Consumer complaint received 2017-07-06
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MS
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: Problem with personal statement of dispute

Complaint:
I was informed of a state tax lien that I was unaware of by requesting my annual credit report this yearXX/XX/XXXX and it was on my report. This amount was paid off last year in XXXX by installment agreement after I voluntarily went to the Internal Revenue Service here in XXXX, MS and set up installment payments, completely unaware that a lien had been filed. To my understanding a lien is placed 60 days after yearly taxes are filed, and at that time my monthly bills and the fact that I was hospitalized and had to have XXXX, I was totally unable to immediately pay the full amount of {$1100.00}. However upon becoming well after my illness and financially able, I paid the installment agreement unwavering from what was agreed after I went in and set it up. Recently after finding this damaging public record on my credit file, I immediately took action, submitting disputes, sending proper documentation ( the lien cancellation letter ), goodwill letters, and a copy of the webpage regarding state tax liens from the XXXX XXXX XXXX for the State of Mississippi ( stating that once a state lien is paid it CAN be removed from credit reports ), to each credit bureau in hopes that they would have compassion for my situation. So far only one bureau did, XXXX ... It is still under investigation with XXXX. After going back and fourth with the IRS and the Credit Bureaus, the IRS says that they have anything to do with giving this information to the credit bureaus, that the bureaus ' information comes from third parties and publicly recorded information, and the credit bureaus say they get the information from the IRS. I am trying hard to rebuild my credit due to my medical bills I incurred from my ongoing illness, and I have been successfully doing so. I am working diligently so that I can obtain a home loan, after all ... I can not be homeless and continue to pay my bills, I know this is common practice for the Equifax bureau, but their heedless decision is negatively effecting not just my credit, but an important milestone in the security of my life. I am being punished for something that, not only was I unaware of ( I 've never had a lien before and never was notified ), but that I paid off as agreed! All I am asking for is a little humanity. I paid my debt why am I still being penalized? Not only that, but several of the things that I am doing to rebuild my credit have not even been reported on the file that Equifax has for me ... like that fact that I now have a revolving credit card account. However, they receive this private personal information from an unauthorized THIRD PARTY ( NOT THE IRS OR THE COURT RECORDER OF DEEDS, LIKE THEY CLAIM ON MY REPORT ) and immediately place it on my report. Lastly, I have actually read different accounts from people who have had a lien record removed by Equifax, by doing exactly what I did, and I ca n't help but wonder is there some form of discrimination being displayed.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation