Consumer complaint received 2018-10-19
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:
Please forward to the following companies Equifax, XXXX, XXXX & XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX  has deleted from credit report. 

I am writing to dispute the following information that is on my credit reports under XXXX XXXX XXXX given by XXXX. I am sending in a copy of my lease agreement to show proof that I did not move into my apartment until XX/XX/XXXX being that XXXX states that this account was opened at the address On XX/XX/XXXX & closed XX/XX/XXXX, dates prior to me living at the apartment. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a collection notice from XXXX XXXX XXXX dated XX/XX/XXXX stating that I was in collections for {$160.00} for XXXX account.I called & spoke to XXXX who says I was not in collections & that I did not have a balance. I asked if he could send me a {$0.00} balance letter & he said he could not because I didnt have a balance but said he would transfer me to XXXX at XXXX. She said there was no record that XXXX sent me to collections and that I was sent a {$13.00} check for an overpayment from an old account. I left it alone until XX/XX/XXXX I recd an email from Credit Karma that I had a collections notice for the {$160.00} on my report. I called & spoke to XXXX who said there was no manager available to speak to & that someone would call me within 24 hours. I was at work & received a voicemail from an escalations manager named XXXX at XXXX XXXX & I left multiple messages for her to return my call & she never returned my call. I called back XX/XX/XXXX & spoke to XXXX who said that he would be sending out a fraud report packet and to use that to open a police report. Says account was opened from XXXX at address X. however, I did not move into this apartment until XX/XX/XXXX & can provide proof with a copy of my lease. I never received the fraud packet so I called back XX/XX/XXXX & spoke to XXXX at XXXX who transferred me to XXXX with collections who advised that XXXX ( from XX/XX/XXXX call ) never noted the account or sent a fraud & that she will send a fraud packet. Called back to XXXX to speak to manager. Spoke to XXXX who says to file a dispute with collections so account can be transferred & transferred me to XXXX who told me that XXXX marked the account as fraud alert and not actual FRAUD & never sent a fraud packet!! I called XXXX XX/XX/XXXX & was told to allow 5-7 business days to receive the fraud packet & never received it. Called back XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX & spoke to XXXX who says he has to xfer me to their internal collections dept as the account number. is inactive & he cant get into it. I spoke to XXXX in the internal dept who advised that no one sent out fraud packets because they do not consider the account fraud since the account is at the address I currently live at. States that the account was opened XX/XX/XXXX-XX/XX/XXXX.  Explained that I didnt move to this address until XX/XX/XXXX & that I can prove that with a copy of my lease. She asked if I knew who lived at the address before me & I said of course not because its an apartment. She says because my name & SSN was used and fraud packet was never sent because they see this issue all the time with roomates. I advised that is so bizarre that that could be done, I am married & do not have roomates & do not know who lived at the address prior to me living there before me. I lived at a different address for 3 years prior which my credit report would reflect!! Advised that I have a current XXXX account from XX/XX/XXXX to current with internet which is current & on autopay ) so why would I get another for a few months & not pay. I advised that there had to be an email address linked to that account number & phone number as my current account is linked to a phone number & email address. Says I have to file a dispute with credit bureau/collections agency. I would like this removed from my account as it is causing harm and has been nothing but a headache getting the runaround for a year. This delinquent account is not my account and I am asking it to be removed. 
Enclosed is a copy of my lease showing in section C : the term of my lease when I moved in XX/XX/XXXX supporting my position. Please investigate this matter to find the true account holder and have this collections account deleted as soon as possible. 
Update, XX/XX/XXXX, I filed a dispute about this collections issue with XXXX & the collections was proven not to be mine & taken off my credit report. I filed a dispute with Equifax XX/XX/XXXX online & uploaded my history of contacting the collections agency & my rental lease for where I live & on XX/XX/XXXX I received a report stating we verified this item belongs to you and if I have additional questions to contact the collections agency! But the item doesnt belong to me & Ive already dealt with the collection agency for almost a year & dont wish to go through this any longer as it has been nothing but a headache, a nightmare, full of lost wages of pointless phone calls. I will be working on TransUnion dispute next, I have to do it by mail for some reason. I would just like this resolved

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief