Consumer complaint received 2022-04-05
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: TN
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:
Leasing Agent seems to be aiding Identity Theft + Violating Fair Debt Collection Practice. 

My Leasing Terms clearly state it is the tenants responsibility to register the Utilities in their name upon taking residency. 
Less than XXXX I was contacted by a company called " XXXX XXXX XXXX '' and they were stating that they were the " Utility Concierge Service '' For XXXX XXXX XXXX. They asked for a picture of my drivers license and told me they would have utilities set up for me. Being in the haze of moving, young and inexperienced, I foolishly obliged. I was sent the following emails. 
XXXX XXXXXXXX for utilities and services Wed, XX/XX/XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX ( via XXXX ) ( XXXX ) To : you Details Thank you for using XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

We have included a list of all the services we connected for you. 

If a service needed to be completed specifically by you, instructions should be listed below or have been texted to you. 

Finally, please check your email for confirmations from the providers we set up, as they sometimes request additional information. 

If anything is missing, please don't hesitate to call us back. 

If you need to make any changes to your order or have any questions, please feel free to contact us at XXXX or send an email to XXXX. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX order application submitted. 
Thank you for your Order! 

Your order number is XXXX Thanks for choosing XXXX XXXX XXXX! We hope you enjoy the cutting-edge features and benefits included with your new service. 

We are currently processing your order. In a few moments you will receive an email at the address provided to confirm your free installation appointment. 

Please visit our support site at XXXX where weve compiled a host of videos and quick start guides that walk you through getting the most from your service. 
Should you have any questions or need to alter your appointment time, were always available, day or night, at XXXX. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX If you need to change your address with the postal service, please click the link below. 
XXXX QUESTIONS Schedule an appointment below XXXX or call XXXX XXXX  and the following from My leasing agent- they clearly state an affiliation with the company mentioned above. My Identity was stolen very shortly thereafter on XX/XX/XXXX. 
___________________________________________________ Wed, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX General Information ( XXXX ) Good Morning XXXX and XXXX, You may have had some confusion regarding gas utilities recently. We want to apologize for all of the confusion. XXXX XXXX has recently been made aware that the utility concierge that helped you set up your power and gas services when you moved in, had incorrectly set up services with XXXX gas instead of XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX. 

Because of this, XXXX XXXX XXXX had received the gas bill a few days ago and noticed that your unit was still in our name and had not transferred. We contacted the utility concierge and informed them that there was something wrong and they told us that they would reach out to you and the rest of the residents to try and correct this mistake. We understand that this is probably very confusing, so we wanted to reach out and explain in detail what happened and what needs to be done. 

1. Some residents wanted to know what the gas is for. The gas in your unit powers the heat to your HVAC unit. 

2. The charge on your ledger for gas ( {$9.00} ) is for the bill that we received a few days ago. We had calculated out the appropriate usage, and only charged your ledger based off of your move in date ( XX/XX/XXXX ) and the days you have lived in the unit. In other words, we did not charge you any gas usage from before you moved in. 

3. You will need to contact XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX to set up the services in your name as soon as possible. XXXX XXXX XXXX ( the utility concierge ) has probably already reached out to you again to try and assist you in this and you are more than welcome to use their help if you would like. 
XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX : XXXX XXXX. After you have called to set up the gas service in your name, XXXX XXXX XXXX will receive a final bill ( These arrive around the XXXX of each month ) and we will charge that final bill to your ledger. We will not charge any more gas charges after the final bill is posted since the services will be in your name and the bills will be sent directly to you. 

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or need assistance. 

Management Team XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX _______________________________________________XXXX XXXX Office ( XXXX ) To : you Details Good Afternoon, We have noticed that the gas bill for your unit 's HVAC is still in XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX name. We have scheduled the disconnection of the gas for Monday XXXX. We recommend calling XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX ASAP to connect the service in your name to avoid any service interruptions. 

You will see a Gas Charge on your ledger for the previous month 's usage and in a few weeks another charge will be added for the final bill once this is received. 

XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX : XXXX Disconnection Scheduled : Monday XX/XX/XXXX For any questions, please call ( XXXX ) XXXX or email us at XXXX Sincerely, XXXX XXXX MXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX _______________________________________________________ Additionally, XXXX claims there was a check issued in XX/XX/XXXX that I am alleged to have written. I have LONG suspected my father ( who is also the co-leasing party on the apartment- I do not qualify alone ) XXXX XXXX XXXX of holding checks to my account, and I was shocked to see my name in the ledger next to the bounced check payment in XX/XX/XXXX. I demanded to be furnished a copy of this check and I was ignored. Yet another instance of aiding identity theft. 
I attempted to contact citizens home solutions to no avail. 
This is fraud. 
___________________________________________ Re : Reminder of Balance Due Dear XXXX, This notification is being sent as a reminder that a balance due remains on your lease. The details of the unpaid charge ( s ) are below : Location Lease Charge Date Description Balance Due XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XX/XX/XXXX Fee For Returned Payment {$44.00} In order to avoid late fees and further collection efforts, please take action to make payment immediately. Payment can be made XXXX hours a day on the XXXX Portal. To log in, click the following link : Portal Login Thank you. 
_________________________________________ This obviously raised tension between myself and XXXX XXXX and things were already slow boiling prior to this, come XXXX I tried on XXXX separate occasions to update my phone & email to secure communication w/ the office, I was again ignored and continually contacted at the old, invalid email. This is actually another a violation of XXXX  own leasing agreement, to keep contact info updated. 
I went into the office to see what needed to do to qualify on my own at the apartment, and get a copy of my lease. I needed a copy because I'd been locked out of my tenant portal after the returned payment at XXXX choosing. This left me unable to pay online and unable to contact maintenance. 
What followed is the most blatant disregard to XXXX XXXXXXXX I have ever seen, and XXXX should be absolutely ashamed for putting someone at risk of upsetting their XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX I am contemplating pursuing legal recourse for this XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 

-- -- - Original Message -- -- - From : XXXX XXXX XXXX To : XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX : Wed, XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) Subject : XXXX Eveningside # XXXX Lease XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX, we can not remove XXXX XXXX from the lease as you do not qualify on your own to lease the apartment. If you have another guarantor that is willing to be on the lease with you, please let us know. That person will need to complete an application and be approved. 

XXXX XXXX, the lease break penalty is {$1500.00} plus a written 30 day notice. 
The notice will need to be turned in by XX/XX/XXXX along with XXXX 's rent. You will have until move out day, XX/XX/XXXX to pay the lease break fee of {$1500.00}. Once the key is returned to the office we will complete a walk through for damages and the security deposit will be returned within 30 days of move out minus any damages. 


*Warmest Regards, * XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX TN XXXX XXXX ____________________________________ What is okay about this? It honestly makes my stomach churn. 
Above is the email that I was sent after I left the office that day. They CC ; d my XXXX for whatever reason, as NO changes were made to the lease. I repeat, no changes were made. 
They merely emailed him as well to advise him of my intent to escape his unpredictable, voliatle, lying, histrionic ***. 
Utterly disgusting, ignorant and shameful. 

In early XXXX I appplied for XXXX rent relief, by the XXXX of XXXX I hadn't heard anything and I checked in to see if the office had submitted thier XXXX of the application. this is what followed. 
______________________________________ XXXX XXXX XXXX Fri, XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX PM to me XXXX XXXX, Thank you. I got it and will forward this along. I recommend you follow up XXXX Tuesday to see if someone was able to fill it out. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX _____________________________ On Wed, XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX wrote : XXXX XXXX, We will not be able to process any rent relief paperwork for you. Please remember that you are scheduled to be moved out this weekend and keys need to be returned to the office no later than Sunday night. If no keys have been received, eviction will be started again. Thanks. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX ___________________________ On Wed, XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX wrote : Just so I'm understanding correctly, you're unwilling to initiate an application to apply for past due rental fees and legal fees because you intend to charge a new set of legal fees and back rent assuming I'm not moved out before Friday? Despite there being a federal funding for this very purpose??? If that's your position I just want clarification of that so it can be addressed properly as well as the mishandling of my identification by your " concierge service '' who signed up for utility service using my identification, specifically gas, at the wrong location, resulting in me being without heat as the cold came in, i assume fmp credited my ledger for this after accepting payment for it. you're waiting until the weekend before to advise me of refusal to cooperate, the Wednesday before, despite me submitting an application weeks prior, when I could've used my application to apply elsewhere to avoid being without housing? I paid for gas at a location that I never received service from THROUGH first property management, I never received this service as a result of first property 's negligence supervising the third party company they subcontracted to handle the Identifications of their residents? Thank you for clarifying as soon as possible and I am thankful you advise me of this as before I submit my form XXXX to the irs for what I thought was an unrelated matter but considering I will be liable for any mishandling of my ID to sign up for utility services I didn't need, the late payments & breach of contract with xfinity as a result of noncompliance by XXXX & finally late utility payments as a result of this? I am excited to hear your position on this further & we both better hope my utilities electricity isnt cut off tonight as a result of this extreme position you find yourself taking ..... 

Just wanted to make sure I'm understanding your very, very clearly in case XXXX XXXX and myself find ourselves in an eviction hearing again soon.____________________________________ My credit score has dropped over XXXX points because of my leasing agent 's unwillingness to opt into XXXX XXXX relief. I lost over XXXX in utility deposits and payments that could have been covered under XXXX rent relief, and due to their XX/XX/XXXX refusal, My gas & electricity were both cut off by XX/XX/XXXX. It was begininning to get very cold. 
I had to take out a lien on my vehicle in order to move, which is still not paid. 
I lost XXXX worth of furniture that was left in the XXXX XXXX to insufficient space in the new residence. Ive suffered massive anxiety because of this all, the month after I moved in my sister was killed in a hit and run accident that remains unsolved, while dealing with the utility fiasco, bounced check, eviction notices and non compliance. I fully intent to seek recourse if XXXX fails to notify the credit bureaus of the real reason the account is delinquent. It is not because of non-payment. They have refused. 

In XXXX I submitted a second applicaton for XXXX XXXXXXXX rent relief, and again advise XXXX. 
The clerk advised me that she would " let them know '' Ive heard nothing, and the rental relief application still awaits their participation. 
XXXX has civilly sued me for over XXXX. 

In XXXX I submitted my XXXX and final application, advised XXXX and attempted to schedule a walk through. 
My ( XXXX ) attempts to schedule a walk through prior to moving out were ignored. 
I cleaned the apartment thoroughly and aside from the couch and table I was unable to move myself, the apartment was spotless, the walls were repaired if any holes were present. I cleaned the fridge, and even soaked most of the components ( shelves ) as my electricity being cut off in XX/XX/XXXX led me to have over {$200.00} worth of spoiled food inside, which was not pleasant come XX/XX/XXXX. When I was done, the fridge looked new and the apartment was cared for. I have never spoken to anyone abot my rental deposit. I have left numerous voicemails. 

I still receive daily emails, they've reported my tenancy to data furnishers and risk-solutions as negative when their noncompliance and complacency led us here. 
If first property management does not contact me or my representative by XX/XX/XXXX offering mediation of this, I will be seeking recourse under the fair debt collection act. 
If XXXX does not contact by XXXX offering mediation of the expenses lost to utilities, spoiled food, the risk of identity theft, the risk to my safety, I will be seeking recourse. 
If XXXX does not contact and issue the rental deposit - any damages they've assumed are my fault I will be seeking recourse. 

I am contacting the local XXXX, news station, consumer affairs-Attorney General and Reporter XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX this company poses a massive risk to consumers. 

All will be receiving this complaint via certified mail, with relevant emails attached.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation