Consumer complaint received 2023-10-31
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: NY
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem
Sub-issue: Their investigation did not fix an error on your report

Complaint:
In understanding of SCRA benefits for service member I communicated with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX to service my account. 

XX/XX/XXXX - First time I communicated with XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX about getting military orders. Knowing the ship date, I didnt have physical access to copy of orders and was told to call back when I have the orders. Here they updated my information, mailing address and confirmed phone number. 

XX/XX/XXXX - I went to XXXX on who then gave me a reservation document for Initial XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for training orders. 

XX/XX/XXXX - I called XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX again and was transferred to a military department, I spoke someone who sent me to website ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) on this call, the person I spoke to ( XXXX XXXX ) mentioned I had the option of pausing my payments until I came back from training, at which I said sounds good, lets do that. He said I needed to send in the order to the website above. I did and got a response asking for more documentations. 

XX/XX/XXXX - XXXX sent order via email to XXXX XXXX  XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX - Email from XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX stating the military benefits was being reviewed. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I shipped out to XXXX XXXX XXXX to be followed by XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Email from XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX regarding decision about military benefits request. 

My understanding was that everything was set until I returned. 

XX/XX/XXXX - XXXX XXXX ended. 

Less than 180 days of which an employee had claimed I had coverage from any indemnity my account was charged off. 

I spoke to someone at the military department with name ( XXXX ), number who confirmed receipt of orders with the benefits were still active. 

I asked for more information him, and he said his information will be on the account record should it needed. 

One thing that noted was if I included a letter requesting the deferment, and I said no, because it was never request. The orders were only requested which was emailed on XX/XX/XXXX to XXXX XXXX stated benefits was approved XX/XX/XXXX and still active. 

I asked if it was possible to get a record of communications. 

XX/XX/XXXX was the first time I requested for escalation reviewed. 

Here I was told benefits was active for up to 180 after end of XXXX XXXX. 

I was told by one associate that deferment was not a thing offered by XXXX XXXX XXXX, then buy other associates who said it was an option but there needed to be a letter requesting such thing. One of the associate even said I could write a letter back dating the request and that it potentially would be reviewed. 

On a call that followed, I was told there could be possibility to reverse the charge off and return to good standing open account. 

The communication I received was from a senior company personnel in management that they would look for the call where the associate offered but could not promise that they would find it, in terms of the agreement to defer payment until I returned from training, she called the next day around XX/XX/XXXX or XXXX that the recording could not be found and nothing she could do. 

XX/XX/XXXX I requested another escalation. 

Looking back on record, the only way I could have sent that email on the XXXX of XXXX was be provided an email address by someone. 

After the charge off, I was offered settlement option or pay in full or be able to continue to make payments. I chose to continue to make payments and was asked what amount. I choose the option of keeping the vehicle and continuing making payments. I said {$600.00} picking a number. I could only schedule 6 months payments at a time, and I scheduled payments and made all payments, and currently scheduled until XX/XX/XXXX. 

I received a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX confirming an agreement to suspend collection efforts as long they received the monthly payments as agreed. 

I made the commitment with XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX to continue making payments which is reflected in my past transactions from when the charge of occurred and future schedule transactions. 

In my escalation request and most recent, I asked for the charged off amount to be reversed, and a document that reflect agreement of payment to the account and upon full payment that the charge off will be removed from my credit profile.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation