Consumer complaint received 2024-05-04
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: EQUIFAX, INC. (CA)

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX, CA XXXX XX/XX/XXXX NOTICE AND DEMAND FOR CEASE AND DESIST Account name : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. 
Account number : XXXX To Whom It May Concern : I have asked you to validate the alleged debt that you claim that I owe, and all you have provided me are statements to an account that you can not prove is mine. 


You have violated my consumer rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) 15USC 1692 ( g ) Failure to validate this alleged debt.

I refuse to pay this alleged debt until the proper validation of this debt is provided. Please cease and desist all collection activities until you can properly validate this alleged debt.

15 USC 1692 section 3 ( c ) Ceasing communication If a consumer notifies a debt collector in writing that the consumer refuses to pay a debt or that the consumer wishes the debt collector to cease further communication with the consumer, the debt collector shall not communicate further with the consumer with respect to such debt. 

If proper validation of this alleged debt is not provided within 30 calendar days of receiving this notice, I will assume this alleged debt to be invalid and you shall delete this account and stop all collection activities regarding this account.

Furthermore, you do not have any jurisdiction or authority to even collect on this alleged debt.

15 U.S. Code 1692c - Communication in connection with debt collection ( a ) Communication with the consumer generally Without the prior consent of the consumer given directly to the debt collector or the express permission of a court of competent jurisdiction, a debt collector may not communicate with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt ( 1 ) at any unusual time or place or a time or place known or which should be known to be inconvenient to the consumer. In the absence of knowledge of circumstances to the contrary, a debt collector shall assume that the convenient time for communicating with a consumer is after XXXX XXXX XXXX and before XXXX XXXX XXXX, local time at the consumers location ; ( 2 ) if the debt collector knows the consumer is represented by an attorney with respect to such debt and has knowledge of, or can readily ascertain, such attorneys name and address, unless the attorney fails to respond within a reasonable period of time to a communication from the debt collector or unless the attorney consents to direct communication with the consumer; or ( 3 ) at the consumers place of employment if the debt collector knows or has reason to know that the consumers employer prohibits the consumer from receiving such communication. 
( b ) Communication with third parties Except as provided in section 1692b of this title, without the prior consent of the consumer given directly to the debt collector, or the express permission of a court of competent jurisdiction, or as reasonably necessary to effectuate a postjudgment judicial remedy, a debt collector may not communicate, in connection with the collection of any debt, with any person other than the consumer, his attorney, a consumer reporting agency if otherwise permitted by law, the creditor, the attorney of the creditor, or the attorney of the debt collector. 
( c ) Ceasing communication If a consumer notifies a debt collector in writing that the consumer refuses to pay a debt or that the consumer wishes the debt collector to cease further communication with the consumer, the debt collector shall not communicate further with the consumer with respect to such debt, except ( 1 ) to advise the consumer that the debt collectors further efforts are being terminated ; ( 2 ) to notify the consumer that the debt collector or creditor may invoke specified remedies which are ordinarily invoked by such debt collector or creditor; or ( 3 ) where applicable, to notify the consumer that the debt collector or creditor intends to invoke a specified remedy.

If such notice from the consumer is made by mail, notification shall be complete upon receipt.

( d ) Consumer defined For the purpose of this section, the term consumer includes the consumers spouse, parent ( if the consumer is a minor ), guardian, executor, or administrator. FDCPA 811 [ 15 USC 1692i ] Legal actions by debt collectors ( a ) Venue Any debt collector who brings any legal action on a debt against any consumer shall ( 1 ) in the case of an action to enforce an interest in real property securing the consumers obligation, bring such action only in a judicial district or similar legal entity in which such real property is located ; or ( 2 ) in the case of an action not described in paragraph ( 1 ), bring such action only in the judicial district or similar legal entity ( A ) in which such consumer signed the contract sued upon ; or ( B ) in which such consumer resides at the commencement of the action.

( b ) Authorization of actions Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to authorize the bringing of legal actions by debt collectors.

By the way, if you ever decide to turn this alleged debt over to an attorney to collect and violate my rights under the FDCPA 15USC 1692 even further, Just keep in mind that an attorney can not be a debt collector and a debt collector can not be an attorney.

FDCPA 807 [ 15 USC 1692 ( e ) ( 3 ) ] False or misleading representations A debt collector may not use any false, deceptive, or misleading representation or means in connection with the collection of any debt. Without limiting the general application of the foregoing, the following conduct is a violation of this section : The false representation or implication that any individual is an attorney or that any communication is from an attorney.

With all that was said above, for each VIOLATION of the FDCPA that you have committed I am entitled to {$1000.00} per violation. You don't belleve me? Ok. let me show you what the law says : FDCPA 813 [ 15 USC 1692k ] Civil liability ( a ) Amount of damages Except as otherwise provided by this section. any debt collector who fails to comply with any provision of this subchapter with respect to any person is liable to such person in an amount equal to the sum of 1. any actual damage sustained by such person as a result of such failure.

2. ( A ) in the case of any action by an individual, such additional damages as the court may allow, but not exceeding {$1.00}.

Your Options are as follows : 1. Delete this account and cease and desist with all collection activities : 2. Settlement : or 3 ) We go to court, and you incur lawyer fees, plus pay me {$1000.00} per violation along with more in damages.

15 U.S. Code 1692k - Civil liability ( a ) Amount of damages Except as otherwise provided by this section, any debt collector who fails to comply with any provision of this subchapter with respect to any person is liable to such person in an amount equal to the sum of ( 1 ) any actual damage sustained by such person as a result of such failure ; ( 2 ) ( A ) in the case of any action by an individual, such additional damages as the court may allow, but not exceeding {$1000.00} ; or ( B ) in the case of a class action, ( i ) such amount for each named plaintiff as could be recovered under subparagraph ( A ), and ( ii ) such amount as the court may allow for all other class members, without regard to a minimum individual recovery, not to exceed the lesser of {$500000.00} or 1 per centum of the net worth of the debt collector ; and 15 U.S. Code 1692 - Congressional findings and declaration of purpose ( a ) Abusive practices There is abundant evidence of the use of abusive, deceptive, and unfair debt collection practices by many debt collectors. Abusive debt collection practices contribute to the number of personal bankruptcies, to marital instability, to the loss of jobs, and to invasions of individual privacy.

( b ) Inadequacy of laws Existing laws and procedures for redressing these injuries are inadequate to protect consumers. ( c ) Available non-abusive collection methods Means other than misrepresentation or other abusive debt collection practices are available for the effective collection of debts.

( d ) Interstate commerce Abusive debt collection practices are carried on to a substantial extent in interstate commerce and through means and instrumentalities of such commerce. Even where abusive debt collection practices are purely intrastate in character, they nevertheless directly affect interstate commerce. ( e ) Purposes It is the purpose of this subchapter to eliminate abusive debt collection practices by debt collectors, to insure that those debt collectors who refrain from using abusive debt collection practices are not competitively disadvantaged, and to promote consistent State action to protect consumers against debt collection abuses.

15 U.S. Code 6802 - Obligations with respect to disclosures of personal information ( a ) Notice requirements Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, a financial institution may not, directly or through any affiliate, disclose to a nonaffiliated third party any nonpublic personal information, unless such financial institution provides or has provided to the consumer a notice that complies with section 6803 of this title.

( b ) Opt out ( 1 ) In general A financial institution may not disclose nonpublic personal information to a nonaffiliated third party unless ( A ) such financial institution clearly and conspicuously discloses to the consumer, in writing or in electronic form or other form permitted by the regulations prescribed under section 6804 of this title, that such information may be disclosed to such third party ; ( B ) the consumer is given the opportunity, before the time that such information is initially disclosed, to direct that such information not be disclosed to such third party ; and ( C ) the consumer is given an explanation of how the consumer can exercise that nondisclosure option.

( 2 ) Exception This subsection shall not prevent a financial institution from providing nonpublic personal information to a nonaffiliated third party to perform services for or functions on behalf of the financial institution, including marketing of the financial institutions own products or services, or financial products or services offered pursuant to joint agreements between two or more financial institutions that comply with the requirements imposed by the regulations prescribed under section 6804 of this title, if the financial institution fully discloses the providing of such information and enters into a contractual agreement with the third party that requires the third party to maintain the confidentiality of such information.

( c ) Limits on reuse of information Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, a nonaffiliated third party that receives from a financial institution nonpublic personal information under this section shall not, directly or through an affiliate of such receiving third party, disclose such information to any other person that is a nonaffiliated third party of both the financial institution and such receiving third party, unless such disclosure would be lawful if made directly to such other person by the financial institution.

( d ) Limitations on the sharing of account number information for marketing purposes A financial institution shall not disclose, other than to a consumer reporting agency, an account number or similar form of access number or access code for a credit card account, deposit account, or transaction account of a consumer to any nonaffiliated third party for use in telemarketing, direct mail marketing, or other marketing through electronic mail to the consumer.

( e ) General exceptions Subsections ( a ) and ( b ) shall not prohibit the disclosure of nonpublic personal information ( 1 ) as necessary to effect, administer, or enforce a transaction requested or authorized by the consumer, or in connection with ( A ) servicing or processing a financial product or service requested or authorized by the consumer ; ( B ) maintaining or servicing the consumers account with the financial institution, or with another entity as part of a private label credit card program or other extension of credit on behalf of such entity ; or ( C ) a proposed or actual securitization, secondary market sale ( including sales of servicing rights ), or similar transaction related to a transaction of the consumer ; ( 2 ) with the consent or at the direction of the consumer ; ( 3 ) ( A ) to protect the confidentiality or security of the financial institutions records pertaining to the consumer, the service or product, or the transaction therein ; ( B ) to protect against or prevent actual or potential fraud, unauthorized transactions, claims, or other liability ; ( C ) for required institutional risk control, or for resolving customer disputes or inquiries ; ( D ) to persons holding a legal or beneficial interest relating to the consumer ; or ( E ) to persons acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity on behalf of the consumer ; ( 4 ) to provide information to insurance rate advisory organizations, guaranty funds or agencies, applicable rating agencies of the financial institution, persons assessing the institutions compliance with industry standards, and the institutions attorneys, accountants, and auditors ; ( 5 ) to the extent specifically permitted or required under other provisions of law and in accordance with the Right to Financial Privacy Act of 1978 [ 12 U.S.C. 3401 et seq. ], to law enforcement agencies ( including the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection [ 1 ] a Federal functional regulator, the Secretary of the Treasury with respect to subchapter II of chapter 53 of title 31, and chapter 2 of title I of Public Law 91508 ( 12 U.S.C. 19511959 ), a State insurance authority, or the Federal Trade Commission ), self-regulatory organizations, or for an investigation on a matter related to public safety ; ( 6 ) ( A ) to a consumer reporting agency in accordance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act [ 15 U.S.C. 1681 et seq. ], or ( B ) from a consumer report reported by a consumer reporting agency ; ( 7 ) in connection with a proposed or actual sale, merger, transfer, or exchange of all or a portion of a business or operating unit if the disclosure of nonpublic personal information concerns solely consumers of such business or unit; or ( 8 ) to comply with Federal, State, or local laws, rules, and other applicable legal requirements ; to comply with a properly authorized civil, criminal, or regulatory investigation or subpoena or summons by Federal, State, or local authorities ; or to respond to judicial process or government regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over the financial institution for examination, compliance, or other purposes as authorized by law. 


Sincerely, XXXX XXXX