Consumer complaint received 2024-09-22
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Written notification about debt — Notification didn't disclose it was an attempt to collect a debt
Company: EQUIFAX, INC. (NV)

What happened? 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, CA XXXX To : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX TX XXXX Equifax XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, GA XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, PA XXXX Subject : Dispute of XXXX Collections Account XXXX XXXX ( Account # XXXX ) Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to dispute the accuracy of a collections account reported by XXXX XXXX ( Account Number : XXXX ) on my credit report. I have no contractual agreement with this company or its original creditor, XXXX XXXX, and therefore this debt is fraudulent and should not appear on my credit report. Legal Basis for Dispute : No Contractual Obligation : I do not have any contract or debt obligation with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), credit reporting agencies are required to ensure that all information reported is accurate and verifiable ( 15 U.S.C. 1681 ). Since I have no legal obligation to this account, its inclusion in my credit report is a violation of my rights under the FCRA. FCRA Violations Unverifiable and Inaccurate Reporting ( 15 U.S.C. 1681 ) : The FCRA requires that any information reported to credit bureaus must be verifiable. This account has been reported inaccurately, as I never authorized nor signed a contract with the creditor or the collection agency. This failure to verify the account before reporting constitutes a breach of the FCRA. Account Paid Off by Insurance : Additionally, the original balance of {$550.00} has been falsely increased to {$610.00}, which is both inaccurate and misleading. The original creditor, XXXX XXXX, settled the balance through an insurance payout, which makes this an attempt at double recovery. This act constitutes bad-faith lending and an unlawful collection attempt. Actions Requested : Immediate Removal of the Fraudulent Account : I request that this fraudulent collection account be permanently deleted from my credit report with XXXX, Equifax, and XXXX. The account was reported without any basis or legal contract, making it a clear violation of my consumer rights. No Reposting of This Account : Once removed, I demand that this account not be reinserted or reposted unless complete verification and documentation are provided. This includes a signed contract proving my obligation to the debt, which does not exist. Written Confirmation of Removal : Please provide me with written confirmation that this fraudulent account has been removed from my credit report. I expect a prompt resolution and adherence to the statutory time frame set by the FCRA. I trust you will address this issue in accordance with your legal obligations under the FCRA. Should I not receive a satisfactory response within the required timeframe, I will explore further legal options, including reporting the violation to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ). Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, XXXX XXXX Subject : Dispute of Fraudulent Collection Account Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to formally dispute the accuracy of a collection account listed on my credit report. The details of the account are as follows : Creditor : XXXX XXXX XXXX Original Creditor : XXXX XXXX XXXX Account Number : XXXX Balance : {$950.00} Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Current Status : Collection account, {$950.00} past due as of XX/XX/XXXX I have never entered into any contract or agreement with XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX, or any associated entity. This account is fraudulent and violates both the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) and the Truth in Lending Act ( TILA ). According to FCRA ( 15 U.S.C. 1681 ), only accurate, complete, and verifiable information may be reported. The inclusion of this account is a violation of my rights, as it is neither accurate nor verifiable. Furthermore, under TILA ( 15 U.S.C. 1602 ), XXXX XXXX XXXX does not meet the definition of a creditor, as I have no legally binding contract with this entity. Their reporting of this account is not compliant with TILA 's standards and should be removed. I kindly request that this account be permanently deleted from my credit report. As per FCRA regulations, I expect that this account be removed and not reposted unless it can be verified through valid, signed contractual evidence between myself and the creditor. If you are unable to verify the accuracy and legitimacy of this account, I request its immediate deletion from my credit file. Please conduct your investigation in accordance with the law and notify me of your findings. I also request a copy of the updated credit report reflecting the corrections. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Sincerely, Subject : Formal Dispute of Fraudulent Collection Account Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to dispute the following inaccurate and fraudulent collection account on my credit report. The details of the account are as follows : Creditor : XXXX XXXX XXXX Original Creditor : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Account Number : XXXX Balance : {$430.00} Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Current Status : Collection account, {$430.00} past due as of XX/XX/XXXX I dispute the validity of this account as I have no contract or agreement with XXXX XXXX XXXX or XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. This account was opened without my consent, and I am requesting that it be removed from my credit report in accordance with both the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) and the Truth in Lending Act ( TILA ). Under the FCRA ( 15 U.S.C. 1681 ), credit reporting agencies must ensure that all information included on a consumers credit report is accurate, complete, and verifiable. Since I have no contractual relationship with the creditor or the debt buyer, XXXX XXXX XXXX, the information on this account is inaccurate and unverifiable. Additionally, the TILA ( 15 U.S.C. 1602 ) defines a creditor as an entity that extends credit directly to a consumer. XXXX XXXX XXXX, as a debt buyer, does not meet this definition, and thus their reporting of this account is unlawful under TILA. Since there is no valid contract with them, this account should not be reported in my credit file. Therefore, I am requesting that this collection account be permanently removed from my credit report and not be re-added in the future unless verifiable evidence is provided. This is a formal request for deletion as the information is erroneous and violates my rights under both the FCRA and TILA. Please notify me in writing once the investigation is complete and provide an updated copy of my credit report. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Sincerely,