Consumer complaint received 2026-05-19 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Other banking product or service
Issue: Improper use of your report — Credit inquiries on your report that you don't recognize
Company: Coinbase, Inc.
State: VA

Complaint narrative:
XX/XX/year> : I received an alert that there was a new hard inquiry on myXX/XX/XXXXcredit report that I did not recognize or authorize. I contactedXX/XX/XXXX to dispute it and it was soon removed from my credit report. The hard inquiry was from Coinbase. I did not apply for anything with Coinbase. I froze my credit after this. XX/XX/year> : I received an alert that a phone number ( XXXX ) has been added to my credit report on XX/XX/XXXX through a dispute process. I do not recognize this number and did not authorize it to be added to my credit report. I calledXX/XX/XXXX and had the phone number removed. XX/XX/XXXX informed me that this phone number was added via a phone toXX/XX/XXXXat XXXX on XX/XX/year>, and that the person who added this fraudulent phone number impersonated me using my social security number. XX/XX/year> : I contacted Coinbase to ask if there are any accounts that were opened with my SSN without my permission. Coinbase stated there is an account under my name with an email address that I did not recognize. Coinbase did not provide further info on this account when asked and did not confirm what further actions they will take to prevent any fraudulent activity. I received the case number XXXX for this inquiry with coinbase. XX/XX/year> : Within the next few days, I filed a police report ( report number : XXXX ) with the local police ( XXXX XXXX Sheriff 's Office ), and an ID theft report with the FTC ( report number : XXXX ). XX/XX/year> : I wrote to coinbase via registered, certified XXXX mail. I received confirmation that it was received and signed for by XXXX. In the letter, I formally requested that they close the account, clear any liabilities, and provide copies of the application/transaction records. In addition to the letter, I also enclosed a copy of my FTC report and local police report. XXXX XX/XX/year> : I received a cardless credit card in the mail, which I did not apply for. This was presumably sent to me as a result of the identity theft, applying a cardless credit card with my information and causing the hard inquiry on XX/XX/year>, as described earlier. XX/XX/year> : I received an email from cardless support ( support for the cardless credit card ). This email stated the following : You reached out to let us know that you may have been a victim of identity theft. We can confirm we have identified an account that was opened in your name. The account is now closed and you will not be responsible for the balance. Both the account and credit inquiry will be removed from your credit report. You should see this removal reflected on your credit report within XX/XX/XXXX days. However, later on XX/XX/year>, I received an email response from coinbase support with the case XX/XX/XXXXXXXX regarding the coinbase account. Coinbase Complaints Analyst " XXXX '' issued a final response stating : As this account was created using your personal information, and because Coinbase has no reason to believe this to be fraudulent, we are not responsible ... your complaint is not upheld. This stance directly violates multiple federal consumer protection laws : XXXX. FCRA Section XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ) ( 15 U.S.C. XXXX ) : Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, when a company is provided with an official law enforcement identity theft report, they must investigate and stop reporting the disputed information. Coinbase is violating this law by claiming the account is " not fraudulent '' simply because the thief used my real Social Security number. XXXX. Identity Theft Victim Rights ( 15 U.S.C. XXXX ( XXXX ) ) : Federal law grants identity theft victims a strict statutory right to receive all application and transaction records related to a fraudulent account within XX/XX/XXXXdays. Coinbase explicitly refused this in writing, hiding behind " privacy requirements ''. Furthermore, Coinbase 's position is completely contradicted by their own co-brand card issuer, Cardless, who independently investigated this exact same incident and has already formally confirmed in writing that this was fraud and that I hold XXXX financial responsibility. In summary, I am requesting the following : XXXX. Provide written confirmation that the fraudulent Coinbase.com exchange account is permanently closed, flagged internally as identity theft, and that I hold XXXX past, present, or future financial or tax liability for any activity on it. XXXX. Release all application and transaction records ( including IP addresses, device IDs, and verification documents used by the thief ) free of charge, as mandated by 15 U.S.C. XXXX ( XXXX ).

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation