Consumer complaint received 2024-04-07
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC. (AK)

The Fair Credit Reporting Act 15 USC 1681 section 602 a states " There is a need to insure that consumer reporting agencies exercise their grave responsibilities with fairness, impartiality, and a respect for the consumers right to privacy. '' XXXX, Equifax and XXXX are consumer reporting agencies and I am the Consumer. I have the right to make sure my private information isn't shared which is backed by 15 USC 6801 which states '' It is the policy of the Congress that each financial institution has an affirmative and continuing obligation to respect the privacy of its customers and to protect the security and confidentiality of those customers nonpublic personal information. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX are financial institutions by definition under that title. 15 USC 1681 section 604 a section 2 states that " In general Subject to subsection ( c ), any consumer reporting agency may furnish a consumer report under the following circumstances and no other : in accordance with the written instructions of the consumer to whom it relates. '' I have provided instructions that I do not want reporting of utilization/transaction history from said companies multiple times. This is willful noncompliance per 15 USC 1681n ( {$1000.00} per violation ) with which I have suffered damages in missed credit opportunities and the willful noncompliance is evidenced by my multiple reports and on paper denials to follow applicable law as stated. Also the Privacy Policies I signed for XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX said they do not share with XXXX party or non affiliates. Per 15 USC 1681a ( 2 ) ( A ) ( 1 ) reporting transaction history is ILLEGAL under exclusions. 15U.S.Code1681b- Permissible purposes of consumer reports Subject to subsection ( c ), any consumer reporting agency may furnish a consumer report under the following circumstances and no other ( 2 ) Inaccordance with the written instructions of the consumer to whom it relates. Provide to me the written instructions giving authority to violate my privacy. 15U.S.Code1681o- Civil liability for negligent noncompliance XXXX XXXX who is negligent in failing to comply with any requirement imposed under this subchapter with respect to any consumer is liable to that consumer in an amount equal to the sum of ( 1 ) any actual damages sustained by the consumer as a result of the failure. Privacy Act of 1974 ( 5 U.S. Code 552a ) Important Definitions ( 4 ) the term record means any item, collection, or grouping of information about an individual that is maintained by an agency, including, but not limited to, his education, financial transactions, medical history, and criminal or employment history and that contains his name, or the identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual, such as a finger or voice print or a photograph ; This includes consumer reports ( b ) Conditions of Disclosure.No agency shall disclose any record which is contained in a system of records by any means of communication to any person, or to another agency, except pursuant to a written request by, or with the prior written consent of, the individual to whom the record pertains. I have not given written consent, provide copies of the paperwork you claim gave WRITTEN CONSENT PER LAWXXXX XXXX  Initial privacy notice to consumers required. ( a ) Initial notice requirement. You must provide a clear and conspicuous notice that accurately reflects your privacy policies and practices to : ( 1 ) Customer. An individual who becomes your customer, not later than when you establish a customer relationship, except as provided in paragraph ( e ) of this section; and ( 2 ) Consumer. A consumer, before you disclose any nonpublic personal information about the consumer to any nonaffiliated third party. I never got proper notice per law. XXXX Form of opt out notice to consumers ; opt out methods. Section ( a ) ( 1 ) Form of opt out notice. If you are required to provide an opt out notice under XXXX ( a ), you must provide a clear and conspicuous notice to each of your consumers that accurately explains the right to opt out under that section. The notice must state : ( i ) That you disclose or reserve the right to disclose nonpublic personal information about your consumer to a nonaffiliated third party ; ( ii ) That the consumer has the right to opt out of that disclosure; and ( iii ) A reasonable means by which the consumer may exercise the opt out right. ( 2 ) Examples ( ii ) Reasonable opt out means. You provide a reasonable means to exercise an opt out right if you : ( A ) Designate check-off boxes in a prominent position on the relevant forms with the opt out notice ; ( B ) Include a reply form together with the opt out notice that, in the case of financial institutions described in XXXX ( l ) ( XXXX ) of this part, includes the address to which the form should be mailed ; ( C ) Provide an electronic means to opt out, such as a form that can be sent via electronic mail or a process at your Web site, if the consumer agrees to the electronic delivery of information ; or ( D ) Provide a toll-free telephone number that consumers may call to opt out. ( iii ) Unreasonable opt out means. You do not provide a reasonable means of opting out if : ( A ) The only means of opting out is for the consumer to write his or her own letter to exercise that opt out right; or ( B ) The only means of opting out as described in any notice subsequent to the initial notice is to use a check-off box that you provided with the initial notice but did not include with the subsequent notice. ( g ) Time to comply with opt out. You must comply with a consumer 's opt out direction as soon as reasonably practicable after you receive it. ( h ) Continuing right to opt out. A consumer may exercise the right to opt out at any time. ( i ) Duration of consumer 's opt out direction. ( 1 ) A consumer 's direction to opt out under this section is effective until the consumer revokes it in writing or, if the consumer agrees, electronically. A reasonable means has not been provided evidenced by my continual revocations. A clear and conspicuous notice was never given, the option to opt out was never given quite the opposite as XXXX, XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX  have stated I have no rights to opt out and are denying my rights as a federally protected consumer. 15U.S.Code6802- 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 non-affiliated 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. I was never given an option to opt out, I was told said institutions were obligated to report. I as the federally protected consumer revoke any and all consent and authorization I may have given written, non-written, verbal, non-verbal or implied to report my credit card utilization, transaction history, late/on time payments. Cease and desist reporting per the various laws written. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX the financial institutions and the Consumer reporting agencies XXXX, Equifax and XXXX do not have my consent to furnish this information and they surely do not have my written consent. 15 U.S.Code 6805- Enforcement ( a ) In general Subject to subtitle B of the Consumer Financial Protection Act of XXXX [ 12 U.S.C . 5511 et seq. ], this subchapter and the regulations prescribed thereunder shall be enforced by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, the Federal functional regulators, the State insurance authorities, and the Federal Trade Commission with respect to financial institutions and other persons subject to their jurisdiction under applicable law. Also XXXX XXXX XXXX states that " A consumer may exercise the right to opt out at any time. '' I am opting out of your reporting services for above said companies utilization and transaction history. 15 U.S. Code 1681e states '' Every consumer reporting agency shall maintain reasonable procedures designed to avoid violations of section 1681c of this title and to limit the furnishing of consumer reports to the purposes listed under section 1681b of this title. XXXX, Equifax and XXXX are not maintaining reasonable procedures. XXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Never informed me of my right to exercise my nondisclosure option. XXXX XXXX, Approved XX/XX/XXXX ( 82 Stat. 146 ) Sec. 604. [ 15 U.S.C. 1681b ( a ) In general.Subject to subsection ( c ) of this section, any consumer reporting agency may furnish a consumer report under the following circumstances and no other : ( 4 ) In response to a request by the head of a State or local child support enforcement agency ( or a State or local government official authorized by the head of such an agency ), if the person making the request certifies to the consumer reporting agency that ( A ) the consumer report is needed for the purpose of establishing an individuals capacity to make child support payments or determining the appropriate level of such payments ; ( B ) the paternity of the consumer for the child to which the obligation relates has been established or acknowledged by the consumer in accordance with State laws under which the obligation arises ( if required by those laws ) ; ( C ) the person has provided at least 10 days prior notice to the consumer whose report is requested, by certified or registered mail to the last known address of the consumer, that the report will be requested ; and ( D ) the consumer report will be kept confidential, will be used solely for a purpose described in subparagraph ( A ), and will not be used in connection with any other civil, administrative, or criminal proceeding, or for any other purpose. ( 5 ) To an agency administering a State plan under section 654 of title 42 for use to set an initial or modified child support award. The creditors must not disclose my information unless they give me an explanation of how I can exercise a nondisclosure option. XXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX is a clear violation of my consumer rights. They have egregiously disregarded these regulations by reporting transaction histories to consumer reporting agencies without obtaining my explicit consent, not providing clear conspicuous and reasonable opt out means thereby breaching the privacy rights guaranteed under Congress, The Fair Credit Reporting Act and The Privacy Act of 1974. 16 CFR 313.7 - Form of opt out notice to consumers ; opt out methods. ( a ) ( 1 ) Form of opt out notice. If you are required to provide an opt out notice under 313.10 ( a ), you must provide a clear and conspicuous notice to each of your consumers that accurately explains the right to opt out under that section. The notice must state : ( I ) That you disclose or reserve the right to disclose nonpublic personal information about your consumer to a nonaffiliated third party ; ( ii ) That the consumer has the right to opt out of that disclosure; and ( iii ) A reasonable means by which the consumer may exercise the opt out right. ( 2 ) Examples ( i ) Adequate opt out notice. You provide adequate notice that the consumer can opt out of the disclosure of nonpublic personal information to a nonaffiliated third party if you : ( A ) Identify all of the categories of nonpublic personal information that you disclose or reserve the right to disclose, and all of the categories of nonaffiliated third parties to which you disclose the information, as described in 313.6 ( a ) ( 2 ) and ( 3 ) and state that the consumer can opt out of the disclosure of that information; and ( B ) Identify the financial products or services that the consumer obtains from you, either singly or jointly, to which the opt out direction would apply. ( ii ) Reasonable opt out means. You provide a reasonable means to exercise an opt out right if you : ( A ) Designate check-off boxes in a prominent position on the relevant forms with the opt out notice ; ( B ) Include a reply form that includes the address to which the form should be mailed ; or ( C ) Provide an electronic means to opt out, such as a form that can be sent via electronic mail or a process at your web site, if the consumer agrees to the electronic delivery of information ; or ( D ) Provide a toll-free telephone number that consumers may call to opt out. ( iii ) Unreasonable opt out means. You do not provide a reasonable means of opting out if : ( A ) The only means of opting out is for the consumer to write his or her own letter to exercise that opt out right; or ( B ) The only means of opting out as described in any notice subsequent to the initial notice is to use a check-off box that you provided with the initial notice but did not include with the subsequent notice. ( iv ) Specific opt out means. You may require each consumer to opt out through a specific means, as long as that means is reasonable for that consumer. ( b ) Same form as initial notice permitted. You may provide the opt out notice together with or on the same written or electronic form as the initial notice you provide in accordance with XXXX ( c ) Initial notice required when opt out notice delivered subsequent to initial notice. If you provide the opt out notice later than required for the initial notice in accordance with XXXX, you must also include a copy of the initial notice with the opt out notice in writing or, if the consumer agrees, electronically. ( e ) Time to comply with opt out. You must comply with a consumer 's opt out direction as soon as reasonably practicable after you receive it. ( f ) Continuing right to opt out. A consumer may exercise the right to opt out at any time. ( g ) Duration of consumer 's opt out direction. ( XXXX ) A consumer 's direction to opt out under this section is effective until the consumer revokes it in writing or, if the consumer agrees, electronically. ( 2 ) When a customer relationship terminates, the customer 's opt out direction continues to apply to the nonpublic personal information that you collected during or related to that relationship. If the individual subsequently establishes a new customer relationship with you, the opt out direction that applied to the former relationship does not apply to the new relationship. ( h ) Delivery. When you are required to deliver an opt out notice by this section, you must deliver it according to XXXX. ( I ) Model privacy form. Pursuant to XXXX ( a ) of this part, a model privacy form that meets the notice content requirements of this section is included in appendix A of this part.