Consumer complaint received 2020-06-11
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: OR
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:
Equifax continues to not remove hard inquiries from my credit report that were made without my authorization and as a result of identity theft. 

On XXXX XXXX someone tried opening a line of credit with XXXX XXXX in my name resulting in an inquiry. I contacted XXXX XXXX  and they did not approve the credit application and also faxed equifax documentation stating that it I did not authorize the inquiry. Upon calling equifax one week later over the disputed inquiry they said they did not receive documentation from XXXX XXXX. I then contacted XXXX XXXX  and they confirmed they sent documentation to Equifax and then submitted documentation a second time to them. I then contacted Equifax again by phone about the disputed inquiry and they once more said they still have received nothing from XXXX XXXX. They also told me to have XXXX XXXX call a phone number to speak with an Equifax representative about the documentation and also when I asked them about sending in a police report proving I was a victim of identity theft they wanted me to include a copy of my social security number with it which seemed like a highly unusual request. I then contacted XXXX XXXX  a third time and they said they had sent documentation to Equifax both times and then confirmed with me they sent documentation a third time. They also told me that they do not contact credit reporting bureaus by phone over these matters as that is not the way reporting works and that the Equifax representative who told me this was likely lying. I then sent by mail a letter to equifax on XX/XX/2020 to remove the inquiry and included a copy of my police report showing I had an open fraud/identity theft Police investigation. This report also included statements taken by the officer that named the XXXX credit inquiry on the report. I also included a copy of an email from XXXX XXXX stating the credit inquiry was not authorized by me and stating they reported it to credit bureaus. 

On XXXX XXXX someone tried to opening a line of credit of credit in my name with XXXX XXXX resulting in a hard credit inquiry. I contacted XXXX XXXX and they did not approve the credit application and also faxed equifax documentation stating that it I did not authorize the inquiry on XXXX XXXX. Upon calling equifax one week later over the disputed inquiry they said they did not receive documentation from XXXX XXXX. I then contacted XXXX XXXX and they confirmed they sent documentation to Equifax and then submitted documentation a second time to them. I then contacted Equifax again by phone about the disputed inquiry and they once more said they still have received nothing from XXXX XXXX. I then contacted XXXX XXXX a third time and they said they had sent documentation to Equifax both times and then confirmed with me they sent documentation a third time. I then sent by mail a letter to equifax on XX/XX/2020 to remove the inquiry and included a copy of my police report showing I had an open fraud/identity theft Police investigation. This report also included statements taken by the officer that named the XXXX XXXX  credit inquiry on the report. 

After putting in this request by mail with the included documentation Equifax refuses to delete the XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX  inquiries and states in their completed inquiry form that they are a factual record as well as states they have reached out to both companies confirming the inquiries were factual and authorized by me and not a result of fraudulent activity.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation