Consumer complaint received 2023-01-04
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: FL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: I do not know
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was result of identity theft

Complaint:
This account is fraudulent and was not opened or authorized by me ; this is identity theft. I have contacted the company and the bureaus, specifically Equifax, but nothing has been done to fix this error. Equifax removed this debt from my credit report on XX/XX/XXXX. Unaware of the removal, I submitted online dispute directly with Equifax because it still reflect in the dispute section. I submitted a dispute and requested verification of debt on XX/XX/XXXX, and on XX/XX/XXXX they completed the investigation within 2hrs How is this possible? They never provided proof of verificationno documents, no signature, nothingand then Equifax reduced my score by XXXX points, which is also an error in reporting that needs to be fixed immediately. They violated my consumer reporting rights by reporting erroneous information. I have attached proof for your review. Also, Equifax removed the XXXX XXXX account on XX/XX/XXXX, which I have attached proof of the removal. Then reinstated the debt on XX/XX/XXXX. The dates don't add up they continue to report in accurate information continuously on my report. I have asked for proof of verification, and requested documentsand they have failed to provide proof and any explanation but still they continue to report inaccurate information on my credit report such as dates, debt and XXXX XXXX. ( I have attached proof for review ). I have NOT received no information or proof proving this belongs to me or otherwise. In retaliation, they decreased my score by XXXX points, giving me a XXXX XXXX XXXX, which is incorrect because I have credit cards and an auto loan that are reported in good standing.. This is causing severe damage to my credit and violates my right under the statue. The credit bureaus stated my account was properly investigated and reinvestigated, but how is this possible if the last date reported, payment history, and balance are incorrect? None of these charges or this account belongs to me, and they failed to provide proof or any information or actions taken to prove this account belongs to me. This is grounds for removal and violates my rights under : 15 U.S.C 1681 section 602 A. States I have the right to privacy. 15 U.S.C 1681 section 604 A. Section 2 : It also states a consumer reporting agency can not furnish an account without my written instructions. 15 U.S.C 1681 section I. States : Reinvestigations of disputed information ( 1 ) Reinvestigation required ( A ) In general Subject to subsection ( f ) and except as provided in subsection ( g ), if the completeness or accuracy of any item of information contained in a consumers file at a consumer reporting agency is disputed by the consumer and the consumer notifies the agency directly, or indirectly through a reseller, of such dispute, the agency shall, free of charge, conduct a reasonable reinvestigation to determine whether the disputed information is inaccurate and record the current status of the disputed information, or delete the item from the file in accordance with paragraph ( 5 ), before the end of the 30-day period beginning on the date on which the agency receives the notice of the dispute from the consumer or reseller. ( 5 ) Treatment of inaccurate or unverifiable information ( A ) In general If, after any reinvestigation under paragraph ( 1 ) of any information disputed by a consumer, an item of the information is found to be inaccurate or incomplete or can not be verified, the consumer reporting agency shall ( i ) promptly delete that item of information from the file of the consumer, or modify that item of information, as appropriate, based on the results of the reinvestigation; and ( ii ) promptly notify the furnisher of that information that the information has been modified or deleted from the file of the consumer. ( B ) Requirements relating to reinsertion of previously deleted material : ( i ) Certification of accuracy of information If any information is deleted from a consumers file pursuant to subparagraph ( A ), the information may not be reinserted in the file by the consumer reporting agency unless the person who furnishes the information certifies that the information is complete and accurate. ( C ) Procedures to prevent reappearance A consumer reporting agency shall maintain reasonable procedures designed to prevent the reappearance in a consumers file, and in consumer reports on the consumer, of information that is deleted pursuant to this paragraph ( other than information that is reinserted in accordance with subparagraph ( B ) ( i ) ). 15 U.S. Code 1681c - Requirements relating to information contained in consumer reports : ( a ) Information excluded from consumer reports Except as authorized under subsection ( b ), no consumer reporting agency may make any consumer report containing any of the following items of information : ( 4 ) Accounts placed for collection or charged to profit and loss which antedate the report by more than seven years. 15 U.S. Code 1681s2 - Responsibilities of furnishers of information to consumer reporting agencies Additionally, the credit Bureaus took more than 30 days to respond to my written disputes, please see Exhibit A and when I filed the dispute online it took less than 24hrs. for a response, and failed to provided debt validation, of to complete my investigation attached, and provide requested documentation. ( a ) Duty of furnishers of information to provide accurate information ( 1 ) Prohibition ( A ) Reporting information with actual knowledge of errors A person shall not furnish any information relating to a consumer to any consumer reporting agency if the person knows or has reasonable cause to believe that the information is inaccurate. ( B ) Reporting information after notice and confirmation of errors A person shall not furnish information relating to a consumer to any consumer reporting agency if ( i ) the person has been notified by the consumer, at the address specified by the person for such notices, that specific information is inaccurate; and ( ii ) the information is, in fact, inaccurate. ( C ) No address requirement A person who clearly and conspicuously specifies to the consumer an address for notices referred to in subparagraph ( B ) shall not be subject to subparagraph ( A ) ; however, nothing in subparagraph ( B ) shall require a person to specify such an address. ( 2 ) Duty to correct and update information A person who ( A ) regularly and in the ordinary course of business furnishes information to one or more consumer reporting agencies about the persons transactions or experiences with any consumer ; and ( B ) has furnished to a consumer reporting agency information that the person determines is not complete or accurate, shall promptly notify the consumer reporting agency of that determination and provide to the agency any corrections to that information, or any additional information, that is necessary to make the information provided by the person to the agency complete and accurate, and shall not thereafter furnish to the agency any of the information that remains not complete or accurate. ( 3 ) Duty to provide notice of dispute If the completeness or accuracy of any information furnished by any person to any consumer reporting agency is disputed to such person by a consumer, the person may not furnish the information to any consumer reporting agency without notice that such information is disputed by the consumer. I want {$1000.00} per violation and removal of all inaccurate information, and removal of account that are listed in Exhibit A and B, and remove all late payments reported inaccurately and correct the missing payment history as outlined in below.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation