Consumer complaint received 2021-09-01
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Sub-issue: Account status incorrect

Complaint:
Pursuant to the expiration of our Car Lease with XXXX XXXX dated XX/XX/2020, we arranged to return the leased car prior to that date, returning it on XX/XX/2020. Due to our age and comorbidities, we requested ( as XXXX  normal procedure ) to have the car pre-inspected and picked up from our residence home prior to expiration of lease. No XXXX inspector was available and the car could not be picked up from our home, again due to Covid 19. Same advice was given by dealerships XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX CA. We were told to bring the car to the dealer closest to us, ( i.e., XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX CA ). There was no XXXX representative present at the dealership and the manager representative for the dealer, upon our request, had her representative staff inspect and look over the car in our presence, checked the odometer reading to ensure everything was in order ; car had XXXX miles per odometer on a 3-year allowed lease mileage of XXXX miles. The dealer reported to the manager who then issued to us Vehicle Return Receipt. Per the lease agreement a total disposal fee of {$590.00} is payable at lease end which we offered to pay but advised that XXXX XXXX send a bill for it separately. 
In a phone call with XXXX XXXX, I was told that in addition to the disposal fee of {$590.00}, we are being billed for {$48.00} sales tax on the disposal fee, not indicated on the lease agreement, and an excess wear and tear scratch on the rim of the tire valued at {$85.00} plus tax. We paid the {$590.00} total disposal fee per the lease agreement, but disputed and contested the validity of the excess wear and tear charge and disposal sales tax, requesting for the evidence supporting the charges such as inspection photos or report of inspection done in our absence. I mentioned that because of XXXX  representative not available, we requested for inspection done by the dealership manager or representative. However, XXXX XXXX stated that the dealership we surrendered that car to, does not represent XXXX XXXX. The XXXX XXXX underwent premium maintenance as warranted by the lease during the lease term as required and necessary. 

After my payment of {$590.00}, I never received any more statement of account from XXXX, nor did I receive any advice on the disputed items. 

I discovered sometime last month that the disputed items were erroneously reported by XXXX XXXX as delinquent, resulting in my and my husbands credit scores to drop from the XXXX for many years, to the XXXX during this unfortunate Covid 19 period. The procedure I would have expected would be a denial of my dispute and further statements of account or delinquency notice, etc., to let me know XXXX demands payment prior to reporting disputed balance to any credit bureau. This practically ruined our financial ratings and integrity for further financial business transactions. 
This is definitely an unfair consumer financing practice particularly of a large corporation as XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

We are still awaiting XXXX  supporting evidence of the disputed items as described above.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation