Consumer complaint received 2018-11-24
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
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:
My identity was stolen a few years ago. The person who stole my identity assumed my identity, filing taxes, renting apartments, bought and registered vehicles ( even receiving parking tickets in one of them ) ; as well as opened checking and credit cards in my name.

They got away with it for some time before I noticed as I was frequently ( more often than not ) out of the country for work at this time ) as the accounts they opened were being paid/utilized and my mail was being intercepted and or forwarded. In fact ; I think it still may be being intercepted. I really am not sure, that is kind of the way fraud is designed though. 

At some point I did being getting collection letters and I was disputing them directly with the creditor. Then, when I finally received my credit report and realized what had happened. This was about the spring of 2017. I still tried to work directly with the creditors, to no avail. I was not directed by anyone to report the fraud to police for months. 
I did attempt to file a police report in XXXX of 2017 but the police told me I needed to come back with documentation and then we were hit with Hurricane Irma and I left the area prior to the storm and was not able to return as there was no power for over 2 weeks. When I finally did return, I went to file the police report as soon as possible ( when brought me into the first part of XXXX as the police station does not take reports Sunday or Monday and these are usually the days it is easiest for me to go ). 
I have explained as well as documented all of this until I have become blue in the face to every creditor, credit reporting bureau, lender and anyone else privy to the information and or history ; however Equifax absolutely refuses to follow Federal Law and is denying my rights to me under the FCRA and the FDCPA ; specifically 15 U.S.C. 1681c-2 by refusing to block 5 fraudulent accounts from my report.

They have been playing games with me, causing me to jump through hoops and causing me additional and considerable compensatory and monetary damages. They have changed their story several times and have been giving me the run around for nearly 2 months taking up dozens and dozens of hours of my time causing me to lose time at work and money.

I reported the accounts that were fraudulent to them and were needing to be blocked back in XXXX of this year ; instead of processing it is fraud, they opened an investigation as if it were a dispute and insisted I wait 30 days for them to complete the review ( by law they are supposed to block the accounts within 4 days ). I called and pleaded with them several times during this 30 day period, explaining to them the damage to my credit history and the problems it was causing me- but to no avail. I documented the theft to a T. I sent the police report, a cover letter explaining the ID theft and demanding they block the account pursuant to FCRA U.S.C. 605B ( 15 U.S>C> 1681 c-2 ) ; both my drivers license and social security card and even furnished them with a copy of someone utilizing a fake id with my information. All of this was in vain I suppose.

I even signed up for a paid monitoring service with them, with the false impression that I would be assigned a specialist to help with me with the ID theft. They did nothing about it ; except waste hours of my time. Then, as the 30 days neared its end they claimed they needed my social security card so I sent them the card and attempted to get the accounts blocked again. ; now they claimed the copy of my drivers license sent to them was not sufficient ; so I resent that and called again ; but by this time they had opened a new reinvestigation despite the fact they had just supposedly concluded one a few days prior. They attempted to tell me I needed to wait another 30 days. Then, I spoke to a tier 2 supervisor who deferred the reporting to the creditors and told me I needed to call them all individually but provided me phone numbers that either were not appropriate or no phone number at all. ( I think this is also a violation of the FDCPA- a creditor reporting a debt without providing accurate contact information ). The very first creditor I spoke to ( XXXX XXXX  for XXXX ) told me that they DID NOT have an account for me anymore reporting ( they had deleted it ) and they would be sending me correspondence.

This is proof Equifax intentionally lied to me. I am not sure why they are playing games like this and blatantly violating Federal Law. I do not know what they want from me? More money? This is not a joke or a game. This is my life and they are ruining almost every aspect of it. I am not asking for special favors I am asking that they obey federal law. It is my understanding they have been sued several times in class action law suits and also by an Oregon woman for XXXX XXXX dollars for exactly what they are doing to me now. You would think they would have learned from their courtroom losses, but here they are doing the same thing to other people. 

Please help me.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation