Consumer complaint received 2023-03-13
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: GA
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:
I've submitted several disputes on multiple accounts for the same reasoning, and nothing has changed. I'm either not allowed to dispute these accounts, or the credit bureaus will side with the creditor instead of holding them accountable for illegal and unethical reporting practices. 

My complaint is with XXXX, XXXX XXXX, and Equifax for the following illegal practices : Per the state of Georgia Statute of Limitations law for open and closed accounts. 
There are more than ten account reporting 's breaking Georgia law, remove immediately to prevent further litigation per Georgia law. These illegal reportings have been reporting for more than 10 years past the Georgia statute of limitations ( Dept of Education - XXXX  and XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX ) Additionally, it's almost impossible to file a dispute with XXXX, XXXX XXXX, and Equifax. When calling all three bureaus ' disputes are not being submitted. I pay $ XXXX for service with XXXX, and I can not even file a dispute, in which I'm legally entitled to do so. XXXX asks that you call to re submit dispute, but representatives do not submit new disputes. I've paid this subscription for over 10 years, and I can't even dispute an account I'm legally allowed to dispute. Numerous times for both XXXX XXXX and Equifax I've received an error message about the system being down. Once again when I call the disputes are not being entered, when I mail the dispute letters, they are not being handled either. I was given the excuse of Covid 19 pandemic for not receiving letters, and yet my dispute requests of Covid 19 pandemic accounts ( I lost my job ) are not being considered when I am allowed to dispute those accounts. 

Inquiries are not removed when disputed. Inquiries are associated with accounts that are either being reported illegally, or that I have not given permission to view my credit report. When disputing inquiries XXXX, XXXX XXXX, and Equifax have not provided documentation ( credit or bank application with my signature and date ) proving that I requested these companies to access my credit reports. I've asked each reporting agency to provide me with proof of request and none has been provided. This is illegal per federal and state consumer laws. 

Fraud issues are also prevalent. When logging onto the Equifax website, I noticed all my consumer accounts were gone and I had no credit score. I looked at my personal information and there was a different social security number ( not mine ), addresses, and birthdate. My name ( first middle and last ), current employer, previous employer, and current state, and phone number were on this consumer report. When I bought this to the attention of Equifax by calling their customer support and filing a dispute with documents to prove my identity ( social card, license, utility bill ) ; I was not allowed to file a fraud claim. I was told it was a technical issue, and Equifax filed a claim with their technical team ( I.T. ) instead. I immediately filed identity theft/ fraud disputes for the accounts I could dispute with XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX No effort whatsoever was made to protect my identity and consumer reporting by any of the credit bureaus. Instead, they allowed the creditors to dictate the outcome of the claims instead of investigating and solving the issue. I called Equifax again, and was told the I.T. claim was still pending, and to this day nothing has been done about my name and the I.T. claim is still pending. I was able to create a new log in using a different email address, since my old account has been compromised. 

Also, the same accounts ( Dept of Education ) and account numbers are being reported multiple times with different balances. Due to inaccurate account details/information, per Georgia state law this account should be REMOVED from my credit profile. The credit bureaus should not allow illegally reporting items to appear on my credit report, unless they're refusing me consumer protection. 

These three credit bureaus do not protect, uphold, or exercise my consumer rights when I submit disputes to them. By not holding the creditors accountable, by providing me with proof or removal of illegal reportings, they're breaking several federal and state laws. Not only this, but my Civil Rights are being denied, when XXXX, XXXX XXXX, and Equifax refuse to properly reinvestigate/investigate disputes, fraud, and other illegal reporting practices by multiple creditors. 
It is the position and authority of the reporting agency to protect and uphold not only consumer rights, but my Civil Rights as a citizen. This has not been done and has only caused more harm.

This must be corrected, or I will begin litigation with the Justice Dept.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation