Consumer complaint received 2022-10-03
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: VA
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:
I went to the XXXX XXXX XXXX to apply for a loan and they told me I was also approved to increase my card limit from {$4000.00} to {$12000.00}. So I said that was fine. 
I went again to apply for another loan and they said I could get an {$8000.00} dollar loan but they would have to reduce my card limit back to {$4000.00} until I pay back the loan and then I will qualify to raise the limit back to {$12000.00}. They asked me if I wanted to change my card to a cash back rewards card and I told them I did not because my XXXX XXXX XXXX card already has cash rewards.I told them I would never close my XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX card ending in ( XXXX ) because I have a credit history on that card and it would damage my credit. They suggested I get a second card and I told them I already have too many cards because I have about XXXX cards already. 
We proceeded with the loan and I left. 
A little while later I received a card in the mail just as my other card was a couple months from expiring ( XX/XX/XXXX ) so I thought it was my replacement for my expiring card ( exp. XX/XX/XXXX ) so I activated it and threw my old card in a drawer. I used the new card thinking it was my only card that has a limit of {$4000.00} and spent around {$800.00} on it because it had a {$4000.00} limit and I would not use more than XXXX percent of my available credit. I had some money left in my XXXX XXXX  account from my loan so I figured I would use the XXXX XXXX card since I have it set up for auto pay it would just pay the credit card bill and loan payments with the left over money. 
A few months later I was looking at my XXXX XXXX app and noticed my credit score had dropped XXXX points. I saw the notation that said the XXXX XXXX XXXX had sent a negative statement on me. 
I instantly called them to inquire as to the reason they had reported a negative statement to Equifax and they said my credit card had not been paid in over 60 days. I said I have money in my account and my card is setup for automatic payment so why did they not pay my payments? They said one of my cards with a {$4000.00} limit is set up for auto pay but my card with a {$2000.00} limit was not and the charges were on that card. I replied to them that I only have one card and I did not apply for any other cards with them. They suggested I go to the branch and get to the bottom of this. I went to the branch that I had received my loan from and they submitted an investigation and told me after they finish the investigation they will write a letter to the credit reporting agencies to explain the mistake they made and get my credit score returned to where it was before this negative statement was sent to them. I paid my card balance down to like {$1.00} on Friday when I visited the branch since they owe me like {$50.00} in false overcharges. I then called this morning and spoke to member services and they said it would take 24 to 48 hours to finish the investigation from ( XXXX XXXX. I received a call today XX/XX/XXXX and spoke to XXXX with XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX and he said the investigation is done and their records say I applied for a {$12000.00} cash rewards credit card in XX/XX/XXXX. I told I never applied for another credit card. I asked him to get them to go through their paperwork again because this card has been applied for without my permission and I need them to resolve this and write the letter to correct my credit score and he said he would take it to someone higher. I am sending this complaint to get help in getting my credit score restored and get restitution for my lost time from work, fees, and making me look bad to the other banks I have cards with. Please help me.Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation