Consumer complaint received 2017-09-29
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: TN
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: Their investigation did not fix an error on your report

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I pulled a copy of my personal Equifax Credit Report. On the report was a an unpaid collection item listed in the amount of {XXXX} and the original creditor name was listed as XXXX XXXX and the creditor classification was listed as XXXX or XXXX XXXX. 

I did not recognize ever doing business with a company by the name of XXXX XXXX for XXXX XXXX. I immediately did a XXXX internet search, but I could not find a listing for XXXX XXXX during my search nor could I find a listing for a licensed collection agency in the state of Tennessee by that same name, XXXX XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX. a letter was mailed to the address listed on the report, without any response. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, a dispute letter was faxed to Equifax to have the entry removed, as I did not feel that this debt belonged to me. Again, I had never done business with a company by the name of XXXX XXXX and had no recollection of any correspondence with such company. XXXX XXXX was the only creditor name mentioned on the report as the original creditor. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, the results from Equifax came back as verified and updated and I noticed that the entry had several updates which included a new original creditor name of XXXX XXXX, XXXX and a status of 'Paid '. 

It was then that I realized that I had remitted payment directly to XXXX XXXX, XXXX, prior to the date that the account was reported as a collection by XXXX XXXX  and submitted another dispute to Equifax via telephone on XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I also called the XXXX office and asked that a request to XXXX XXXX be submitted on my behalf to delete the negative entry and it was at this time that I learned that XXXX XXXX, XXXX had sold the practice and all active XXXX to a XXXX XXXX. This would not have included my account since my account did not have an outstanding balance. I also asked that detailed itemized statements and payment history be sent to me and was informed that the XXXXl office had a new software system that no longer held the level of detail that I was requesting. This is the exact information that would have to be reviewed in order to verify the payment history on my account. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I called and spoke with a representative and a supervisor at Equifax to explain the circumstances and asked that the negative entry be removed from my credit file and they both indicated that there was nothing that they could do. While it is my understanding that Equifax relies on information from other entities to update consumer credit files, it is also my understanding that they have the burden to ensure the accuracy of the data that is reported. 

At this time, I am asking that the reporting and dispute practices of Equifax be reviewed and that the erroneous item be completely removed from my Equifax Credit Report since there was no way that they could have verified an agreement between me and the original creditor that was reporting as of XX/XX/XXXX ( XXXX  XXXX XXXX and at the time of my original dispute on XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. Also, since XXXX XXXX, XXXX, has sold the practice, there is no way that they could have verified my detailed billing and payment activity with the XXXX XXXX directly to confirm that the item actually paid prior to the reported assigned to collections date. 

Thank you in advance and anything that you can do to assist with resolving this matter will be greatly appreciated, as I have been denied credit as a result of this damaging mark on my Equifax Credit Report.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation