Consumer complaint received 2024-09-15 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report — Information belongs to someone else
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this formal dispute of fraudulent and unauthorized accounts currently reporting on my credit reports, pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 1681 under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), as well as to initiate a formal investigation under the Identity Theft and Fraud Prevention guidelines established by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) and enforced by the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ).

The following accounts were opened or reported without my knowledge, authorization, or consent, and thus, are erroneous and damaging to my credit profile : XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Each of these accounts represents violations of my consumer rights under FCRA and Metro 2 compliance guidelines. Specifically : Unauthorized Accounts : These accounts were opened and/or reported in my name without my authorization. Under FCRA 605B, I am entitled to have all fraudulent and erroneous accounts permanently removed from my credit file as these accounts were reported in error. 

Inaccurate Reporting : The information provided by these creditors has been improperly reported in violation of FCRA 623 ( a ), which requires furnishers to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information they provide to the credit bureaus. The creditors have failed to provide sufficient proof that these accounts were valid, legitimate, or authorized by me.

Identity Theft Claim : In accordance with 15 U.S.C. 1681c-2, I am filing this identity theft report as required by law. The fraudulent activity, including the opening of these accounts and any subsequent transactions, occurred without my knowledge or consent. I therefore request an immediate removal of all references to these accounts from my credit report. 

Metro 2 Non-Compliance : In addition to the FCRA violations, the reporting of these accounts does not meet Metro 2 format compliance. As these accounts have been inaccurately reported without adherence to Metro 2 guidelines, I am requesting the immediate deletion of all related entries from my credit report to rectify these non-compliances.

Charge-Offs and Erroneous Balances : These accounts are currently listed as charged off or past due with balances that I did not incur. Under FCRA 611, the credit bureaus are required to conduct a reasonable investigation of the disputed information. However, these creditors have failed to provide the original signed contract or any valid documentation that ties me to these debts. As such, these accounts should be immediately removed.

Violation of 15 U.S.C. 1681i : Credit reporting agencies are obligated to investigate disputes fully. If the information can not be verified within 30 days or does not adhere to federal reporting standards, the negative information must be permanently deleted from my report. Since these accounts are fraudulent and no verifiable proof has been provided by the creditors, the only remedy is full deletion. 

Request for Immediate Action : Given the violation of my rights under the FCRA, I am requesting the following : Immediate deletion of all references to the fraudulent accounts from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, and XXXX XXXXXXXX from my credit report. 

Removal of any charge-offs, delinquencies, or other negative notations associated with these accounts. 

Permanent prevention of these creditors reporting further negative information on my credit file. 

Confirmation in writing that these accounts have been removed and that no negative information will be reported moving forward. 

I expect this dispute to be handled swiftly and all inaccurate, unverifiable, and unauthorized items to be permanently deleted from my credit file under FCRA 611. If these items are not removed in a timely manner, I am prepared to pursue legal remedies as allowed under federal law.

Please note that I am filing this dispute under the guidelines of IdentityTheft.gov as an identity theft victim, and any further reporting of these fraudulent accounts will be considered a violation of my rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief