Consumer complaint received 2024-12-09 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Was not notified of investigation status or results
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
I am filing this complaint against XXXX regarding their blatant failure to conduct a proper and reasonable reinvestigation of the disputes I submitted, as required under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ). Instead of resolving the specific inaccuracies I identified in my credit reports, each credit bureau sent me a generic stall letter, which neither addressed the issues raised nor provided meaningful results of any investigation. 

This situation is made even more egregious because formal complaints had already been filed against the credit bureaus through the CFPB regarding their mishandling of my prior disputes. Despite being made aware of these issues through an official government channel, the credit bureaus have persisted in their noncompliance, claiming they could not verify my identity or suggesting third-party involvement without basis. These tactics clearly indicate a deliberate attempt to avoid their obligations under the FCRA. 

Specific Violations of the FCRA : Failure to Conduct a Reasonable Reinvestigation ( 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 1 ) ) : The credit bureaus failed to properly reinvestigate the disputed information as required. Instead, I received letters claiming that my disputes could not be addressed due to alleged third-party involvement or unsupported claims of unverifiable identity, despite clear documentation submitted with my disputes. 

Failure to Forward Relevant Information to Data Furnishers ( 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 2 ) ) : Each credit bureau failed to forward all relevant information from my disputes to the data furnishers. This omission has resulted in incomplete or non-existent reinvestigations of the disputed items. 

Failure to Review and Consider All Submitted Information ( 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 4 ) ) : Despite providing detailed evidence and documentation in my disputes, including identifying specific errors and providing supporting materials, the credit bureaus failed to adequately review or consider my submissions. 

Failure to Provide Results of the Investigation ( 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 6 ) ) : The stall letters I received did not provide a meaningful explanation of the investigation results or any supporting documentation. Instead, I was sent generic letters that failed to verify, modify, or delete the disputed information as required under the FCRA. 

Failure to Correct or Delete Inaccurate Information ( 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ) : The credit bureaus have allowed inaccurate and unverifiable information to remain on my credit reports, despite being unable to validate it with proper evidence during their so-called reinvestigations. 

Equifax-Specific Issues : Equifax sent two conflicting and problematic responses to my dispute on the same day, both of which highlight a failure to comply with their obligations under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) : Failure to Properly Locate My Credit File : In the first letter, Equifax claimed they were unable to locate my credit file and requested extensive identification documentation. This is concerning for several reasons : I provided sufficient information in my original dispute to identify myself and the items in dispute, as demonstrated by the fact that Equifax has acknowledged and responded to disputes in the past. 

The need for additional identification should have been addressed earlier, not after receiving a detailed dispute that included accurate identifying information. 

Equifaxs demand for excessive personal information ( e.g., W-2, Social Security Card , rental agreement ) creates unnecessary delays and violates their duty to conduct a timely and reasonable reinvestigation under 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 1 ). 
Dismissal of Disputes as Frivolous Without Justification : In the second letter, Equifax acknowledged receipt of my dispute but claimed the dispute was frivolous because the items had allegedly been verified in previous disputes. Specifically, they referenced disputes related to XXXX. XXXX XXXX and XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX accounts. However : Equifax failed to provide any documentation or evidence supporting their claim that these accounts were previously verified as accurate. 

I submitted a new dispute with relevant information, including the absence of proper notification of reporting and inaccuracies related to account details. Equifax ignored this new information and summarily dismissed the dispute. 

This dismissal violates 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 1 ) ( 2 ), which requires the credit bureau to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation and forward all relevant information to the data furnisher. 

Conflicting Actions and Failure to Address the Dispute : Equifaxs decision to request additional identification while simultaneously declaring my dispute frivolous demonstrates a lack of consistency and accountability in their handling of disputes. This conduct obstructs the resolution process and violates my rights as a consumer. 

Failure to Provide Results of Investigation ( 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 6 ) ) : Equifax failed to substantiate their findings or provide detailed documentation of how the disputed items were verified as accurate. This omission deprives me of the ability to understand or challenge their findings effectively. 

Attempt to Shift Responsibility to the Consumer : Equifaxs letter suggests that I must provide " new relevant information '' to dispute the accounts, despite my submission of sufficient and new information. This shifts their legal obligation to conduct a reasonable investigation back onto me, contrary to the FCRA. 

Impact on Me as a Consumer : The credit bureaus failure to properly address my disputes has caused significant and ongoing harm, including : Denial of credit and increased difficulty in obtaining financial services due to inaccurate and unverifiable information on my credit reports. 
Emotional distress from the continued mishandling of my disputes and the failure of the credit reporting system to ensure accurate and fair reporting. 
Unnecessary delays in resolving inaccuracies, leaving me with no confidence in the credit bureaus ' compliance with federal laws.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief