Consumer complaint received 2025-10-17 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Credit inquiries on your report that you don't recognize
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
* Equifax Personal Identifiers Purge + Unauthorized Inquiries Deletion Date : XX/XX/XXXX Via Certified Mail To : Equifax Information Services LLC XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, Georgia XXXX Consumer : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, California XXXX DOB : XX/XX/XXXX SSN ( Last 4 ) : XXXX Subject : Formal Dispute under FCRA 607 ( b ), 609 ( a ), 611 Remove Incorrect Names/Addresses ; Delete Unauthorized Hard Inquiries for Lack of Permissible Purpose Dear Equifax Dispute Department : I am exercising my rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), including 607 ( b ) ( maximum possible accuracy ), 609 ( a ) ( file disclosure ), and 611 ( reinvestigation ), to correct my file immediately.

A. Names Remove All Variants ; Keep Only My Legal Name Remove every name variant from my file and retain only the correct legal name below : Correct name to keep : XXXX XXXX XXXX Names to delete in full : XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, and any other variant not exactly matching XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

Maintaining multiple or inaccurate name permutations invites commingling and violates FCRA 607 ( b ) by reducing accuracy and increasing mixed-file risk.

B. Addresses Delete All Addresses Listed on My File ( Personal or Business ) Delete all addresses associated with my file. Do not display any address as active in my published file unless and until I expressly consent after this dispute is concluded. Retain my current mailing address only for correspondence about this dispute.

Addresses to delete in full ( non-exhaustive based on your disclosure ) : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Hard Inquiries Delete for Lack of Permissible Purpose ( FCRA 604 ) I dispute the following hard inquiries as unauthorized. Under FCRA 604 ( a ), a hard inquiry requires a permissible purpose ( e.g., my written consent for a credit application or a firm offer of credit under 604 ( c ) ). I never authorized these pulls and there was no permissible purpose. Please delete each inquiry : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Inquired on XX/XX/XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, NY XXXX. ( XXXX ) XXXX. 

XXXX Inquired on XX/XX/XXXX. XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, CT XXXX. 

Required action : 1. Delete each inquiry above for lack of permissible purpose under FCRA 604.

2. Provide the Method of Verification under 611 ( a ) ( 6 ) ( B ) ( iii ), including the identity of the person you contacted, the documentation reviewed ( signed application, written consent, or bona fide firm-offer records ), and a copy of any authorization you relied upon.

3. Provide an updated disclosure of my file under 609 ( a ) reflecting the removals.

4. If you can not obtain documentary proof of a valid 604 ( a ) purpose for each inquiry, you must delete it per 611 ( a ) ( 5 ). Maintain a litigation hold on all communications and ACDV/AUD logs related to this dispute.

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX : Government ID ; recent utility/mail for identity ; highlighted report pages * XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, CA XXXX Phone : ( XXXX ) XXXX * * Date : * * XX/XX/XXXX * * Via Certified Mail Return Receipt Requested * * * * Equifax Information Services LLC * * XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX, GA XXXX * * Subject : * * Formal Dispute XXXX XXXX XXXX Charged-Off Auto Loan ( Acct # XXXX ) Demand for Correction/Deletion and Method of Verification ( FCRA 607 ( b ), 609 ( a ), 611 ) Metro 2 / CRRG Non-Compliance Dear Equifax Dispute Department : I am disputing inaccurate , incomplete, and Metro 2noncompliant information in my Equifax consumer file. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), including * * 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ) * * ( maximum possible accuracy ), * * 1681g * * ( file disclosure ), and * * 1681i * * ( reinvestigation and method of verification ), please correct or delete the errors below and provide your Method of Verification.

-- - # # # Item in Dispute ( Auto Loan XXXX XXXX XXXX ) * * * Furnisher/Account Name : * * XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) * * * Account Number ( masked ) : * * XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Account Type : * * Installment ( Auto ) * * * Date Opened : * * XX/XX/XXXX * * * Open/Closed : * * Closed * * * Status Shown : * * * * Charge-off * * ; * * Past due {$29000.00} * * * * * Status Updated : * * * * XX/XX/XXXX * * * * * Balance / Balance Updated : * * * * {$29000.00} * * / * * XX/XX/XXXX * * * * * Terms : * * 72 Months * * * Responsibility : * * * * Co-maker * * * * * Last Payment Date : * * * * XX/XX/XXXX * * * * * Comments : * * * * CHARGED OFF ACCOUNT TRANSFERRED TO RECOVERY. * * ( These data points appear in my Equifax disclosure generated * * XX/XX/XXXX * *. ) -- - # # # Specific Inaccuracies / Metro 2 Compliance Defects 1. * * Past-Due Amount Improperly Reported After Charge-Off ( Metro 2 Status 97 ) Critical * * You report a * * past due {$29000.00} * * while simultaneously reporting a * * charge-off * *. Under Metro 2 / CRRG for * * Status 97 ( Charge-Off ) * *, the * * Past-Due Amount must be {$0.00} * * after charge-off. Continuing to display a past-due equal to the charged-off balance is inaccurate and misleading.

* * Violations : * * * * FCRA 607 ( b ) * * ; deletion required if not verifiable per * * 611 ( a ) ( 5 ) * *.

2. * * Missing/Unfurnished Date of First Delinquency ( DOFD Metro 2 Field 25 ) Critical * * The disclosure does not show the * * DOFD * * used to determine the obsolescence period for this charge-off. Furnishers must supply DOFD ; without it, obsolescence can not be properly calculated.

* * Violations : * * * * FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 5 ) * * ( furnisher DOFD duty ) ; * * 607 ( b ) * * ; * * 611 * *.

3. * * Conflicting Timeline and Payment History Coding Critical * * You list * * Status Updated : XX/XX/XXXX * *, * * Balance Updated : XX/XX/XXXX * *, continuous * * CO * * coding across XXXX, * * and * * a * * Last Payment Date : XX/XX/XXXX * *. If a payment posted in * * XX/XX/XXXX * *, the Payment History Profile ( Fields 7178 ) can not simultaneously show uninterrupted * * CO * * for that month without proper Metro 2 treatment.

* * Violations : * * * * FCRA 607 ( b ) * * ; * * 611 * *.

4. * * Transferred to recovery with Ambiguous Balance/Past-Due Treatment Major * * If * * internally transferred * *, post-CO * * Past-Due must be {$0.00} * * and balance/comments must align ; if * * sold/assigned * *, the original creditor typically reports * * {$0.00} current balance * * to avoid duplicate derogatory impact. Current presentation is ambiguous and misleading.

* * Violations : * * * * FCRA 607 ( b ) * * ; Metro 2 alignment of status/balance/comment fields.

5. * * Responsibility/ECOA Code ( Co-maker ) Verification Required Major * * The * * ECOA/Responsibility * * code must match my legal obligation. Furnisher must substantiate the coding with the executed contract ; mis-coding materially affects risk models.

* * Violations : * * * * FCRA 607 ( b ) * * ; * * 623 ( a ) & ( b ) * * ( furnisher accuracy duties ).

-- - # # # Required Actions * * A ) Immediate Correction or Full Deletion ( FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 5 ) ) * * 1. Set * * Past-Due = {$0.00} * * for * * all months after charge-off ( Status 97 ) * *.

2. Correct * * Payment History Profile ( Fields 7178 ) * * for * * XX/XX/XXXX * * to reflect the recorded payment and ensure consistency with the * * Status/Account Information Date * *.

3. Populate and furnish the * * DOFD ( Field 25 ) * *.

4. Align * * Current Balance, Charge-Off Amount, Past-Due, comments, and status * * per Metro 2 / CRRG .

5. * * Delete * * the tradeline if the furnisher can not produce competent, Metro-2-compliant documentation for * * each element * * above.

* * B ) Method of Verification ( FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 6 ) ( B ) ( iii ) ) Mandatory * * Provide a written MOV detailing : * * * Names/titles * * of each person at XXXX XXXX XXXX who verified data; * * * Documents reviewed * * : original signed contract, charge-off accounting ledger, payment log showing * * XX/XX/XXXX * *, and * * ACDV/AUD * * records exchanged; * The exact * * Metro 2 fields/codes * * relied upon : * * Status ( 97 ) * *, * * DOFD ( Field 25 ) * *, * * Payment History ( Fields 7178 ) * *, * * ECOA/Responsibility * *, * * Status/Account Information Date * *, and the * * calculation logic * * for * * Current Balance * *, * * Charge-Off Amount * *, and * * Past-Due * * after charge-off.

* * C ) Litigation Hold & Reinsertion Notice * * Preserve all records ( ACDV/AUD logs, internal notes, communications with XXXX ) . Do not reinsert deleted information without complying with * * 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( B ) * *.

* * Authority & Case Law : * * See * * Cushman v. Trans Union, 115 F.3d 220 ( 3d Cir. 1997 ) * * ( reasonable reinvestigation ) ; * * Johnson v. MBNA, 357 F.3d 426 ( 4th Cir. 2004 ) * * ; * * Gorman v. Wolpoff & Abramson, 584 F.3d 1147 ( 9th Cir. 2009 ) * * ( furnisher accuracy duties ).

Please complete the reinvestigation within * * 30 days * * and mail me : ( 1 ) written confirmation of * * correction or deletion * *, and ( 2 ) your * * Method of Verification * * with an updated * * 609 ( a ) * * disclosure reflecting corrected data. If you can not verify with competent documentation, you must * * delete * * the tradeline under * * 611 ( a ) ( 5 ) * *.

Respectfully, * * XXXX XXXX XXXX * * ( Signature )

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief