Consumer complaint received 2017-06-30
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MD
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:
To date I have mailed Equifax a total of four dispute letters listing a number of entities that are inaccurate accounts that they are listing on my credit report. I have asked them to send me copies of the documents that they have in their files that they used to verify the accuracy of these disputed accounts. <P/>Section 609 of the FCRA identified as 15 U.S.C. 1681g gives me, a consumer, the right to ask for this information. It clearly states, Every consumer reporting agency shall, upon request, and subject to 610 ( a ) ( 1 ) [ 1681h ], clearly and accurately disclose to the consumer all information in the consumers file at the time of the request This section of the FCRA is saying that if a consumer asks the correct way, in writing, and properly identify themselves, the 3 bureaus are required to disclose to the consumer exactly what documents are stored within their computer base. <P/>Their response to all of my dispute letters basically parrot what the information provider tells them, all items identified in your complaint have previously been verified as accurate by the data furnisher They also shift the burden back to me by stating that if I want any documents that I should contact the information provider and request it from them. They are not re-investigating anything. They are simply taking the word of the information provider and admitting that they did not and can not verify the accuracy of the disputed item themselves. <P/>If they dont have any documents in their files to prove that they verified the accuracy of the disputed account ( s ) then they obviously did not properly verify the account and can not verify the account as per the terms of Section 611 ( 5 ) ( A ) of the FCRA which states that they MUST delete the unverified disputed account from the consumers credit file if it can not be verified. <P/>Secondly, to add insult to injury, as I mentioned earlier, they told me to go and contact the information provider myself and dispute the accounts with them. As I am sure that you are well aware, current Federal case law states that, Consumer Reporting Agencies bear grave responsibilities to ensure the accuracy of the accounts they report on and their responsibility must consist of something more than merely parroting information received from other sources The Courts have also ordered that a Reinvestigation that merely shifts the burden back to the consumer and the credit grantor can not fulfill the obligations imposed by 1681 ( a ) ( 4 ) of the FCRA.
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A consumer shouldnt have to spend 6 months to a year or more to get inaccurate unverified information removed from his/her credit file. Credit Bureaus should be made to comply with Section 611 ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ) ( i ). Refusing to comply after sending them 5 letters shows their willful disregard to comply and they should be dealt with accordingly by the CFPB.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation