Consumer complaint received 2018-04-22
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: SC
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Sub-issue: Account status incorrect

Complaint:
XXXX XXXX issued me an XXXX store card in XXXX. This card was unfortunately charged off due to being unable to make payments due to a medical related hardship. The account was charged off in XXXX almost 5 years ago. Well I'm trying to get a mortgage so as even a lay person would know that requires at minimum satisfying the balance on any open charge off accounts that hasn't been paid. 

To-do so I reached out to XXXX XXXX and offered to settle the balance, I was advised that was not an option. It was escalated to a supervisor who also said the same thing, and that further that they could not collect on the balance that was due. He was not able to explain why. 

As such, I filed a XXXX complaint against the company alleging that the balance on the charged off account should be update to reflect a {$0.00} balance if the company was no longer wishing to seek payment for the balance nor would they accept payments. You can not claim a balance is owed, and then refuse to accept payments to satisfy that balance. 

XXXX XXXX with President 's office took the matter and essentially stated the balance was still due, and that I could make payments. I argued in my rebuttal that when I called I was not allowed to make payments, and that further was it not possible that they could not accept payments because of the issuance of a form XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ). She responded, and stated that the XXXX is not a XXXX XXXX XXXX despite the clear language and title of the form of which I had to claim on my taxes and stated I would be able to make voluntary payments to settle the balance. 

After receiving this response I contacted XXXX XXXX again to make a payment, the representative XXXX initially stated I could make payments on the balance. When I asked him if they would accept a settlement he stated he would have to put me on hold. When XXXX came back on the phone he stated they could not offer a settlement, nor could they accept payments. When I asked why, XXXX stated because the balance was " forgiven ''. I asked XXXX to please repeat that and clarified the spelling of his name, I then asked XXXX why the balance was being reported as active on the CRA 's and he stated it shouldn't be. Gave an address for me to submit copies of my report, and notations regarding the debt being forgive pursuant our conversation and the information would be updated. 

To attempt to resolve this matter based on information I received, I contacted XXXX XXXX with the President 's office who handled the XXXX complaint. She stated she would investigate it and get back to me within 3 business day. I called XXXX after 3 business days she had no information and advised she was going on vacation the next day. I called XXXX back as still did not receive a call from her, and she advised the collections department had listened to the call and did not hear what I stated. I advised her that in our initial conversation she assured me that she herself would listen to the call and get to the bottom of this. XXXX advised she would not be able to-do so until she got back from vacation. I asked XXXX to please send me a letter stating that they would not accept payments on the balance, and to continue investigating the issue when she got back from vacation. 

XXXX sent a letter that simply stated they are not pursuing collection of the debt, this is not the same language as not allowing payments on the balance due which in fact is what they are doing. Therefore I'd ask that the CFPB please get involved in this matter, as I've been told the debt is forgiven by a representative of their company, been told a representative of the President 's office they can not collect on the debt due to statue of limitations. So a person must ask how can a balance be owed if further collection of said balance is barred by statue of limitations as the President 's office is suggesting and it is not in fact forgiven as the representative suggested. It can't be it's that easy, you can not claim a consumer owes a balance and report as such to the CRA 's and refuse to accept payment. 

This dispute has already been filed with the CRA 's regarding this matter, and based on the information received from XXXX XXXX  the account balance was not updated to {$0.00} as was requested. Please assist in anyway you possibly can.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief