Consumer complaint received 2021-04-06
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CO
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Credit monitoring or identity theft protection services
Sub-issue: Problem with product or service terms changing

Complaint:
Hello, To whom it may concern, I recently have been working with the CFPB in regards to IDENTITY THEFT resulting from the EQUIFAX breach. I was not informed nor had any idea this breach affected me and was totally in the dark. There for Im to late for the initial claim statute. They have all of my information right in their database but still failed to notify me of my data being stolen, but can verify fraudulant accounts to my name by address? Seems convenient to me I did not find out until it was too late. The whole time misguiding me to non working policies that favored corporate financial gain? I have been following the three credit bureaus suggested dispute process for resolve and have had no luck. This is because I feel their system only favors those who financially benefit them. The creditors who can say they have verified you and supply no physical proof of the debt to any of the bureaus and that is evidence enough for them to deny the dispute and make it that much harder to have an ironious, inaccurate or just false information against a consumer removed. I have been through the process with XX/XX/XXXX, EQUIFAX, and XX/XX/XXXX on multiple items, having the verify each item for going on three years now. I have battled their system. Lost weeks of my life on hold, getting transferred back and fourth between departments that I did not ask for. Even loosing days from work just too wait on hold to get told to call back tomorrow because its closing time? This last incident has pushed me over the edge on how each Consumer Reporting agency has Blatantly informed me the do not have to abide by federal law, that their company policy supersedes law and they can do it at their own company set policy timeliness. Who is ever above the law and why do we have these laws if they are not going to abide by them? The following is the excerpt from the Fair Credit Reporting act 605B sect A that states Verbatim ... 

***FCRA 605B ( 15 U.S.C. 1681c-2 ) ( a ) Block, except otherwise provided in this section, a consumer reporting agency shall block the reporting of any information in the file of a consumer that the consumer identifies as information that resulted from an alleged identity theft, not later than 4 business days after the date of receipt by such agency of 1 ) appropriate proof of the identity of the consumer, 2 ) a copy of the identity theft report ; 3 ) the identification of such information by the consumer ; and 4 ) a statement by the consumer that the information is not information relating to any transaction by the consumer. *** This is just one of the possible violations committed by all three consumer reporting agencies which I have identified and logged the proof of violation. All three where certified mail sent with each individually customized packets conforming to their specifications and standards outlined by them to complete the process per CFBP AND FTC guidelines. Even though each one signed for that certify peice of mail, all three denied receipt and ask me to send the copies electronically. After having me run the gauntlet of their stall tactics are now not honoring or abiding by the federal laws set in place to protect the consumer and still favoring their paid clients? I have my copies of items sent, receipts for certified mail emails and recorded phone conversations with each reporting agencies representatives. They are misguiding, misleading and honestly almost illegally treating consumers in favor of financial gain? This is why Im summoning you, the CFPB and the FTC to take action in these violations. I am currently choosing an attorney that will best serve me in reference to acquiring all that I can in my lost time, possible lost financial gain and in his best interest to pursue his compensation as well. I have lost loans investors and SBA financial assistance from COVID -19 due to their ignorance in assisting a consumer in regaining his identity And impeded me with the cost of an attorney when those funds were and have been set aside for not only supporting my family, my employees but also the community I live in and assist financially to those in desperate times. I thank you in advance for any help you can give to me and any consumer that can not afford to take this hellish and unjust road of travel to reaquire what should be theirs and theirs alone! An Identity, something that should never be with held for corporate financial gain!!! 

With regards, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation