Consumer complaint received 2023-09-22
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MA
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report
Sub-issue: Credit inquiries on your report that you don't recognize

Complaint:
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX po box XXXX XXXX, PA XXXX Equifax Information Services LLC XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, GA XXXX RE : IDENTITY THEFT AND UNAUTHORIZED INQUIRIES To Whom It May Concern, I recently reviewed my credit report and found several unauthorized inquires that I have detailed below and for the many reasons also outlined below kindly have these inquiries DELETED from my credit report immediately.

1. According to my research, under Section 604. Permissible Purposes of Consumer Reports 15 USC 1681b ( c ) Furnishing reports in connection with credit or insurance transactions that are not initiated by consumer ( 3 ) Information regarding inquiries ; Except as provided in section 1681g ( a ) ( 5 ) of this title, a consumer reporting agency shall not furnish to any person a record of inquiries in connection with a credit or insurance transaction that is not initiated by a consumer.

I also have a long history of being a repeated victim of identity theft occurrences that I have reported multiple times previously in XXXX XXXX. Police Department, and including flagrant multiple occurrences of identity theft with thieves using my debit and credit card information involving including XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX on XXXX XXXX from a foreign country; XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX ; XXXX XXXX Credit Card on XX/XX/XXXX please see the attached documents related to these occurrences of identity theft. 
Furthermore, I have received notice I was a victim also of personal information data breaches including from Equifax on XX/XX/XXXX until XX/XX/XXXX ; and XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX please see the attached documents related to these personal information data breaches. 

The Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), [ 15 U.S.C 1681b ( a ) 3 ( f ) ( i )., for unlawfully furnishing my consumer report without my authorization or a permissible purpose under the 15 USC 1681b ( 2 ) Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) and its guidelines for permissible purpose. 
A person shall not use or obtain a consumer report for any purpose unless ; 1. The consumer report is obtained for a purpose for which the consumer report is authorized to be furnished under this section.

2. The purpose is certified in accordance with section 1681b ( f ). Chester v. Purvis, 260 F. Supp 2d 711 ( S.D. Ind. 2003 ). 

Be advised the advisory opinion of the CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU ( CFPB ) 12 CFR Part 1022 Fair Credit Reporting ; Permissible Purposes for Furnishing, Using, and Obtaining Consumer Reports explains that the permissible purposes listed in FCRA section 604 ( a ) ( 3 ) are consumer specific, and it affirms that a consumer reporting agency may not provide a consumer report to a user under FCRA section 604 ( a ) ( 3 ) unless it has reason to believe that all of the consumer report information it includes pertains to the consumer who is the subject of the users request. The Bureau notes that disclaimers will not cure a failure to have a reason to believe that a user has a permissible purpose for a consumer report provided pursuant to FCRA section 604 ( a ) ( 3 ) .This advisory opinion also reminds consumer report users that FCRA section 604 ( f ) strictly prohibits a person who uses or obtains a consumer report from doing so without a permissible purpose. 

I have contacted the below creditors and requested pursuant to rule 1002 the permissible purpose or legitimate business reason certification that authorized the furnish of my consumer report, and they apparently have NO proof that I have initiated such inquiries, nor written authorization, and have failed to provide a legally permissible purpose for such inquires. Since, they did not have a permissible purpose, have not provided my written authorization, I am asking you to kindly have these improper inquiries DELETED from my personal credit reports immediately. 

2. As demonstrated with the enclosed documentation my identity has been repeatedly stolen, used for fraudulent purposes, and includes the reporting of the below inquiries. Credit reporting agencies may have aided in fraudulent activities by not verifying these consumer reports. Congress states in 15 USC 1681 Fair Credit Reporting Act ( a ) Accuracy and fairness of credit reports ( 4 ) There is a need to ensure that consumer reporting agencies exercise their grave responsibilities with fairness, impartiality, and a respect for the consumers right to privacy. 
An identification of me has been used without my permission including the below inquires so I must make all parties aware of my research as to in the setting of possible aggravated identity theft if the parties continue to knowingly transfer ( s ), identification of another person risks possible Aggravated Identity Theft pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1028A. ( 1 ) IN GENERAL.Whoever, during and in relation to any felony violation enumerated in subsection ( c ), knowingly transfers, possesses, or uses, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person shall, in addition to the punishment provided for such felony, be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 2 years. 
I am asking you to kindly have these inquiries that are not consistent with the Accuracy and fairness of 15 USC 1681 Fair Credit Reporting Act ( a ) Accuracy and fairness of credit reports, be DELETED from my personal credit reports immediately, and avoid more serious consequences.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief