Consumer complaint received 2025-12-22 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: Affirm Holdings, Inc
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
I am not satisfied with Affirms response. The account at issue does not belong to me and is the result of identity theft. I did not open this account, did not authorize it, did not consent to its terms, and did not receive or benefit from any funds associated with it. I have already taken the appropriate legal steps to report this crime, including filing an FTC Identity Theft Report. Despite this, Affirm has failed to properly address the substance of my complaint. 

Because my prior CFPB complaint ( XXXX XXXX. XXXX ) was closed without a meaningful resolution of the identity theft issue, I am creating this new case to formally challenge Affirms continued reliance on internal billing records rather than conducting a lawful identity-theft-specific investigation as required under federal law. 

Affirms response is inadequate, dismissive, and procedurally deficient. The company repeatedly asserts that the account is accurately reported based on its internal systems, payment history, and loan documentation. However, accuracy under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) is not limited to internal consistency. Accuracy requires that the account legitimately belong to the consumer. An account opened through identity theft can not be deemed accurate simply because payments were posted or because a loan agreement exists in a lenders records. 

Affirm has not demonstrated that I personally applied for this loan, that my identity was properly verified at origination, or that I knowingly consented to the agreement. The response fails to explain what identity-verification methods were used, what documents were relied upon to confirm authorization, or how identity theft was ruled out. Instead, Affirm relies on boilerplate language and contractual references that are irrelevant when the foundational issue is lack of authorization. 

I want to be unequivocally clear : I did not open this account. 
I did not authorize this account. 
I did not agree to the loan terms. 
I did not receive or benefit from the funds. 

Affirms response does not rebut these facts. It merely restates its internal narrative. 

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, furnishers are required to conduct a reasonable investigation when an account is disputed, particularly when identity theft is alleged. A reasonable investigation must go beyond confirming that internal records match what was reported. It must assess whether the consumer actually incurred the debt. Affirms response does not reflect such an investigation. There is no evidence that Affirm reviewed identity-theft documentation in good faith or evaluated whether the account was fraudulently opened. 

Additionally, the continued reporting and collection of an identity-theft-related account causes ongoing harm. Each transfer to or involvement of a third-party collection agency compounds the damage and increases the risk of inaccurate reporting across multiple consumer reporting agencies. Referring me to a collection partner does not resolve the issue ; it perpetuates it. 

Affirms assertion that charge-off status is irreversible is also troubling. Charge-off is an accounting decision, not a legal determination of ownership or liability. An account that was never authorized can not be made valid by charge-off, payment history, or internal servicing actions. The fact that Affirm continues to rely on this reasoning demonstrates a misunderstandingor disregardof identity theft protections. 

I also note that Affirms response shifts responsibility to the consumer to report unauthorized activity through additional internal channels, despite the fact that I have already filed an FTC Identity Theft Report and raised this matter through the CFPB. This approach places an unreasonable burden on the victim and contradicts the purpose of consumer protection laws. 

Because this account is not mine, I am requesting the following corrective actions : Formal recognition that the account was opened without my authorization and is the result of identity theft Cessation of all collection activity, including involvement of any third-party agencies Removal or suppression of any credit reporting related to this account, if applicable Confirmation that the account will not be sold, transferred, or reassigned to any additional collection entities Documentation of the identity-theft determination in Affirms internal records to prevent future reinsertion or collection attempts Until these actions are taken, this matter remains unresolved. 

This feedback is submitted to make clear that the closure of my prior CFPB case ( XXXX ) did not resolve the identity theft issue and that Affirms response does not satisfy its legal obligations. I am pursuing this new case to ensure that the account is properly addressed as unauthorized and that my rights as a consumer and identity-theft victim are respected. 

I respectfully request that the CFPB review this matter with the seriousness it warrants and that Affirm be required to conduct a lawful, identity-theft-focused reinvestigation rather than relying on internal payment records alone.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation