Consumer complaint received 2024-09-24
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report — Information belongs to someone else
Company: EQUIFAX, INC. (MD)

Re : Dispute of Unauthorized Soft and Hard Credit Inquiries due to Data Breach Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to formally dispute multiple unauthorized hard and soft inquiries that have appeared on my credit report, which were done without my knowledge or consent. Additionally, my information was part of the Equifax and XXXX data breaches, in which my personal data was stolen and used without my permission to seek unauthorized opportunities. 

These unauthorized inquiries have resulted in inaccurate and harmful reporting on my credit profile, and I demand that they be removed immediately. The inquiries in question are as follows : Hard and Soft Inquiries on My Credit Report : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  These inquiries were conducted without my knowledge or consent and should not have appeared on my credit report. The fact that my information was accessed through the aforementioned data breaches and then used to submit these inquiries further underscores the seriousness of the situation. 

Federal Law Violations : Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) ( 15 U.S.C. 1681 ) : The FCRA mandates that credit inquiries must be authorized by the consumer. These inquiries were conducted without my knowledge or consent, violating FCRA provisions. 
The FCRA also requires credit reporting agencies to ensure accurate reporting. By allowing unauthorized inquiries to remain on my credit report, the agencies are in violation of this federal law. 
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) ( 15 U.S.C. 1692 ) : Although primarily focused on debt collection, the FDCPA prohibits deceptive practices in the collection of any debt, which extends to credit reporting.

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act ( GLBA ) ( 15 U.S.C. 6801-6809 ) : The unauthorized access and use of my personal data following the data breaches violate the privacy protections under the GLBA. Financial institutions and credit reporting agencies are required to protect personal information and notify consumers of breaches in security.

Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act ( 18 U.S.C. 1028 ) : As these inquiries may have been related to identity theft, reporting unauthorized inquiries without proper investigation violates federal protections.

Maryland State Law Violations : Maryland Consumer Protection Act ( MCPA ) ( MD. Code Ann., Com. Law 13-101 et seq. ) : The MCPA prohibits unfair and deceptive practices in consumer transactions, including the unauthorized access of personal credit information. By allowing these unauthorized inquiries, credit bureaus are in violation of this state law.

Maryland Credit Reporting Agencies Act ( MD. Code Ann., Com. Law 14-1201 et seq. ) : This law requires credit reporting agencies to ensure that only authorized and accurate information appears on credit reports. The unauthorized and inaccurate reporting of these inquiries violates this law.

Maryland Personal Information Protection Act ( PIPA ) ( MD. Code Ann., Com. Law 14-3501 et seq. ) : The misuse of my personal information following a data breach is a direct violation of PIPA, which mandates the protection of consumers personal information. 
Requested Action : I am requesting the following actions be taken immediately : Remove all unauthorized hard and soft inquiries listed above from my credit report. 
Investigate the origin of these inquiries, and provide written documentation proving that each was authorized. If they can not be proven to be authorized, they must be removed. 
Provide me with written confirmation once these inquiries have been removed from my credit report. 
Notify any third parties that accessed my credit file improperly, and provide proof that steps have been taken to rectify this issue. 
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you are required to investigate and resolve this dispute within 30 days. I expect a written response outlining the results of your investigation and confirmation of the requested removals. 

Thank you for your prompt attention to this serious matter. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX