Consumer complaint received 2018-11-27
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: VA
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:
The creditor in question, XXXX XXXX, financed a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Vehicle Identification Number XXXX, in XXXX of XXXX for me when I visited a XXXX XXXX XXXX location in XXXX XXXX Pennsylvania . On XX/XX/XXXX, the vehicle was repossessed. As of XXXX of XXXX, the vehicle still showed on my credit report as " current/ pays as agreed '' instead of the " repossessed '' status that the account should have shown. The information was still reported this way to the credit bureaus until XX/XX/XXXX, when I filed a chapter XXXX bankruptcy in the XXXX XXXX XXXX Virginia. The account was not showing current for XXXX  or XXXX, but was showing current/pays as agreed for Equifax. I attempted to contact the creditor, per Equifax, to make the change to my credit file. I was advised by a XXXX XXXX, who stated that he was the general manager, that the file was reported correctly to Equifax as current. I advised him that I had no had the car in my possession since XXXX of XXXX, as referenced on the repossession letter I received from his office. He stated that yes, he did show the status as current, and inquired as to why I did not " just come back and buy another car '' from them, stating that he would " be happy to '' give me another car. Clearly, there was no attempt to correct the file, rather an attempt to extort and force me into agreeing to another loan in order to have the previous one reported accurately. I stated to him that I was not seeking a new loan -- I needed the loan in question corrected. He stated he did not know how to fix that or who could. He stated that the next reporting would reflect correct status, as he would " make sure of it ''. The creditor then reported on XX/XX/XXXX that I am in possession of the vehicle and pay as agreed, with a current loan in good standing. I reached out again to Equifax on XX/XX/XXXX, who advised me that they have several records of XXXX responding to my now four disputes by stating that the status is correct as is, pays as agreed/ current. Equifax stated that only XXXX could make the correction and change the file to report appropriately. As a last effort, I contacted XXXX directly, asking for a manager. I was given to a man who would only identify himself as XXXX, and not give his proper title. " XXXX '' proceeded to insult me, telling me that it " doesn't matter, no one will finance '' me, attempted to tell me that the company can not change my credit file, then stated that they had changed it with XXXX and XXXX. He argued with me, and was not at all helpful in my original request -- to just get the status of the account corrected. He stated several times that XXXX and XXXX appeared to be correct, so " what is the big deal ''? He stated that he would change the information to reflect correctly, but he would " be out XXXX grand ''. Based on that last comment, it is clear that " XXXX '' knew the reporting was incorrect, and was not changing it out of some illegal bias regarding the loan balance. Also of note, at no time was I asked my account number, social or the vehicle information. I did not volunteer the information purposefully, as to ascertain whether or not the team was both familiar with the account without my referencing it, implicating purposeful intent to harm my credit file. After several minutes of my refusing to hang up, despite being insulted, talked very harshly and rudely to, and debated, " XXXX '' finally stated that if I could email them a screen shot or " whatever '' of the dispute that I filed with Equifax, then he would update the information. As I have been told previously that this would be corrected and it had not occurred, I asked " XXXX '' if I should include an account number or any other identifying information in my email. He stated that I could forward a screen shot of my dispute filing from Equifax to a representative named XXXX, and that she " will know who it is ''. 

It is my contention that " XXXX '', Bill and the XXXX XXXX team is fully knowledgeable of their industry, and is acutely aware that a great number of auto finance companies in fact use Equifax in their decision to determine whether a consumer is creditworthy, and even if the other two bureaus have positive information, an open or current auto loan being reported to Equifax would effectively stop a consumer from obtaining another auto loan. Because of this, and their dismay at being " out XXXX grand '' on the vehicle, they purposefully reported both illegally and inaccurately to Equifax, knowing that I would not be able to secure another car as long as the XXXX account was listed as " current/ pays as agreed ''. They also used their expertise in the industry to attempt to not only ruin my credit file, but to effectively stop me from being able to get back on my feet by purchasing any other vehicle. I am going to pursue this matter in court, but I am writing this complaint as a form of formal documentation, as the status has not been updated to date, after several reasonable requests via Equifax dispute to do so.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation