Consumer complaint received 2020-09-16
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: PA
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 have made repeated attemtps to resolve this matter. 

Attempt 1 On XX/XX/2020, I sent Equifax and XXXX XXXX XXXX   letters advising them of an error on my credit report. I also explicitly requested from both parties that if they can verify the information Equifax has listed as accurate, please provide the name of the person supplying this data as well as the manner in which it was provided in order that I may pursue additional remedies. Neither party provided the name of the person supplying this data or the manner in which it was provided. 

XXXX  XXXX XXXX  Response Regarding XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX response to my dispute, I received the four different letters all dated XX/XX/2020, from XXXX XXXX XXXX. I have attached each letter. The letters contained three inconsistent statements related to my dispute - ( 1 ) XXXX XXXX XXXX  can not find an account, ( 2 ) XXXX XXXX XXXX transferred the account to another company and told me to pursue the matter with that company, and ( 3 ) XXXX  XXXX XXXX made a summary statement that the information is accurate ( without providing further details ). Below are excerpts of the letters : XXXX XXXX XXXX Letter Dated XX/XX/2020 ( Letter 1 ) Thank Equifax for your inquiry to XXXX XXXX XXXX. Please be advised that the ownership of this account has been transferred to XXXX XXXX, XXXX. 

To pursue this matter further, Equifax may contact the agency at : XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, SC XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX Letter Dated XX/XX/2020 ( Letter 2 )  Thank Equifax for contacting XXXX XXXX XXXX. We were unable to locate an account with the information that was provided. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX Letter Dated XX/XX/2020 ( Letter 3 ) Thank Equifax for your recent inquiry to XXXX XXXX XXXX. We are in receipt of Equifaxr recent correspondence regarding an account with XXXX XXXX XXXX. Please be advised that we were unable to locate an account with the information that was provided. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX Letter Dated XX/XX/2020 ( Letter 4 ) Our investigation into your request has determined that the above-referenced account is being reported accurately ; therefore, the credit report can not be changed. 

These inconsistent statements seem to suggest that XXXX XXXX XXXX   has not adequately investigated the matter. If, as stated in XXXX XXXX XXXX  Letters 2 and 3, it can not locate my account, then the XXXX XXXX XXXX information on my credit report should be removed from my credit report, as XXXX XXXX can not validate the accuracy of this information. 

XXXX  XXXX XXXX  suggestion in Letter 3 that I should contact the third party suggests that XXXX XXXX XXXX is either unable or unwilling to validate the credit report 's information provided by XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

Lastly, I specifically requested in my XX/XX/XXXX letter : if you can verify the information Equifax have listed as accurate, please provide the name of the person supplying this data as well as the manner in which it was provided in order that I may pursue additional remedies. XXXX XXXX XXXX  summary statement that the information is reported accurately without providing the details to support such an argument does not comply with my request for information. Its contention that the data is accurate, viewed in the context of the other inconsistent contentions, and not providing the basis for this conclusion, suggest that XXXX XXXX XXXX either can not or is not willing to validate this information 's accuracy. 

XXXX Response As regards dispute results from Equifax, I specifically requested in my XX/XX/2020 letter that if Equifax could verify the information listed as accurate, to please provide the name of the person supplying this data as well as the manner in which it was provided in order that I may pursue additional remedies. Equifax has not complied with such a request, as outlined in my XX/XX/2020 letter. 

Under the section captioned Notice to Consumers, it states that [ y ] ou may request a description of the procedure used to determine the accuracy and completeness of the information, including the business name and address of the furnisher of information contacted, and if reasonably available the telephone number. Equifax 's response advising me to ask for information that I already asked for in my initial correspondence suggests that Equifax may not have investigated my disputed as required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Section 1681. 

Equifaxs and XXXX XXXX XXXX collective response is unsatisfactory to support the XXXX XXXX XXXX information remaining on my credit report. 

Attempt 2 On XX/XX/2020, I made a second request via certified mail, which pointed out that Equifax did not properly address my XX/XX/XXXX dispute letter. In addition, I provided copies of XXXX XXXX response, which arguably supports removal of the item from my credit report. 

The XX/XX/XXXX letter also requested that Equifax provide me with information and documentation regarding its investigation. 

In response to my XX/XX/XXXX letter, I received Investigation results dated XX/XX/2020, stating, " We have researched the credit account. Account # The results are : We verified that this item belongs to you. Once again, I did not receive information about the investigation. 

Attempt 3 I called Equifax repeatedly on or about XX/XX/2020. Equifax phone system sent me through a series of voice prompts, and repeatedly disconnect. I was unable to speak to a live agent. 

Attempt 4 I spoke to a live agent on XX/XX/2020, who advised me that there was nothing further that she could do. When I declared that my next step was to file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the agent told me that I was free to do so. 

I have spent hours writing letters to XXXX XXXX and Equifax and calling Equifax in attempts to get Equifax and XXXX XXXX to comply with the Fair Crediting Reporting Act. Neither party has provided me with the information requested. Plus, I have incurred expenses and travel time to the post office sending certified mailings. 

I am applying for disaster relief funding ( which is time sensitive ), and would like to have this matter resolved promptly as it negatively impacts my credit score. My original dispute was filed on XX/XX/2020.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation