Consumer complaint received 2024-10-30
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report — Account status incorrect
Company: EQUIFAX, INC. (MD)

Subject : Request for Immediate Removal of Inaccurate Late Payments Due to Identity Theft and Unauthorized Reporting To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally request the immediate removal of inaccurate and unauthorized late payment entries on my credit report. I am a resident of Maryland and under federal, state, and credit reporting laws, I have specific rights to ensure that my credit report remains accurate, confidential, and free from unauthorized or fraudulent data.

Upon reviewing my credit report, I have identified several issues, including accounts marked as delinquent due to identity theft. Additionally, I did not authorize any creditor to share my account status, balances, payment history, or late payment status with the credit bureaus. This letter serves as notice to correct these inaccuracies and ensure my privacy is respected in accordance with applicable federal and Maryland state laws. 

Specific Issues : XXXX Account : This account is closed but is inaccurately reported as active. I request that this account be removed or updated to reflect its true status. 

XXXX Account : This account was closed and charged off ; however, it is improperly reflected on my credit report. I request the removal of this account. 

Other Unknown Accounts with Late Payments : My report also reflects numerous late payments ( XXXX payments over XXXX days, XXXX payments over XXXX days ) without notice or authorization from me. These items are not valid and should be removed immediately. 

Due to a recent data breach by XXXX, XXXX, and Equifax, these inaccurate entries have tarnished my credit history and misrepresented my creditworthiness. As evidenced by my credit reports Poor payment history rating, these errors significantly impact my financial standing, in violation of both federal and state consumer protection laws.

Violations and Relevant Laws : Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) : Under the FCRA ( 15 U.S.C. 1681 ), I have a right to fair, accurate, and private reporting of my credit information. Reporting of inaccurate information without my permission constitutes a breach of FCRA guidelines, which require credit bureaus to maintain strict accuracy standards.

Identity Theft Protections ( FCRA 15 U.S.C. 1681c-1 ) : Federal law requires credit bureaus to investigate and resolve identity theft disputes. Please consider this letter as an official dispute and request for removal of these entries.

Maryland Fair Credit Reporting Act ( MD Code, Commercial Law 14-1201 ) : Maryland law mandates that any reporting agencies must ensure the accuracy and confidentiality of a consumers report. Sharing my payment and account status without consent violates my rights under Maryland law.

Unauthorized Disclosure of Information : No creditor or agency has the right to disclose my current account statuses, balances, or payment records without my explicit consent. Federal law ( 15 U.S.C. 1681b ) limits the conditions under which my information can be shared.

Data Breach Violations : As a result of data breaches at XXXX, XXXX, and Equifax, my personal data has been compromised, resulting in inaccurate reporting and financial harm. Under XXXX data breach notification laws, I have the right to seek remediation for damage caused by these breaches. 

Requested Resolution : Immediate Removal of Late Payments : Remove all reported late payments from my record ( including the XXXX late payments over 30 days and XXXX late payments over 60 days ). 

Correction of Account XXXX : Update the XXXX and XXXX accounts to reflect accurate closed statuses and remove them entirely. 

Cease Unauthorized Reporting : Ensure no current account information is shared without my permission going forward. 

I expect your investigation to resolve these issues promptly, as per FCRAs 30-day timeframe. Please confirm that these items have been corrected on my credit report. 

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.