Consumer complaint received 2023-05-24
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report
Sub-issue: Reporting company used your report improperly

Complaint:
In XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX placed my account in " Restricted Status '' causing me to speak with their fraud department, when I spoke with them, they did not give a cause or reason for the status. I received a letter on XXXX XXXX explaining that a transaction was returned to the payee as " Account Frozen ''. ( see attached ). On XXXX XXXX I received a letter stating that I owe XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX {$42.00} to my " Frozen Account '' because of this transaction that was " not paid '' however I do not have Access to my accounts due to the " Restricted Status '' placed on my account. ( see attached ) Since XXXX I have been contacting XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX to try and resolve these issues and get my monthly statements mailed to me, however, have not been successful. I called on XX/XX/XXXX to ask for another statement because the one I requested on XXXX XXXX was a copy and not an original. When I asked the supervisor for the original and wanted to make sure going forward I could receive my statements monthly his response was " your account is in restricted status and you will not be allowed to get your monthly statements '', my response was " so you expect me to pay a bill that I have no idea what I am paying or have a statement for ''? His response was " well you still owe us the money ''. Due to all of the statements not coming in the mail, not having any access to my accounts online, I have not been able to make a payment and therefor XXXX XXXX has reported negatively to the consumer credit reporting agencies, causing me harm as a reflection. I will me required to move due to my home I am renting is being sold, now, because of XXXX XXXX not following the law, my credit has been impacted negatively and it will be difficult to get into another place of residence. I have also attached a letter which I just sent off today, as I am now aware of the what they are suppose to be doing, XX/XX/XXXX opting out to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act 15 USC 1681 section 602 a states " There is a need to insure that consumer reporting agencies exercise their grave responsibilities with fairness, impartiality, and a respect for the consumers right to privacy. '' Equifax and XXXX are consumer reporting agencies and I am the Consumer. I have the right to ensure my private information is not shared which is backed by 15 USC 6801 which states '' It is the policy of the Congress that each financial institution has an affirmative and continuing obligation to respect the privacy of its customers and to protect the security and confidentiality of those customers nonpublic personal information. '' XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX is a financial institution by definition under that title. 15 USC 1681 section 604 a section 2 states that " In general Subject to subsection ( c ), any consumer reporting agency may furnish a consumer report under the following circumstances and no other : in accordance with the written instructions of the consumer to whom it relates. '' XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, the XXXX XXXX and the XXXX reporting agencies Equifax and XXXX do not have my consent to furnish this information and they surely do not have my written consent. Any and all consent to Equifax, XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX whether it be verbal, non-verbal, written, implied or otherwise is revoked. 15 USC 6802 ( b ) ( c ) states that " A financial institution may not disclose nonpublic personal information to a nonaffiliated third party unless the consumer is given an explanation of how the consumer can exercise that nondisclosure option. '' XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX never informed me of my right to exercise my nondisclosure option. Not only that 15 USC 1681C ( a ) ( 5 ) states '' Except as authorized under subsection ( b ), no consumer reporting agency may make any consumer report containing any of the following items of information Any other adverse item of information, other than records of convictions of crimes which antedates the report by more than seven years. '' This account is an adverse item they are reporting again without my permission which is against the law. 15 U.S. Code 1681s2 ( A ) ( 1 ) A states " A person shall not furnish any information relating to a consumer to any consumer reporting agency if the person knows or has reasonable cause to believe that the information is inaccurate. 15 U.S. Code 1681e states '' Every consumer reporting agency shall maintain reasonable procedures designed to avoid violations of section 1681c of this title and to limit the furnishing of consumer reports to the purposes listed under section 1681b of this title. Equifax and XXXX are not maintaining reasonable procedures. Also 12 CFR 1016.7 states that " A consumer may exercise the right to opt out at any time. '' I am opting out of your reporting services.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief