Consumer complaint received 2024-07-29
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Company: EQUIFAX, INC. (TX)

I am writing to express my profound frustration and disappointment with the continuous negligence displayed by Equifax, XXXX, and XXXX for their persistent failure to uphold my rights as a consumer under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) and relevant state laws. Despite multiple efforts to rectify these issues on my part, blatant disregard of federal legal requirements and state regulations set forth to protect consumers like myself, have caused me significant stress and financial hardship, particularly in my efforts to secure housing and maintain my financial health In XXXX, Equifax experienced a significant data breach that compromised the personal information of millions, including my own. Despite taking precautionary measures post-breach, I recently discovered over XXXX unauthorized hard inquiries on my credit report, all made without my consent or initiation. These inquiries have significantly damaged my credit score and overall financial health, resulting in numerous rejections for credit applications and higher interest rates. This unjust drop in my credit score has caused undue stress and financial hardship, severely impacting my ability to secure necessary credit for personal and professional purposes. 
Despite contracting credit repair services in XXXX and requesting multiple verification of documents to validate these fraudulent incidents, I continue to face issues with erroneous hard inquiries on my credit report and credit accounts not initiated by me. This has resulted in my being denied an apartment in XXXX and ongoing housing difficulties, currently in XXXX. The credit bureaus have failed to comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act by not providing detailed evidence or removing invalid entries, ignoring all my emails and evidence of a security freeze that should not have even allowed for any credit inquiry to take place. 
XXXX. FCRA Sections 1681i ( a ) and 1681e ( b ) : These sections mandate that credit reporting agencies must investigate disputes within 30 days and follow reasonable procedures to ensure the accuracy of information. The continued presence of unauthorized hard inquiries despite a security freeze indicates a clear violation of these requirements. 
2. FCRA Sections 1681n and 1681o : These sections provide for civil liability for noncompliance, including actual, statutory, and punitive damages, as well as attorney fees. The willful failure of the credit bureaus to address my disputes properly subjects them to potential legal action. 
XXXX. CFPB Bulletin XXXX : This bulletin emphasizes the necessity for credit reporting agencies to conduct reasonable investigations. The inadequate responses to my disputes highlight a failure to adhere to this guideline. 
XXXX. CFPB XXXX XXXX : This bulletin outlines the obligations of furnishers to maintain accurate information. The credit bureaus ' failure to verify and correct the inaccuracies provided by furnishers further substantiates my complaint. 
XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX : This state-specific regulation mirrors the federal protections provided by the FCRA and reinforces my rights to accurate credit reporting and proper investigation of disputes.

6. Procedural and Accuracy Requirements : 1. 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) mandates that credit reporting agencies must investigate disputes within 30 days. The failure to respond or conduct a proper investigation is a clear violation of this section. 
2. 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ) requires credit reporting agencies to follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy of the information. The appearance of unauthorized hard inquiries indicates a failure to maintain such procedures. 
XXXX. Civil Liability : 1. 15 U.S.C. 1681n and 15 U.S.C. 1681o outline the civil liabilities for willful and negligent noncompliance with the FCRA. The continued negligence in addressing my disputes qualifies for civil action, including actual and statutory damages, attorney fees, and punitive damages. 
XXXX. Reasonable Investigations : XXXX. CFPB Bulletin XXXX emphasizes the need for credit reporting agencies to conduct reasonable investigations into consumer disputes. The inadequate responses I have received demonstrate a breach of these guidelines. 
XXXX. Accuracy in Reporting : XXXX. CFPB XXXX XXXX outlines the obligation of entities to establish and implement reasonable written policies for accurate reporting. The continued appearance of erroneous hard inquiries suggests a failure to comply with these requirements. 
XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX mirrors the FCRA, mandating proper investigation and correction of inaccuracies in credit reports. The failure to adhere to these state-specific regulations further exacerbates the violation of my consumer rights. 
As a XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX patient with XXXXXXXX XXXX, the stress and financial instability caused by these inaccuracies are intolerable, not only affecting my financial stability but also my health. The continuous negligence of Equifax, XXXX, and possibly XXXX in addressing these violations has exacerbated my situation. I seek full and immediate reparations on behalf of Equifax as per the settlement negotiated relating to their breach of data and immediate correction of my credit report by all three credit bureaus. Should these issues remain unresolved, I am prepared to escalate the matter and pursue legal action against Equifax, XXXX, and XXXX for their continuous disregard of my rights under the FCRA and Texas state law. The blatant noncompliance with FCRA Sections 1681i ( a ), 1681e ( b ), 1681n, and 1681o, alongside the guidelines set forth in CFPB Bulletins XXXX and XXXX, and the XXXX Finance Code Chapter 20, will not be tolerated. I demand immediate action to rectify these violations and restore my financial standing.