Consumer complaint received 2025-06-02 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
XX/XX/XXXX Equifax Information Services LLC XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, GA XXXX Request to Investigate & Delete Accounts Full Name : XXXX XXXX XXXX Social Security # XXXX ___ ___ - XXXX ___ - XXXX ___ ___ ___ Date of Birth : XXXX XXXX, XXXX Current Address : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, IL XXXX Legal Department, This DISPUTE LETTER is being submitted in light of the recent Overhaul of Consumer Records by the Credit Bureaus. I have recently paid for a copy of my credit reports, and reviewed my credit file, as is being reported with you, and noticed there are several inaccurate accounts and/or items on my report. This means that the below listed accounts were not opened by me, and that I did not profit from these accounts having been opened. 

The below listed accounts by the Original Creditors, who have reported these accounts within my credit reports, were not opened by me. I also did not give my authorization for anyone else to open these accounts. Someone else of who did these that I did not know. 

They are being listed as follows : CREDITORS ACCOUNT NUMBERS XXXX XXXXXXXX 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 XXXXXXXX Likewise, these XXXX XXXX are also not mine. None of these belong to me. This means that I was not the person, which had an account with the original creditor, which has sold these accounts to these collection agencies that are now reporting the debts. 

COLLECTION ACCOUNTS ACCOUNT NUMBERS XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Policy states According to the FAIR CREDIT REPORTING ACT FCRA XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX ), Procedure In Case of Disputed Accuracy Reinvestigations of Disputed Information Reinvestigation Required ( a ) In general. Subject to Subsection ( f ), if the completeness or accuracy of any item of information contained in a consumers file at a consumer agency is disputed by the consumer and the consumer notifies the agency directly, or indirectly through a reseller, of such dispute, free of charge, conduct a reasonable reinvestigation to determine whether the disputed information is inaccurate and record the current status of the disputed information, or delete the item from the file in accordance with paragraph ( XXXX ), before the end of the XXXX period beginning on the date on which the agency receives the notice of the dispute from the consumer or reseller. 

Therefore, my position is being clearly stated, these accounts do not belong to me, meaning that you are reporting inaccurate account information within my credit file. The fact that these are inaccurate account information means that you, this credit-reporting agency, are reporting incorrect accounts. 

Finally, you are reporting the INQUIRIES that are the result of the same type fraudulent activities. I must be noted that I did not apply for credit accounts with the below listed companies and creditors, some of these are the result of attempts to open accounts, but the companies did not approve these accounts. Therefore, these inquiries must be deleted from within my credit file. You can not delete the fraudulently opened accounts without also deleting the fraudulent inquiries. 

Inquiries that are made by someone else without my authorization is not a factual record of access to my credit file, it is a factual record of fraudulent activity, and it must be addressed as such. The reason that these inquiries are being disputed is because they were not made by me, and when I report this to you, it is your responsibility to investigate my claims, and when you can not prove that these inquiries were made by me, they must be removed from my credit file. It is not my responsibility to go directly to each creditor, the obligation lies at your feet because you are reporting inaccurate information within my credit report, and this violates the FCRA. 

It should be noted that an inquiry that was not made by me is not a factual record, just as a fraudulently opened account is not a factual record and not referred to the creditor to be disputed directly with them. The credit reporting agencies have attempted to address an inquiry as a factual record of file access, but if it was done through fraudulent means, it is not a factual record. As a consumer I should not be required to dispute each fraudulent inquiry directly with each company. These inquiries are the result of fraudulent activity and therefore inaccurate information in which the credit reporting agencies or the creditors can not verify, meaning that these inquiries are unverifiable information and must be deleted from out of my credit file. 

( SEE THE ENCLOSED EXHIBIT OF FRAUDUELENT INQUIRIES BEING DISPUTED ) CREDIT INQUIRIES DATE OF INQUIRY XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX aware of my rights as a consumer. The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires that you, the credit-reporting agency, report accurate and/or correct account information within my credit file. My credit issues are very specific, these accounts and/or items do not belong to me. This means that you are reporting incorrect account information within my credit report. It is with this in mind that I request that these listed accounts and items be BLOCKED and DELETED! 

Policy states According to the FAIR CREDIT REPORTING ACT FCRA, Section XXXX ( XXXX ) Block of information resulting from identity theft. 

XXXX. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a consumer reporting agency shall block the reporting of any information in the file of a consumer that the consumer identifies as information that resulted from an alleged identity theft, not later than XXXX ( XXXX ) business days after the date of receipt by such agency of Appropriate proof of identity of the consumer ; A copy of an identity theft report The identification of such information by the consumer ; and A statement by the consumer that the information relating to transaction by the consumer. 
All furnishers of information to consumer reporting agencies must comply with all applicable regulations. Information about applicable regulations currently in effect can be found at the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX website, www.consumerfinance.gov/learnmore. 
NOTICE TO FURNISHERS OF INFORMATION : OBLIGATIONS OF FURNISHERS UNDER THE FCRA The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, imposes responsibilities on all persons who furnish information to consumer reporting agencies ( CRAs ). These responsibilities are found in Section XXXX of the FCRA, XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX. State law may impose additional requirements on furnishers. All furnishers of information to CRAs should become familiar with the applicable laws and may want to consult with their counsel to ensure that they are in compliance. The text of the FCRA is available at the website of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) : www.consumerfinance.gov/learnmore. A list of tile sections of tile FCRA cross-referenced to the XXXX XXXX is at the end of this document. 
Section XXXX imposes the following duties upon furnishers : Accuracy Guidelines The FCRA requires furnishers to comply with federal guidelines and regulations dealing with the accuracy of information provided to CRAs by furnishers. Federal regulations and guidelines are available at www.consumerfinance.gov/learnmore. Section XXXX ( XXXX ). 
General Prohibition on Reporting Inaccurate Information The FCRA prohibits information furnishers from providing information to a CRA that they know or have reasonable cause to believe is inaccurate. However, the furnisher is not subject to this general prohibition if it clearly and conspicuously specifies an address to which consumers may write to notify the furnisher that certain information is inaccurate. Sections XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ) ( A ) and ( a ) ( XXXX ) ( C ). 
Duty to Correct and Update Information If at any time a person who regularly and in the ordinary course of business furnishes information to XXXX or more CRAs determines that the information provided is not complete or accurate, the furnisher must promptly provide complete and accurate information to the CRA. In addition, the furnisher must notify all CRAs that received the information of any corrections, and must thereafter report only the complete and accurate information. Section XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ). 
Duties After Notice of Dispute from Consumer If a consumer notifies a furnisher, at an address specified for the furnisher for such notices, that specific information is inaccurate, and the information is, in fact, inaccurate, the furnisher must thereafter report the correct information to CRAs. Section XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ) ( B ). 
If a consumer notifies a furnisher that the consumer disputes the completeness or accuracy of any information reported by the furnisher, the furnisher may not subsequently report that information to a CRA without providing notice of the dispute. Section XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ). 
Furnishers must comply with federal regulations that identify when an information furnisher must investigate a dispute made directly to the furnisher by a consumer. Under these regulations, furnishers must complete an investigation within XXXX days ( or XXXX  days, if the consumer later provides relevant additional information ) unless the dispute is frivolous or irrelevant or comes from a credit repair organization. Section XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ). Federal regulations are available at www.consumerfinance.gov/learnmore. Section XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ) Duties After Notice of Dispute from Consumer Reporting Agency If a CRA notifies a furnisher that a consumer disputes the completeness or accuracy of information provided by the furnisher, the furnisher has a duty to follow certain procedures. The furnisher must : Conduct an investigation and review all relevant information provided by the CRA, including information given to the CRA by the consumer. Sections XXXX ( b ) ( XXXX ) ( A ) and ( b ) ( l ) ( B ). 
Report the results to the CRA that referred the dispute and, if the investigation establishes that the information was in fact, incomplete or inaccurate, report the results to all CRAs to which the furnisher provided the information that compile and maintain files on a nationwide basis. Section XXXX ( b ) ( XXXX ) ( C ) and ( b ) ( XXXX ) ( D ). 
Complete the above steps within 30 days from the date the CRA receives the dispute ( or XXXX  days, if the consumer later provides relevant additional information to the CRA ). Section XXXX ( b ) ( XXXX ). 
Promptly modify or delete the information, or block its reporting. Section XXXX ( b ) ( XXXX ) ( XXXX ), Duty to Report Voluntary Closing of Credit Accounts If a consumer voluntarily closes a credit account, any person who regularly and in the ordinary course of business furnished information to XXXX or more CRAs must report this fact when .it provides information to CRAs for the time period in which the account was closed. Section XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ). 
Duty to Report Dates of Delinquencies If a furnisher reports information concerning a delinquent account placed for collection, charged to profit or loss, or subject to any similar action, the furnisher must, within XXXX days after reporting the information, provide the CRA with the month and the year of the commencement of the delinquency that immediately preceded the action, so that the agency will know how long to keep the information in the consumers file. Section XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ). 
Any person, such as a debt collector, that has acquired or is responsible for collecting delinquent accounts and that reports information to CRAs may comply with the requirements of Section XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ) ( until there is a consumer dispute ) by reporting the slime delinquency date previously reported by the creditor. If the creditor did not report this date, they may comply with the FCRA by establishing reasonable procedures to obtain and report delinquency dates, or, if a delinquency date can not be reasonably obtained, by following reasonable procedures to ensure that the date reported precedes the date when the account was placed for collection charged to profit or loss, or subjected to any similar action. Section XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ). 
Duties of Financial Institutions When Reporting Negative Information Financial institutions that furnish information to " nationwide '' consumer reporting agencies, as defined in Section XXXX ( p ), must notify consumers in writing if they may furnish or have furnished negative information to a CRA. Section XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ). The CFPB has prescribed model disclosures, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, App. B. 
Duties When Furnishing Medical Information A furnisher whose primary business is providing medical services, products, or devices ( and such furnisher 's agents or assignees ) is a medical information furnisher for the purposes of the FCRA and must notify all CRAs to which it reports of this fact. Section XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ). This notice will enable CRAs to comply with their duties under Section XXXX ( g ) when reporting medical information. 
Duties When ID Theft Occurs All furnishers must have in place reasonable procedures to respond to notifications from CRAs that information furnished is the result of identity theft, and to prevent refurnishing the information in the future. A furnisher may not furnish information that a consumer has identified as resulting from identity theft unless the furnisher subsequently knows or is informed by the consumer that the information is correct. Section XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ). If a furnisher learns that it has furnished inaccurate information due to identity theft, it must notify each CRA of the correct information and must thereafter report only complete and accurate information. Section XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ). When any : furnisher of information is notified pursuant to the procedures set forth in XXXX XXXX that a debt has resulted from identity theft, the furnisher many not sell, transfer, or place for collection the debt except in certain limited circumstances. Section XXXX ( f ). 
The CFPBs website, www.consumerfinance.gov/learnmore, has more information about the FCRA, including publications for business and the full text of the FCRA. 
Citations for FCRA sections in the XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX. XXXX et seq. : I have provided all of the above listed XXXX ( XXXX ) items within this package. Therefore, I expect these listed accounts to be deleted and blocked within XXXX ( XXXX ) business days. This is clearly an identity theft issue. I am also entitled to receive a free copy of my credit report, so I am requesting a free credit report and that all of these accounts, public records items, and inquiries be permanently blocked and deleted.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief