Consumer complaint received 2018-09-22
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: FL
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:
On or about XX/XX/2018 I received my annual credit report from Equifax which contained a number of items that did not belong to me and was seriously affecting my credit score. Among the accounts reported in error that did not belong to myself was from XXXX XXXX XXXX ( partial acct # XXXX ) in the amount {$950.00}. On or about XX/XX/2018 I drafted a letter to Equifax demanding the wrongfully reported items be removed pursuant to 15 USC 1681 ( i ) including that of XXXX XXXX. Said letter was send via facsimile to Equifax XXXX with confirmation of fax received. ( A true and accurate copy of letter and fax confirmation are attached to this complaint ). I also contacted XXXX XXXX and demanded any contractual documentation from the original creditor. XXXX XXXX told me that no such documents exist and that they go by social security numbers to which I explained the lunacy of their explanation to the rep. On XX/XX/2018 I received an email from Equifax stating the dispute was completed and that I could get my results online. After many frustrating attempts to obtain the online results to no avail, I called Equifax on XX/XX/XXXX and was told that they are having problems with their system and gave me the results over the phone. Equifax deleted all of the items I requested in my XX/XX/XXXX letter except XXXX XXXX, which I was told came back verified. I told Equifax that was an impossibility because it is not my account so any verification is not accurate. The Equifax representative recommended re-disputing the XXXX XXXX account using their online dispute center. As Equifax 's online system was having issues, the representative filed the online dispute from their location, asking me a what basis of the dispute, which I again responded was not my account. On XX/XX/2018, a day after Equifax filed the online dispute, I received an email from Equifax stating the dispute was completed and to go online to get the results. A copy of said email is attached. True to form, after several failed attempts to retrieve the result information online, I called Equifax and received the same nonsense story about the system not working correctly, once again received the XXXX XXXX dispute result over the phone, and once again Equifax said it is verified. I explained to the Equifax rep that a proper investigation into a dispute can not be done with a 24 hour period as was done here where Equifax is obviously relying on XXXX information, which always favors the the collection agency, which is a client of Equifax, rather than the consumer. The rep said I should dispute the account with XXXX XXXX directly. I responded that it is not my responsibility to do what is deemed Equifax 's responsibility under the FCRA as it the credit reporting agency 's legal obligation to make sure that what they are reporting is truthful and accurate. When a consumer informs the agency that the reporting is in error or fraudulent, the credit reporting agency as a heightened duty under the statute to do a proper and complete investigation. All Equifax would have to do is demand from XXXX XXXX any original contractual documentation by and between myself and the original creditor, which they would then find out it does not exist. Also, as the account is not mine, I can give them no supporting documentation as there is none to give.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief