Consumer complaint received 2016-12-10
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA
Product: Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on credit report
Sub-issue: Account status

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX, I experienced an unexpected medical hardship ; post hospitalization I reached out to all creditors to initiate repayment of all outstanding accts. ; I set up recurring automatic payment/s, via XXXX ( now XXXX XXXX XXXX ) to make payment in the amount of {$180.00} with due date of the XXXX per month as was shown upon original acct. ( XXXX XXXX XXXX posted late every month-stated did not matter ) -this is what led to traumatic error. This amount was never posted on time. I was told it did not make a difference due to dates of statement going out and interest free repayment plan ( never believed in spite of constantly being told via representatives. XXXX XXXX XXXX actively chose to deduct payment on XXXX of month ( even later if XXXX fell on a weekend ) via automatic deduction from XXXX checking acct. # XXXX. Statement billing varied from month to month ( i.e. XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX with payment due being shown as XX/XX/XXXX ) -posted XX/XX/XXXX payment to XX/XX/XXXX along with XX/XX/XXXX so made it look like missed payment ( see attachment ). XXXX made it look as if you were behind due to billing cycle fluctuation. There was a 12 month renewal to be made in XX/XX/XXXX of every year. I moved from XXXX XXXX, CA to XXXX, CA-I notified all companies. In spite of notification they did not acknowledge change of address ( written and phoned in ). XXXX XXXX XXXX was still automatically deducting payment via XXXX acct. I received no renewal notification for XX/XX/XXXX so I phoned on my own XX/XX/XXXX ; asked if I were in good standing stated yes re-established repayment plan where two payments were to be applied ( XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX ) in the amount of {$370.00} ( ck # XXXX-posted XX/XX/XXXX ) with {$180.00} recurring payments thereafter. Upon reviewing bank statements discovered {$370.00} payment was not applied until a later date ( XX/XX/XXXX ) despite receipt of monies. As of XX/XX/XXXX I learned that my account had been charged off despite company receiving automatic payments-received a new acct. number with a derogatory letter stating I need to pay despite payments were being deducted every month ( it made no logical sense ). Phoned company refused to answer any questions upon why this was occurring, was told acct. was charged off in XX/XX/XXXX and why am I calling, refused to allow me to speak to a manager always stated no managers available would take a message to await a phone call that never came. Phoned and wrote ( certified letters ) company several times only to experience degradation, given several different numbers to phone for resolution over months only to remain unresolved. Made written certified request for acct. statements did not receive response til six months after request. The acct. representative caused this error and should have been held accountable, not I. I even requested they listen to recording of transaction amongst rep. and myself for authenticity. Received notification of acct. being charged off XX/XX/XXXX but reading varying dates with CRA 's. I am not deserving of a charge off ; I would like it removed. Want the unwarranted charge off removed from my file-I continued paying towards payoff til XX/XX/XXXX the amount of {$180.00} via still automatic payment ( never paid by phone, once charged off was still drawing automatic payments. I made on time automatic deduction payments for five years. XXXX treated me like trash. Just wanted fair treatment for time period of medical hardship in which I committed to confronting and paying down debt diligently, only to be penalized for my surviving this life. This is the only negative I have within my credit file-I have stood up and overcame adversity but as hard as I have tried, I can not overcome this ; I ask graciously for your assistance with this matter from a human being whose voice and written word have gone unnoticed. XXXX never conducted unscrupulous business practices such as XXXX XXXX XXXX.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation