Consumer complaint received 2023-07-23
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: NC
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:
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Account is falsely reporting on my experian credit report with a high balance of XXXX dollars. 
XX/XX/2018 was the open date. partial account number is XXXX. This item was deleted before and reinserted. In addition, the account is in litigation. It has been in litigation because multiple times, i reported the credit to the texas state attorney general 's office, and the north carolina state attorney general 's office and they were not allowed to contact me. In addition, they, along with equifax are reporting the XXXX XXXX account on my report with a balance of {$2400.00}. partial account number with XXXX. This information should not be reporting on my credit file for the following reason : reported the creditor to the north carolina state attorney general 's office, and by law the creditor is no longer able to contact me due to litigation purposes. In addition, equifax is falsely reporting a XXXX XXXX XXXX charge off account on my credit report. the balance for this charge off is around {$3300.00} dollars. this should not be on my credit report because the original creditor, XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX tried to sue me for the account and turned it over to XXXX XXXX XXXX, pa their attorneys office and XXXX XXXX XXXX has a cease and desist on the account and they can no longer contact me about the account. 611. Procedure in case of disputed accuracy [ 15 U.S.C. 1681i ] ( a ) Reinvestigations of disputed information.

( 1 ) Reinvestigation required. 
( A ) In general. If the completeness or accuracy of any item of information contained in a consumer 's file at a consumer reporting agency is disputed by the consumer and the consumer notifies the agency directly of such dispute, the agency shall reinvestigate free of charge and record the current status of the disputed information, or delete the item from the file in accordance with paragraph ( 5 ), before the end of the 30-day period beginning on the date on which the agency receives the notice of the dispute from the consumer.

( B ) Extension of period to reinvestigate. Except as provided in subparagraph ( C ), the 30-day period described in subparagraph ( A ) may be extended for not more than 15 additional days if the consumer reporting agency receives information from the consumer during that 30-day period that is relevant to the reinvestigation.

( C ) Limitations on extension of period to reinvestigate. Subparagraph ( B ) shall not apply to any reinvestigation in which, during the 30-day period described in subparagraph ( A ), the information that is the subject of the reinvestigation is found to be inaccurate or incomplete or the consumer reporting agency determines that the information can not be verified.

( 2 ) Prompt notice of dispute to furnisher of information.

( A ) In general. Before the expiration of the 5-business-day period beginning on the date on which a consumer reporting agency receives notice of a dispute from any consumer in accordance with paragraph ( 1 ), the agency shall provide notification of the dispute to any person who provided any item of information in dispute, at the address and in the manner established with the person. The notice shall include all relevant information regarding the dispute that the agency has received from the consumer.

( B ) Provision of other information from consumer. The consumer reporting agency shall promptly provide to the person who provided the information in dispute all relevant information regarding the dispute that is received by the agency from the consumer after the period referred to in subparagraph ( A ) and before the end of the period referred to in paragraph ( 1 ) ( A ).

( 3 ) Determination that dispute is frivolous or irrelevant.

( A ) In general. Notwithstanding paragraph ( 1 ), a consumer reporting agency may terminate a reinvestigation of information disputed by a consumer under that paragraph if the agency reasonably determines that the dispute by the consumer is frivolous or irrelevant, including by reason of a failure by a consumer to provide sufficient information to investigate the disputed information.

( B ) Notice of determination. Upon making any determination in accordance with subparagraph ( A ) that a dispute is frivolous or irrelevant, a consumer reporting agency shall notify the consumer of such determination not later than 5 business days after making such determination, by mail or, if authorized by the consumer for that purpose, by any other means available to the agency.

( C ) Contents of notice. A notice under subparagraph ( B ) shall include ( i ) the reasons for the determination under subparagraph ( A ) ; and ( ii ) identification of any information required to investigate the disputed information, which may consist of a standardized form describing the general nature of such information.

( 4 ) Consideration of consumer information. In conducting any reinvestigation under paragraph ( 1 ) with respect to disputed information in the file of any consumer, the consumer reporting agency shall review and consider all relevant information submitted by the consumer in the period described in paragraph ( 1 ) ( A ) with respect to such disputed information.

( 5 ) Treatment of inaccurate or unverifiable information.

( A ) In general. If, after any reinvestigation under paragraph ( 1 ) of any information disputed by a consumer, an item of the information is found to be inaccurate or incomplete or can not be verified, the consumer reporting agency shall promptly delete that item of information from the consumer 's file or modify that item of information, as appropriate, based on the results of the reinvestigation.

( B ) Requirements relating to reinsertion of previously deleted material.

( i ) Certification of accuracy of information. If any information is deleted from a consumer 's file pursuant to subparagraph ( A ), the information may not be reinserted in the file by the consumer reporting agency unless the person who furnishes the information certifies that the information is complete and accurate.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief