Consumer complaint received 2023-03-31
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: AL
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Unable to get your credit report or credit score
Sub-issue: Other problem getting your report or credit score

Complaint:
I am writing to dispute the reporting of a XXXXXXXX XXXX account on my credit report. The account number is XXXX, and it has been inaccurately reported by the credit bureaus, which has negatively impacted my credit score and my ability to access credit. 

XXXXXXXX XXXX has violated multiple provisions of federal laws, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ). Under the FCRA, XXXX XXXX may have violated Section 607 ( b ), which requires that all information reported to the credit bureaus be accurate and complete. Specifically, there is a discrepancy in the reported date the account was opened and the reported high credit amount between XXXX and XXXX, which suggests that the information is not accurate or complete. 

Furthermore, under Section 611 ( a ) ( 2 ) of the FCRA, XXXX XXXX is required to provide notice to consumers of any negative information that is reported to the credit bureaus. However, XXXX XXXX did not provide me with any notice of the collection/chargeoff status of the account, which could be a violation of this section of the law. 

XXXXXXXX XXXX may have also violated the FDCPA under Section 809, which requires creditors to provide consumers with proper notice and verification of debts. If XXXXXXXX XXXX engaged in collection activities without providing me with notice or an opportunity to dispute the debt, this would be a violation of this section of the law. 

XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ). According to my credit reports from XXXX and XXXX, there are inconsistent and inaccurate information reported by XXXX XXXX regarding the date the account was opened, reported high credit amount, payment status, date last reported, and date last active. 

I believe XXXX XXXX may have violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), specifically Section 607 ( b ) regarding the accuracy and completeness of information, and Section 611 ( a ) ( 2 ) regarding the notification of negative information. It is essential for credit reporting agencies and furnishers of information to ensure that the information reported on credit reports is accurate and complete. Additionally, consumers must be notified in writing when negative information is added to their credit report. 

Moreover, XXXX XXXX  may have violated the Fair Debt Charge Off Practices Act ( FDCPA ) Section 807 by falsely representing the payment status or other information on my credit report, and Section 809 by engaging in collection activities without providing proper notice or validation of the debt. These actions are prohibited by the FDCPA, which aims to protect consumers from abusive and unfair debt Charge off practices. 

XXXX XXXXXXXX may have violated Section 607 ( b ) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) by reporting inconsistent information about the account opening date between XXXX and XXXX/Equifax. Furthermore, if I disputed the accuracy of the charged off account with XXXX and they failed to conduct a reasonable investigation and correct any inaccuracies, they may have violated Section 623 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) of the FCRA. 

In addition, XXXX may have violated Section 807 of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) by falsely representing the status of the charged off account as " bad debt purchased by another lender. '' This section prohibits debt collectors from using false or misleading representations in connection with the collection of a debt. Furthermore, if XXXX did not provide me with proper notice and documentation of the charged off account, they may have violated Section 809 of the FDCPA. 

XXXX XXXX ( Account number : XXXX ). I believe XXXX XXXX has violated several sections of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ). 

Firstly, XXXX XXXX may have violated Section 607 ( b ) of the FCRA by reporting inconsistent information about the date the account was opened between XXXX and XXXX. This section requires that credit reporting agencies and furnishers of information ensure that the information reported on credit reports is accurate and complete. 

Furthermore, if I disputed the accuracy of the collection/charge-off account with XXXX XXXX  and they failed to conduct a reasonable investigation and correct any inaccuracies, this could be a violation of Section 623 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) of the FCRA. This section requires that furnishers of information investigate disputes and report the results to the credit reporting agencies. Additionally, if XXXX XXXX did not correct inaccurate information about the account, this could be a violation of Section 623 ( a ) ( 2 ) of the FCRA, which requires that furnishers of information correct and update inaccurate information on credit reports. 

Moreover, XXXX XXXX may have violated Section 807 of the FDCPA by falsely reporting the payment status of the account as collection/charge-off. This section prohibits debt collectors from using false or misleading representations in connection with the collection of a debt. Lastly, if XXXX XXXX did not provide me with proper notice and documentation of the collection/charge-off account, this could be a violation of Section 809 of the FDCPA. This section requires debt collectors to provide consumers with written validation of a debt within five days of initial contact, and to cease collection activities until the debt has been validated. 

This inaccurate and unverified collection/charge-off account has significantly affected my life. It has prevented me from obtaining loans, credit cards, and even job opportunities. I have been trying to resolve this issue with XXXX XXXX for a long time, but they have not provided me with any documentation or proof of the collection/charge-off account. I have never received any notification or paperwork regarding this account from XXXX XXXX, and the other bureaus did not report any negative information on my account. 

Therefore, I am requesting that XXXX XXXX remove this unverified collection/charge-off account from my credit report. I urge the CFPB to enforce the legal violations committed by XXXX XXXX and ensure that they comply with the FCRA and FDCPA in the future. 

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation