my savings. I scheduled out payments to catch up my balance while hoping that I would eventually gain employment and be able to make said payments. While enrolling in said payment plan, I was not informed that payment must be made regardless of being in a payment plan, by XX/XX/XXXX or it would be reported to the credit bureaus as 30 days past due. Mind you, I have had two payments scheduled one for XX/XX/XXXX and another for XX/XX/XXXX. I called XXXX the same day, explained the situation and the woman on the phone 's name was XXXX, she mentioned that I should have been disclosed this information and that it is an error, from here she worked with me to submit a complaint within their company. This alert on my credit report has caused my credit score to drop XXXX points and has caused severe stress to me. I took the necessary steps to file a dispute with XXXX, called today XX/XX/XXXX after receiving an alert that the dispute was closed and that the " 30 days Past Due '' was not removed from my report. I spoke with someone named XXXX at XXXX around XXXX this afternoon, gave my personal information and was told that XXXX has in their system that it would be removed from my credit report by XX/XX/XXXX. After work this afternoon, I then called XXXX again and asked the same question to the person on the phone this time ( XXXX ) from there he told me that information was incorrect and that the dispute was marked as complete and it would not be removed from my credit report. He told me the individual I spoke with, possibly did not work at XXXX. He then told me to call XXXX and try to receive written documentation of their error and the communication they mentioned to me over the phone. Shortly after that conversation, I called XXXX and was on the phone for nearly 2 hours with at least 4 different people. I spoke to someone named XXXX, XXXX, XXXX and XXXX ( XXXX was the FICO department ). On the phone Ally mentioned that the " 30 days Pas Due '' would not be removed until the balance was paid in full, she mentioned XXXX can not correct or remove the " 30 Days Past Due '' from my report. I asked if she could provide me written documentation of this statement and situation, she then backtracked and changed her response, also mentioned that she couldn't provide written documentation, that she " didn't have letters ''. I then worked with XXXX to file another complaint within XXXX. I have been treated poorly throughout this entire experience. Information has not been disclosed to me at all, mistakes have been made on XXXX 's part and no one is taking blame nor working to fix the situation. I have never had a late payment with XXXX and I've had this account since XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I was sent paper statements from XXXX that I'd never received before neither by mail nor by email. I received no written communication that a payment was missed and needed to be made by XX/XX/XXXX. It has now come to my attention that I may not have been told information regarding hardship programs/payment assistance. I have found areas and websites online that suggest XXXX has a hardship/payment assistance program for individuals facing financial hardship. Despite calling multiple times to explain my situation and worries about not being able to pay a bill, they did not give me the proper information or even enroll me in a program where I could receive assistance. I had no way, no funds to make a payment for XXXX so it should not matter if I called to change a payment date. My account would have been overdrawn and I would have been in an even worse situation. A payment date was changed to a date where I was able to make a payment ( when I received my first paycheck from starting a new job ). Not once when I rescheduled a payment, was I told a payment needed to be made or they would report it. No information was given to me whatsoever. This has been a horrible experience, no one has been sympathetic or has tried to help me with this situation. I would also like to add that I have never missed a payment with XXXX before this and I would like some leniency to be made. I would like this investigated. 

I would also like to mention that it says before typing a statement not to include personal, identifiable information as it would be public and in the investigation response from the company they have disclosed my personal, identifiable information and that is extremely wrong and violates my privacy.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation