Consumer complaint received 2019-07-13
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MD
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: Was not notified of investigation status or results

Complaint:
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Maryland XXXX Consumer Financial Protection Bureau XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, IA XXXX XXXX : Method of Verification Request : XXXX XXXX # XXXX Dear Consumer Financial Protection Bureau : As you already know, the FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 7 ) provides : A consumer reporting agency shall provide to a consumer a description referred to in paragraph ( 6 ) ( B ) ( iii ) by not later than 15 days after receiving a request from the consumer for that description. 

The consumer is then entitled, under FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 7 ) to request a description of the procedure used by the Credit Reporting Agency, which must include the name, address, and phone number, if available, of any furnisher to which the dispute was sent. The method of verification request should be hard evidence that goes all the way back to the original creditor. 

This letter is a formal notice that EQUIFAX CREDIT BUREAU has violated my rights due to willful non-compliance of the FCRA. To be specific, EQUIFAX failed to respond to my METHOD OF VERIFICATION REQUEST letter, dated on XX/XX/XXXX, within 15 days. I have enclosed a copy of the U. S. Postal Service Certified Mail Receipt # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, which EQUIFAX employee, XXXX XXXX, signed on XX/XX/XXXX on a U. S. Postal Service Certified Mail Return Receipt # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. EQUIFAX had until Saturday, XX/XX/XXXX to respond. Please note, I have maintained detailed records of all my correspondence with EQUIFAX CREDIT BUREAU. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received investigation results from EQUIFAX Credit File ( dated XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX/Confirmation # XXXX ) in regards to tradeline XXXX XXXX account # XXXX. While EQUIFAX alleged the dispute results were verified as accurate, there were multiple inaccurate, incorrect, misleading, and unfair " factual errors '' that were still listed on EQUIFAX Credit File ( dated XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX/Confirmation # XXXX ). The " factual errors '' are numbered and circled in black ink and circled and highlighted in orange. For example : Error 1- Account # XXXX : This is incorrect as XXXX has alleged ( please see XXXX Cancellation of Debt ), that the account number is XXXX. The difference in the first number XXXX in front of the number 7 and the last four numbers XXXX are obviously inaccurate. 

Error 2-Balance {$1100.00} : This is incorrect and inaccurate. According to EQUIFAX 's records, XXXX verified the balance {$1100.00} as accurate. How is that the case, when XXXX also provided another document ( XXXX Cancellation of Debt-1099-C, dated XX/XX/XXXX XXXX to confirm an {$800.00} amount of debt discharge. The balance should be listed as {$0.00}. 

Error 3-Type of Account " Open '' -XXXX has verified this account to be " closed ''. How could it also be " open '' at the same time. Wouldn't " cellphone '' meet the criteria in this particular case? According to Metro 2 Format, this is a misleading a false entry that has been listed in the type of account. 

Error 4-Date of 1st DELINQUENCY XX/XX/XXXX : This is incorrect and inaccurate. XXXX XXXX PAID RECEIPT ( Dated XX/XX/XXXX ). I presented my XXXX XXXX receipt as proof that I actually paid {$120.00} on XX/XX/XXXX. 

Error 5-Date Closed : This is inaccurate and incorrect. XXXX has confirmed that this tradeline is " closed ''. When did this account " close ''? According the Metro 2 Format, this is " missing field '' that requires the correct " closed date '' against a " closed collection account ''. 

Error 6-Date Opened XX/XX/XXXX : This is incorrect and inaccurate. I never " opened '' any XXXX XXXX account on XX/XX/XXXX. The XXXX account was " opened '' in XX/XX/XXXX. Please see XXXX XXXX XXXX PAID RECEIPT posted on XX/XX/XXXX for the amount of {$31.00}. The account was opened on XX/XX/XXXX. Please verify via the XXXX signed written contract or promissory note in my name. It will confirm that XXXX is inaccurate and inconsistent with the " open date ''. 

Error 7-Date of Last Payment ( XX/XX/XXXX ) : This is incorrect and inaccurate. I always paid my account on time. 

Error 8-Date of Last Payment ( XX/XX/XXXX ) : This is incorrect and inaccurate. I always paid my account on time. 


Error 9-Payment History/Historical Account Information : This is incorrect and inaccurate. With regards to this closed collection account, the Payment History/Historical Account Information does not indicate when the late payment status begins 30-59 dates late, 60-89 days late, 90-119 days late, 120-149 days late, 150-179 days late, and what lead up to 180 days late or more into collection status. 

Moreso, in date XXXXthe balance {$1100.00}, the Date of Last Payment XX/XX/XXXX, the High Credit {$1500.00} and the Amount Past Due {$1100.00} are all listed, however, in XX/XX/XXXX thru XX/XX/XXXX the Amount Past Due indicate {$0.00}, and the balance, date of last payment, high credit are left blank. 

Error 10-Status ( Collection Account ) : This is incorrect and inaccurate. I have provided proof that I paid this account on time. 

The dispute process requires the Credit Reporting Agency to refer a copy of the dispute to the furnisher of the disputed information, and to receive a copy of the furnisher 's investigation. 

EQUIFAX totally ignored relevant information in my initial dispute letter that was dated XX/XX/XXXX. It included the following : 1 ) XXXX 1099-C CANCELLATION OF DEBT ( Dated XX/XX/XXXX ) : 2. Amount of debt discharged {$800.00} is clearly disputed by the {$1100.00} balance that is listed in the EQUIFAX Credit File. XXXX 's instructions for the debtor has stated " You received this form because a Federal Government agency or an applicable financial entity ( a creditor ) has discharged ( canceled or forgiven ) a debt you owed, or because an identifiable event has occured that either is or is deemed to be a discharge of a debt of {$600.00} or more and has also verified in letter " G '' -Decision or policy to discontinue collection. 

2 ) XXXX XXXX PAID RECEIPT ( Dated XX/XX/XXXX ) : EQUIFAX alleged that the 1st Date of DELINQUENCY was XX/XX/XXXX. I presented my XXXX XXXX receipt as proof that I actually paid {$120.00} on XX/XX/XXXX. 

As such, I have enclosed a copy of my : 1 ) Orginal dispute letter dated XX/XX/XXXX XXXX ) Method-of-verification dispute letter dated XX/XX/XXXX 3 ) A copy of a XXXX Cancellation of Debt-1099 C dated XX/XX/XXXX 4 ) XXXX XXXX XXXX PAID RECEIPT dated XX/XX/XXXX XXXX ) Dated receipt of EQUIFAX 'S reception, U. S. Postal Service Certified Mail Receipt # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, which EQUIFAX employee, XXXX XXXX, signed on XX/XX/XXXX on a U. S. Postal Service Certified Mail Return Receipt # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) XXXX XXXX XXXX PAID RECEIPT posted on XX/XX/XXXX for the amount of {$31.00}. The account was opened on XX/XX/XXXX. 
7 ) One EQUIFAX Credit File ( dated XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX/Confirmation # XXXX ) with tradeline XXXX XXXX # XXXX and circled mistakes. 

Please DELETE the XXXX XXXX TRADELINE from EQUIFAX for willful non-compliance of any provision of the FCRA. 

Sincerely Yours, XXXX XXXX XXXX SSN : XXXX DOB : XX/XX/XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation