Consumer complaint received 2023-05-12
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MO
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Credit monitoring or identity theft protection services
Sub-issue: Billing dispute for services

Complaint:
Apparently in XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX picked up a change of address for a local move in XXXX XXXX, XXXX. The move triggered an alert for XXXX to check the Department of Revenue in XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX charged me {$630.00} for personal property tax, that they allegedly paid. My XXXX bill showed a balance of XXXX due. I did not receive a notice nor did I receive a bill for personal property tax from the XXXX XXXX Department of Revenue. On XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke directly to an agent for the XXXX department of Revenue. She stated again, there is no assessment for XXXX, nor will I be assessed in XXXX, since documentation clearly shows the car has always been titled, and licensed in XXXX as my daughter is the primary driver of the vehicle and lives in ; has always lived in XXXX where the car is garaged. The car was never registered in the state of Missouri. The agent reached out to a 3rd party contractor who picked up the assessment based on address changes in XXXX, I never told XXXX that my address and car moved to XXXX. They made their own inference. XXXX reached out to XXXX the physical address is clearly in XXXX, so the assessment was erroneously picked up and XXXX  was not assessing the personal property tax in XXXX either since it was clearly garaged in XXXX. I was not allowed to talk to the 3rd party contractor that created the confusion. I had faxed as requested by XXXX an appeal for the assessment on XX/XX/XXXX, without acknowledgement from XXXX and was told send it by fax again, which I did on XX/XX/XXXX. I was apparently notified on XX/XX/XXXX showing a new payment and delinquent bill, however, I actually received written notice on XX/XX/XXXX. Not one call was made to me, not one written or email communication was sent to me. XXXX did call my daughter multiple times insisting she was late on her payments. The actual car payment was always paid on time and continues to be paid on the due date. XXXX also contacted via letter to her XXXX address stated she was in arrears. My daughter is not on the lease or note and their contacting her multiple times regarding my personal business, as I am titled on the car. This violates consumer protection laws. After about 18 calls placed with customer service and actually routed to a collections department, I was never told that XXXX was paying off the tax assessment by taking the lease payments and applying them to the outstanding erroneous assessment, now making it look like my daughter was not making her payments. I have sent payment details, XXXX has payment details as always paid on time. I was never told that they were pulling money out of the payment, especially with an active dispute. I was not allowed to escalate my issue, I was never given the opportunity to talk to a supervisor. I finally got someone to listen to my issue. She stated to just pay the tax bill in early XXXX and asked if I had to worry about credit issues since they, I feel deceptively took money out of the lease payment and forced a 30 day late charge that i was promised would not be an issue. It was and without notice or explanation XXXX reported to all XXXX bureaus a 30 day late which plummeted my credit score by over 120 points. I was told my only recourse was to send a letter to their credit team with my write up which was sent over XXXX weeks ago without a response. I sent in XXXX exhibits showing every issue, every attempt to resolve and have never had an outbound call made to me or explanations.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation