Consumer complaint received 2020-06-04
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:
On XX/XX/2020, I decided to check my credit file with XXXX, XXXX XXXX and Equifax to see if fraudulent items that were previously disputed on XX/XX/2020 were removed from my credit file. After reviewing the information in my file, I noticed that none of the disputed items were removed. I then contacted all three credit bureaus again requesting that the fraudulent accounts be blocked and removed. As a matter of fact, XXXX XXXX committed an exceptionally egregious act in completely disregarding my dispute. I received a letter from XXXX XXXX 28 days later after filing my initial dispute stating that my dispute could not be processed because the items I disputed were not in my credit file. Again, on XX/XX/2020 I reviewed my credit report online to confirm that the items I disputed had been removed from my XXXX XXXX credit file. To my dismay, all of the previously disputed fraudulent items were still appearing as if I had never disputed them just 3 or 4 weeks prior. XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/2020 conducted my dispute via phone and then discarded the dispute and never investigated any of the disputes stating the items didn't appear in my credit file, which is not only incorrect, but it is a blatant lie and they failed to uphold the law and their own guidelines and rules. This will further cause me undue harm and prolong the process of clearing fraudulent items from my XXXX XXXX credit file as a result of identity theft. 

As of today XX/XX/2020 I have made dozens of attempts to utilize XXXX  and XXXX 's online upload tool as instructed by their fraud agents on XX/XX/2020 to deliver my FTC report as well as other pertinent information and have been unsuccessful in doing so. I consistently receive the following messages ... unable to upload your documents or dispute can not be processed online. I saved the FTC report I filed on XX/XX/2020 in pdf format directly from this website : https : //complaint.comnsumerfinance.gov. The file is 105 kb in size and well within the file limit size that XXXX and XXXX XXXX accepts. Please take note that on XX/XX/2020, I mailed each credit reporting agency over 50 pages of documents related to the identity theft and fraud. The items I mailed to them were : 1. Copy of Drivers License 2. SSN 3. DOB 4. Current address 5. Utility Bill 6. XXXX Police Department Crime Report case number XXXX ( over 40 pages ) 7. XXXX Police Department Financial/ID theft report number XXXX ( 4pages ) At this point in time, XXXX, XXXX XXXX or Equifax have done anything about the fraudulent accounts nor have they cooperated or investigated thoroughly or investigated at all my claims and disputes of fraudulent access to my credit information and accounts as they are required to do by law when a customer has proven that they are a victim of identity theft/fraud and are refusing to delete and block fraudulent information from my credit file using baseless excuses. Although all three credit agencies have admitted to receiving my documents, nothing has been done as of XX/XX/2020. 

The background to this complaint is that I was notified by Detective XXXX of the XXXX Police Department in California that I along with over a dozen others including my wife and son were victims of identity theft as the police arrested two individuals who were in possession of personal information including, copies of passports, ID 's, tax documents, W-2 's, birth certificates, check books, car registrations, medical information, credit cards etc., that were not in either of the suspects name. I also sent identical copies of this 50 page XXXX Police Department crime report to all three credit bureaus as proof regarding my claim of identity theft and fraud. XXXX, XXXX  and Equifax all told me they could not use the ID theft report filed by the police because it contained redacted information. There was redacted information in the report as there were 11 other victims whose information was protected. The police department gave me a copy of the redacted report and there is nothing I can do about that as the stamp on the first page of the report indicates. However, all three credit reporting agencies refused to use that report and requested a financial/ID theft crime report filed by me which is exactly what I mailed to all three credit reporting agencies per their request. They later stated that they were unable to use the financial crime report and then requested that I file a ID theft report with the FTC and use that. I am certainly getting the run a round. 

At any rate, I have tried to clear my credit of multiple fraudulent accounts by submitting every single item all three credit reporting agencies required of me yet, they are unwilling to remove and block any of the disputed accounts which were all opened fraudulently. This type of action should not be allowed by XXXX, XXXX XXXX nor Equifax and all three agencies should be held accountable and forced to verify the information they require if they have concerns instead of making it virtually impossible for victims of fraud and identity theft to clear their credit of fraudulent items that appear in their credit file. These are horrible tactics and will do nothing but bring a class action lawsuit against them if they continue to refuse to help victims of identity theft and or fraud, including me.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation