Consumer complaint received 2018-08-02
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: NC
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:
On XX/XX/XXXX I sent XXXX. XXXX XXXX a Validation/Verification Letter me obtaining my credit report. Per the laws of the FDCPA you may dispute the VALIDITY of the debt. I mailed it by USPS Certified Mail with Return Receipt Request. They received my letter on XX/XX/XXXX according to the USPS website and by XXXX XXXX. My Certified Mail # : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX is also listed on my letter and on the Return Receipt Request. As of XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX has never written me back and also never validated per the FDCPA. I also included the letter that I had written request specific information for validation. They are beyond their 30 days per the FDCPA but still continue to report this on my credit. This is in violation of the FDCPA & FCRA. 

Now here is the funny part. I wrote XXXX, XXXX XXXX, Equifax regarding this matter. Now if I under the laws of the FDCPA ask for validation and never receive it. Then I show proof to the credit reporting agencies that they never responded. How then are they able to validate and provide me no proof of the investigation at all. NONE!!! I am also aware of XXXX which was documented by ( you all ) the CFPB in XX/XX/XXXX Report : The courts ruled XXXX is an improper method to conduct reasonable or full investigations ; also, XXXX is not paperwork! 

Also I requested a Description of the Procedure used for this investigation from XXXX, Equifax, XXXX XXXX per FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 6 ) ( A ), ( B ) ( i ) ( ii ) ( iii ) states : Notice of Results of Reinvestigation : ( iii ) a notice that, if requested by the consumer, a description of the procedure used to determine the accuracy and completeness of the information shall be provided to the consumer by the agency. I received NONE at all. Showing they are in violation of FCRA law. Also to make sure they did do a proper full investigation I requested my credit 'file ' per FCRA 609 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( 2 ) states : Disclosures to consumers ; ( a ) Information on file ; sources ; report recipients. Every consumer reporting agency shall, upon request, and subject to 610 ( a ) ( 1 ) [ 1681h [ Proper identification. ], clearly and accurately disclose to the consumer : o ( 1 ) All information in the consumers file at the time of the request. 
XXXX, Equifax, XXXX  NEVER sent me my 'file '. Which is clearly documented in my letter FCRA 603 ( g ). The term file, when used in connection with information on any consumer, means all of the information on that consumer recorded and retained by a consumer reporting agency regardless of how the information is stored. [ This is NOT a request for a consumer report. I am requesting my FILE. I know the difference. ] I requested my file to make sure XXXX, XXXX, EQUIFAX conducted investigations into item ( s ) inside my file. My file should reflect the appropriate paperwork XXXX, XXXX, EQUIFAX used to verify/validate all information that is recorded and stored within. And according to the law you must keep all of this information on file. 

XXXX, XXXX XXXX v XXXX, XXXX v. XXXX ( XXXX ), and XXXX v. XXXX ( EQUIFAX ), et al, the courts ruled each Credit Reporting Agency couldn't merely " parrot '' information from the creditors and collection agencies. They must conduct an independent REASONABLE investigation to ensure the validity of the debt & can not mimic its subscribers.. These are the cases where the courts upheld the decisions regarding these matters. 

Also, FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ) ( i ) states : Treatment of Inaccurate or Unverifiable Information ( 5 ) Treatment of Inaccurate or Unverifiable Information ( A ) In general. If, after any reinvestigation FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) under paragraph ( 1 ) of any information disputed by a consumer, an item of the information is found to be inaccurate or incomplete or can not be verified, the consumer reporting agency shall i. promptly delete that item of information from the file of the consumer, or modify that item of information, as appropriate, based on the results of the reinvestigation ; and ii. promptly notify the furnisher of that information that the information has been modified or deleted from the file of the consumer. 

So basically I asked XXXX  for this information twice. Once on XXXX/XXXX/XXXX & XX/XX/XXXX. On two occasions they came back with its validated. They would not tell me how they validated, they would not give me my credit file i asked for twice. They did not do an investigation and they are in violation. What is so amazing and you will love this is the 2nd time they did the so called investigation in 3 days. They say they updated the info. No they didn't. I have proof I included from their own website. How is that possible you did the investigation in 3 days? I included that proof as well. XXXX is not doing their job and is just parroting information, using XXXX or just ignoring my letter. 

I asked XXXX XXXX for this information twice. Once on XX/XX/XXXX & XX/XX/XXXX. On two occasions they came back with its validated. They would not tell me how they validated, they would not give me my credit file i asked for twice. They did not do an investigation and they are in violation. They say they updated the info. XXXX XXXX is not doing their job and is just parroting information, using XXXX or just ignoring my letter. 

I asked Equifax for this information once. Once on XX/XX/XXXX. They came back with its validated. They would not tell me how they validated, they would not give me my credit file. They did not do an investigation and they are in violation. They say they updated the info. Equifax is not doing their job and is just parroting information, using XXXX or just ignoring my letter.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation