Consumer complaint received 2025-06-20 00:00:00
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.
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
XXXX contacting you for urgent help regarding a Parent PLUS loan that has severely damaged my creditthrough no fault of my owndue to a combination of misinformation, lack of proper notification, and inconsistent handling by the loan servicer XXXX. This harm has been compounded by the actions and inaction of the XXXX major credit bureaus : Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. 

When my son was applying to college, the University XXXX Georgia XXXX aid office advised us to apply for what I was told was a parent co-sign option on his student loans. Based on their guidance, I believed I was co-signing to help him qualify for in-state tuition. I later discoveredonly after my credit score droppedthat it was a Parent PLUS loan issued solely in my name, something I was never properly informed or educated about. Had I understood this, I would not have agreed to the loan. 

I was never notified by XXXX that I had a loan in my name. I received no billing statements, no phone calls, and no emails. I never even set up a XXXX account because I didnt know one existed. I only learned about the loan after my credit score dropped by over XXXX points due to late payments totaling around {$200.00}, which I had never been made aware of. 

When I contacted XXXX, I discovered they had outdated and incorrect contact information on file, which they never attempted to correct or verify. Despite this, they claimed they attempted to contact me and refuse to take responsibility for using invalid contact details. I asked for a goodwill adjustment, offering to pay the full late amount plus any late fees in order to resolve the situation and repair my credit. Even with this good-faith offer, I was denied. XXXX representative stated that XXXX does not follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act, just their interpretation of it. When I later spoke to a different representative, he confirmed the companys position on denying goodwill adjustments and relying on their internal FCRA interpretationbut contradicted the previous representative by stating that XXXX does not contact borrowers at all, claiming it is solely the borrowers responsibility to create an account and monitor the online portal. This contradiction highlights a fundamental issue in XXXX servicing practices and internal communication, which unfairly burdens borrowers who were never properly informed or advised. 

I submitted disputes to all three major credit bureaus : Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. While Equifax did remove the late payments from the XXXX account, they created a new problem by reassigning those same late payments to a new tradeline labeled under the Department of XXXX account I have never opened or managed directly. The XXXX account now appears clean, but a fabricated Department of Education account now inaccurately reflects the same delinquencies. This is a serious misrepresentation and does not resolve the underlying issueit simply relocates it to another entity, mislabeling the origin of the error and misleading any party reviewing my credit report. 

Meanwhile, Experian and TransUnion have taken no corrective action at all. Both claimed XXXX verified the information and closed the disputes, ignoring all of the documentation I provided, including : The miscommunication surrounding the Parent PLUS loan A forbearance confirmation email from XXXX with my city misspelled ( XXXX instead of XXXX ) Internal contradictions between XXXX supervisors about whether they notify borrowers This has caused severe damage to my life and credit and XXXX seeking assistance from your office to help resolve this, correct the reporting, and hold XXXX accountable for what I believe are multiple failures in communication and servicing obligations. Additionally, XXXX asking for help holding the credit bureaus responsible as well, since they have placed me in an endless, futile cycle of re-disputes each time waiting 30 days only to be told the dispute was rejected, with no meaningful investigation or review of the documentation I provided. This process is not only unhelpful but actively prolongs my hardship, and I have been given no clear path to resolution. 

This situation has completely disrupted my life my credit score has dropped over XXXX points, and I have been unable to qualify for housing, missed out on a home I was preparing to buy, and am now unable to move forward with basic financial needs despite a lifelong record of excellent credit. XXXX urgently requesting your support to help me correct this, investigate XXXX actions, and restore my ability to live and move forward.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief