Consumer complaint received 2024-12-09 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report — Account status incorrect
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
This was their letter to me : XXXX XXXX XXXX | XXXX, DE | XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, FL XXXX RE : XXXX XXXX XXXX account ending in XXXX Dear XXXX XXXX : I have received correspondence forwarded to XXXX XXXX  Delaware ( 'Barclays XXXX ) from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau XXXX I understand your concerns about the above-referenced account, and would like to detail the results of my investigation, following our last conversation. 
In your correspondence, you shared your concerns over a hold that was placed on your abovereferenced account. You also expressed concern that when you tried to book a flight with XXXX, you were not able to do so. We take security very seriously, and to ensure that actions are not granted to an unauthorized third party, there may be instances when we will need to verify account information. I confirmed that we placed a hold on your above-referenced account on XX/XX/XXXX. On this day, since we were not able to complete an outbound call to verify your transaction attempt with XXXX, we requested for account-verifying documents, such as a utility bill, drivers license, and a clear front and back copy of your Social Security card with a government seal, or the latest 1040 tax form with your signature. We received documents from you and we were able to accept the utility bill and drivers license ; however, as the Social Security card did not have a government seal on it, we were unable to accept it. When we spoke previously, you advised that you were unable to do your taxes for last year as you were not able to view your statements on line due to the security hold. Per your request, we have mailed your XXXX billing statements to the address on file. When you are able to complete the 1040 tax form, the document can be sent to : XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX, DE XXXX Fax : XXXX Once received, the documents may take 7 to10 business days for processing. If you wish to verify that the documents have been received, you may contact XXXX, Monday through Friday from XXXX to XXXX XXXX. 
In your correspondence, you also advised that you made a payment for {$200.00} that did not post to your account, which caused your account to become past due. After receiving your recent proof of payment, we were able to locate the payment of {$200.00} and backdated it to the original receipt date of XX/XX/XXXX. Additionally, we have credited back {$4.00} in interest charges, which reflected in your XX/XX/XXXX billing statement. 
You also shared your concerns over a credit line decrease that occurred on the account. As part of our account-management process, we periodically monitor accounts, as well as overall credit history, and may take action based on this monitoring. I confirmed that on XX/XX/XXXX, we decided to lower your credit line from {$15000.00} to {$3700.00} and we sent a letter to you about this change, which is I have enclosed for your records. As stated in the terms of your Cardmember Agreement, we reserve the right to decrease your credit line at any time, without prior notification. Unfortunately, at this time we would not be able to consider an increase until your overall debt is brought down.

I understand your concerns regarding your FICO Score ; however, your FICO Score is not modified or validated by XXXX. 
When we spoke, you mentioned that you had been affected by XXXX XXXX. You also advised that you were not going to make a payment for two months until your issues had been resolved. At that time, I advised that we could enroll your account in our Payment Relief Program. This program allows you to skip 2 consecutive minimum monthly payments. At this time, you can receive this payment relief only once per account, up to a maximum of 2 months. We will continue to send you billing statements during the enrollment of the program. The minimum payment due will still appear on your statement even though you do not need to make a payment. Interest will continue to accrue in accordance with the terms of your account ; therefore, increasing the account balance. If your account was current, and in good standing, at the time you enrolled in the Payment Relief Program, we will continue to report your account as current to the credit bureaus. If your account was delinquent at the time of enrollment in the program, we will continue to report your account at that stage of delinquency to the credit bureaus. Once your participation in the program ends, you will need to resume making the monthly minimum payment due, according to your account terms. This will include any past due payments that existed at the time we granted you this relief. Your account is now enrolled in this Payment Relief Program. As your account was showing that a minimum payment had not been met for your XX/XX/XXXX, due date, the relief was backdated to cover your XX/XX/XXXX due date and your XX/XX/XXXX, due date. The next payment due will be on XX/XX/XXXX. When you log in to your account online, there is an enrollment banner along with your enrollment end date. 
In your correspondence, you requested for compensation and points. Respectfully, we decline to honor this request. 
You also expressed concerns about the possibility that discrimination occurred. We assure you that this is not the case, and that XXXX XXXX  Delaware fully complies with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, as well as all other applicable consumer protection laws. Customer service is very important to us. I'm sorry we did not meet your servicing expectations. 
If you have questions, please call me at XXXX. My office hours are XXXX XXXX  to XXXX XXXX  PT, Monday through Friday. 
Sincerely, XXXX XXXX of the President Enclosure CC : Consumer Financial Protection Burea And this was my response : Dear XXXX XXXX, I am writing in response to your letter dated XX/XX/XXXX. I find the resolution and explanation provided unsatisfactory, as it fails to address the significant issues I experienced with your organization. Below, I outline my concerns in greater detail : ________________________________________ 1. Security Hold and Customer Service Treatment When speaking with your customer service representative, I explained that I could not receive outbound calls due to international travel, as they would either go directly to voicemail or not go through. I asked for alternative verification methods such as a text, a callback, an email, or a verification code. Despite this, the representative, after learning my name and location ( XXXX ), responded with hostility, stating, " I cant help you, '' and abruptly ended the call. 
Five minutes later, I called again and reached another representative who was initially helpful. This person sent me a verification code, which I provided successfully. However, after being placed on hold, this representative returned with a rude and hostile tone. He informed me that my account access would be blocked, my card would be canceled, and I would need to provide excessive documentation, including : A copy of my passport or drivers license. 
A recent utility bill. 
A front and back copy of my Social Security card. 
This approach was extreme, especially given that the issue was caused by your system wrongfully declining a XXXX transactiontwice. Your organizations actions were punitive rather than supportive, and it is unacceptable to subject customers to such treatment while overseas. Furthermore, these demands for documentation far exceeded what was required when the account was opened, and the situation was clearly not related to fraud or a scheme. 
________________________________________ 2. Request for Back of Social Security Card Your letter mentions that my Social Security card was rejected due to the absence of a government seal on it, and you requested a copy of both the front and back of the card. This raises serious concerns about your internal policies, as : The back of the Social Security card is standard for all issued cards and contains no unique information.

Older Social Security cards were not issued with government seals or stamps. 
This demonstrates a lack of knowledge or logic within the policies your team is enforcing. Additionally, I was never asked for my most recent signed 1040 tax form during my initial interactions. This demand was introduced later during our phone calls and in your correspondence, further showcasing inconsistency in your procedures.

________________________________________ 3. Rejection of Valid Government-Issued Identification The rejection of my legal, government-issued Social Security card is deeply concerning. As an American citizen, I provided a legitimate document, which your team refused to accept. This action raises a significant red flag about your practices. If your organization refuses to accept American government-issued documents, I believe it calls into question your eligibility to do business in the United States XXXX and I am considering escalating this matter to the appropriate regulatory bodies. 
________________________________________ 4. Delayed Delivery of Billing Statements Your letter states that, per my request, my XXXX billing statements were mailed to the address on file. However, this process took over three months, causing unnecessary delays in resolving my tax filings. Such inefficiency is unacceptable and demonstrates poor customer service.

________________________________________ 5. FICO Score Impact and Credit Line Reduction While you correctly noted that XXXX does not validate or modify FICO Scores, your actions significantly affected my credit. On XX/XX/XXXX, your organization reduced my credit line from {$15000.00} to {$3700.00} without prior notification. This drastic reduction had an immediate negative impact on my credit utilization ratio. 
Additionally, your team erroneously reported a 30-day delinquency to the credit bureaus due to delays in processing a {$200.00} payment, which was sent via regular mail and cashed by your third-party processor. This delay, caused entirely by your organization, unfairly affected my credit score. 
________________________________________ 6. Payment Relief Program and Credit Reporting When I informed you that I had been affected by XXXX XXXX, you offered enrollment in the Payment Relief Program, allowing me to skip XXXX consecutive minimum payments. You assured me twice, both in writing and over the phone, that the program would cover my XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX due dates, with the next payment due on XX/XX/XXXX. 
Despite these assurances, you reported a delinquent payment for XX/XX/XXXX, causing my credit score to drop by XXXX points. This breach of trust is unacceptable, and your lack of communication has caused further harm to my credit. 
________________________________________ 7. Request for Compensation I initially requested compensation for the damages and inconvenience caused by your representatives ' actions and your organizations failures. You declined to honor this request. As a result, I am now compelled to pursue legal action to recover damages and will escalate this matter to ensure accountability, including making it a matter of public record if necessary.

________________________________________ 8. Alleged Discrimination Your letter denies any discrimination, yet the behavior of your representatives raises serious concerns. I will insist on a review of the recorded calls between myself and your representatives to determine whether discriminatory practices occurred. This investigation will also ensure compliance with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and other applicable consumer protection laws. 
________________________________________ I look forward to your timely response. 
Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief