Consumer complaint received 2023-06-01
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Sub-issue: Information belongs to someone else

Complaint:
I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding an incident of identity theft and the lack of appropriate action taken by XXXX AND the credit bureaus in response to my claims. I believe my personal information has been compromised, leading to the fraudulent opening of credit card accounts in my name without my knowledge or consent. 
After this situation I contacted the usps to forward all mail to that initial address given to me in my first correspondence with the company at " XXXX XXXX '' with my name on it to my address because I believe these people could have used all of my information to obtain more credit or other fraudulent use. 
Identity Theft Incident : Upon reviewing my credit history, I discovered multiple credit card accounts that were opened in my name. One of these accounts is with XXXX. When I contacted XXXX to report the fraudulent account, they informed me that the email address associated with the account is the same as mine. However, upon thorough examination of my email records, I found no correspondence from XXXX regarding the opening of this account. Instead, I discovered emails indicating that someone had attempted to use my email address to apply for a credit card using a different name. 

XXXX 's Response : Despite providing XXXX with evidence of the fraudulent activity and explaining the situation, their response has been inadequate. They have failed to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the matter and have shown a lack of willingness to acknowledge my claims of identity theft. Instead of taking appropriate action, XXXX simply updated their records with my actual address, which does not address the core issue of identity theft. 

Impact on My Finances and Security : The fraudulent XXXX account, along with other unauthorized credit card accounts opened in my name, has had a significant negative impact on my finances and creditworthiness. Additionally, I am deeply concerned about the potential misuse of my personal information by the individuals responsible for this identity theft. I have taken several precautions, such as placing a block on my taxes and contacting the Social Security Office, but I am still uncertain about the extent of the damage and the potential risks I may face.

Request for Action : I am seeking your assistance in resolving this matter and holding XXXX accountable for their negligence. I request that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau conducts a thorough investigation into this case of identity theft and takes appropriate action to rectify the situation. This includes holding XXXX accountable for their failure to investigate the fraudulent account properly and for not taking sufficient measures to protect my personal information. 

Furthermore, I kindly request that you keep me updated on the progress of the investigation and any actions taken in response to my complaint. I am willing to provide any additional information or evidence that XXXX assist in your investigation. 

Enclosed with this complaint, please find supporting documents, including copies of the emails indicating the unauthorized credit card applications and any other relevant information that may aid in your investigation. 

Today I took the liberty of filing a police report about this fraud attempting a thorough investigation with this address originally on the account, after speaking with a consumer law attorney and identifying my rights and what possibly may have happened to cause this which she informed me is very common and should have been addressed at the first correspondence with this company. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I trust that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will take the necessary steps to address this issue and provide me with a resolution.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation