Consumer complaint received 2022-06-07
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem — Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Company: EQUIFAX, INC. (NJ)

Complaint:
In XXXX I found on my credit report a chargeoff report for a credit card that I hadnt used in some time, which I believe to be a result of an error or fraud. I later submitted disputes to all 3 agencies, and 2 of them did not fix the issue. Neither substantively responded. In XX/XX/XXXX I was denied for multiple car loans and had to take a loan at an exorbitant 5 % interest rate. In XX/XX/XXXX I received a debt collection letter for the card in question. I called by phone and sent letters by certified mail to all parties involved, with no resolution or substantive response. In XXXX, this incident resulted in me being denied a mortgage by XXXX, despite having an XXXX credit rating from XXXX, because of the error not being fixed by the other two agencies. I would like to thank XXXX for fixing the issue when I disputed it. 

Summary of my current situation : An error or fraudulent charge of {$43.00} on a XXXX credit card has not been fixed by 2 credit agencies or by XXXX XXXX 
This has hurt my credit score by XXXX points. 
This has cost me thousands of dollars in car loan interest since XXXX. 
This has resulted in mortgage denials by XXXX for a home purchase in XXXX. 
The offending parties are : Equifax and XXXX, XXXX, Department XXXX XXXX Bank, and XXXX XXXX XXXX. 
My credit scores are as follows as of XX/XX/XXXX : XXXX : XXXX XXXX : XXXX ( has not fixed ) Equifax : XXXX ( has not fixed ) Timeline of events : Early XXXX : I find a negative item on my credit report for a chargeoff on a XXXX Credit card. 


XX/XX/XXXX : Filed a Credit Report dispute with XXXX, using their website. The dispute ID is XXXX. 

No response from XXXX is received by mail or digitally for XXXX  months. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I call XXXX support and speak with XXXX. She tells me that the dispute was marked Resolved on XX/XX/XXXX, and the result was mailed to XXXX XXXX XXXX. This address was my address between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX, it is XXXX  years out of date and XXXX has been aware of all my interim addresses as well as my current address. XXXX from XXXX tells me that they can not mail me a copy of the resolution to my current address. She suggests I try to view the resolution using their website by giving her my email. I do so and receive an email directing me to use disputesXXXX. This website does not show any disputes for my account. There was no fix. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I submit a Credit Report dispute with Equifax. It has an ID of XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Equifax dispute is marked complete with no fix. ( no document available ) XX/XX/XXXX : I submit a Credit Report dispute with XXXX. It has an ID of XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX : The XXXX dispute is complete. My credit score rises from XXXX to XXXX. 


XX/XX/XXXX : I purchase a car and am denied promotional loans of 0.99 % by XXXX financing department. I secure a 5 % loan, and collect documentation that many lenders denied me because of a collections item on my credit report. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I received a debt collection letter from XXXX XXXX XXXX, dated XX/XX/XXXX, claiming that I owe a debt of {$330.00} for a XXXX credit card that I have not used in some time. The card is serviced and legally managed by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX  ). 

XX/XX/XXXX : I called XXXX and XXXX to request resolution over the phone and was told by both that they could not help and that they could not point me to a process to follow. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I send dispute letters via certified mail to both XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX. 
( XXXX never responds ) XX/XX/XXXX : I received a packet from XXXX XXXX XXXX with Account Statements for the XXXX  credit card, which I previously had not received by mail or digitally. The statements show XXXX ( XXXX ) charge of {$46.00} dated XX/XX/XXXX. This packet does not include any response to my dispute. I do not consider it a verification of the debt. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I sent another letter to XXXX XXXX XXXX via certified mail, to say that the alleged charge is likely a case of error or fraud. I request they drop the collection and remove the credit report item. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I received a packet from XXXX XXXX XXXX It is a duplicate of the XX/XX/XXXX packet, with no additional response, and only includes printed account statements. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I am denied a mortgage in part because of this error not being fixed at 2 of the 3 agencies. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Submit the above in a complaint on the CFPB website at https : //portal.consumerfinance.gov/consumer/s/complaint-description

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation