Consumer complaint received 2025-01-13 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: GA

Complaint narrative:
My Name : XXXX XXXX Address : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX D.O.B : XXXX XXXX To : Equifax XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, GA XXXX This is on my online Equifax Report online XXXX Home : Account Preferences Message Center, you have 1 unread messages1 Home Your Credit Credit Report Summary Revolving Accounts Mortgage Accounts Installment Accounts Other Accounts Consumer Statement Personal Information Inquiries Public Records Collections Your Rights Your Identity Freeze Fraud & XXXX XXXX Alerts Dispute Center Products for You Collections Report Date : XX/XX/XXXX Collections are accounts with outstanding debt that have been placed by a creditor with a collection agency. Collections stay on your credit report for up to 7 years from the date the account first became past due. They generally have a negative impact on your credit scores. 


You currently have no Collections on your Summary Report Date : XX/XX/XXXX Review this summary for a quick view of key information contained in your Equifax Credit Report. 

Report Date Invalid Date Credit File Status No indicator on file Average Account Age XXXX XXXX, XXXX Month Length of Credit History XXXX Year, XXXX Month Oldest Account | Most Recent Account | Alert Contacts Records Found Accounts with Negative Information Credit Accounts Your credit report includes information about activity on your credit accounts that may affect your credit scores. 

Account Type Open Accounts Accounts with a Balance Balance Available Balance Credit Limit Monthly Payment Amount TOTAL credit file. 


Revolving Accounts Report Date : XX/XX/XXXX Revolving accounts are those that generally include a credit limit and require a minimum monthly payment, such as credit cards. Click anywhere on an account entry to see more details about that account. 


You currently do not have this type of account. 

If you have had one in the past that you paid on as agreed, but have since closed or paid off, it stays on your credit report for up to 10 years since the last activity date. 



Mortgage Accounts Report Date : XX/XX/XXXX Mortgage accounts are real estate loans that require payment on a monthly basis until the loan is paid off. Click anywhere on an account entry to see more details about the account. 


You currently do not have a Mortgage Account. 

If you have had one in the past that you paid on as agreed, but have since closed or paid off, it stays on your credit report for up to 10 years since the last activity date. 


Installment Accounts Report Date : XX/XX/XXXX Installment accounts are loans that require payment on a monthly basis until the loan is paid off, such as auto or student loans. Click anywhere on an account entry to see more details about that account. 


You currently do not have an Installment Account.

If you have had one in the past that you paid on as agreed, but have since closed or paid off, it stays on your credit report for up to 10 years since the last activity date. 



Other Accounts Report Date : XX/XX/XXXX Other accounts are those that are not already identified as revolving, mortgage, or installment accounts such as child support obligations, charge cards, or rental agreements. Click anywhere on an account entry to see more details about that account. 


You currently do not have this type of account. 

If you have had one in the past that you paid on as agreed, but have since closed or paid off, it stays on your credit report for up to 10 years since the last activity date. 





Consumer Statement Report Date : XX/XX/XXXX A Consumer Statement is an optional explanation that you can add to your credit report to describe your circumstances or explain a particular account on your credit report or your disagreement with how an account is reporting after your dispute was resolved. A Consumer Statement will be visible to lenders and other third parties who access your Equifax credit report. A Consumer Statement will not affect credit scores.

You currently have no Consumer Statement on your credit file. 

To update or delete the Consumer Statement on your Equifax credit file, please send a written request to Equifax Consumer Services LLC, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, GA XXXX or give us a call at XXXX between XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ET Monday to Friday, and XXXX XXXX to XXXX XXXX ET Saturday and Sunday. 



Personal Information Report Date : XX/XX/XXXX Creditors use your personal information primarily to identify you. This information has no impact on your credit scores. 

If you find information in your credit report that you believe is incomplete or inaccurate, you can file a dispute. 
Identification Name Formerly Known As Social Security Number Date of Birth Other Identification Information No other identification on file. 

You currently do not have any Other Identification in your file. 

Contact Information No Contact Information on file.

Contact your creditor ( s ) if you would like to add Contact Information to your credit report. 

Fraud Alert or XXXX XXXX Alert Contact Information No Alerts Contact Information on file. 

You currently do not have any Alert Contacts in your file. 

Employment History Employment history is the information in your credit file that indicates your current and former employment as reported to Equifax. It does not affect your credit score or rating.

No Employment History on file.

Contact your creditor ( s ) if you would like to add Employment History to your credit report. 



Inquiries Report Date : XX/XX/XXXX A request for your credit history is called an inquiry. There are two types of inquiries - those that may impact your credit scores and those that do not.

Hard Inquiries Inquiries that may impact your credit scores. These are inquiries made by companies with whom you have applied for a loan or credit. They may remain on your file up to 2 years.

You currently have no Hard Inquiries on file.

If you recently authorized a Hard Inquiry on your credit file, it could take a couple months to populate to your credit report.

Soft Inquiries Inquiries that do not impact your credit scores. These are inquiries, for example, from companies making promotional offers of credit, periodic account reviews by an existing creditor or your own requests to check your credit file. They may remain on your file for up to 2 years.

You currently have no Soft Inquiries on file. 

If you recently authorized a Soft Inquiry on your credit file, it could take a couple months to populate to your credit report. 



Public Records Report Date : XX/XX/XXXX This section includes public record items Equifax obtained from local, state and federal courts through a third party vendor, XXXX. 

They can be contacted at : XXXX Information for Equifax Consumers XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, GA XXXX Bankruptcies Bankruptcies are a legal status granted by a federal court that indicates you are unable to pay off outstanding debt. Bankruptcies stay on your credit report for up to 10 years, depending on the chapter of bankruptcy you file for. They generally have a negative impact on your credit score. 


You currently have no bankruptcies on your credit file. 

If you recently had a bankruptcy, it could take a couple months to populate to your credit report. 



Credit Report dateEquifax - XX/XX/XXXX Collections Report Date : XX/XX/XXXX Collections are accounts with outstanding debt that have been placed by a creditor with a collection agency. Collections stay on your credit report for up to 7 years from the date the account first became past due. They generally have a negative impact on your credit scores. 


You currently have no Collections on your credit file. 


Your Rights Report Date : XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, DC XXXX. 

A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) promotes the accuracy, fairness, and privacy of information in the files of consumer reporting agencies. There are many types of consumer reporting agencies, including credit bureaus and specialty agencies ( such as agencies that sell information about check writing histories, medical records, and rental history records ). Here is a summary of your major rights under the FCRA. For more information, including information about additional rights, go to XXXX or write to : Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, DC XXXX. 

You must be told if information in your file has been used against you. Anyone who uses a credit report or another type of consumer report to deny your application for credit, insurance, or employment - or to take another adverse action against you - must tell you, and must give you the name, address, and phone number of the agency that provided the information. 

You have the right to know what is in your file. You may request and obtain all the information about you in the files of a consumer reporting agency ( your file disclosure ). You will be required to provide proper identification, which may include your Social Security number. In many cases, the disclosure will be free. You are entitled to a free file disclosure if : a person has taken adverse action against you because of information in your credit report ; you are the victim of identity theft and place a fraud alert in your file ; your file contains inaccurate information as a result of fraud ; you are on public assistance ; you are unemployed but expect to apply for employment within 60 days. 
In addition, all consumers are entitled to one free disclosure every 12 months upon request from each nationwide credit bureau and from nationwide specialty consumer reporting agencies. See XXXX for additional information.

You have the right to ask for a credit score. Credit scores are numerical summaries of your credit-worthiness based on information from credit bureaus. You may request a credit score from consumer reporting agencies that create scores or distribute scores used in residential real property loans, but you will have to pay for it. In some mortgage transactions, you will receive credit score information for free from the mortgage lender. 

You have the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. If you identify information in your file that is incomplete or inaccurate, and report it to the consumer reporting agency, the agency must investigate unless your dispute is frivolous. See XXXX for an explanation of dispute procedures. 

Consumer reporting agencies must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information. Inaccurate, incomplete or unverifiable information must be removed or corrected, usually within 30 days. However, a consumer reporting agency may continue to report information it has verified as accurate. 

Consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information. In most cases, a consumer reporting agency may not report negative information that is more than seven years old, or bankruptcies that are more than 10 years old. 

Access to your file is limited. A consumer reporting agency may provide information about you only to people with a valid need -- usually to consider an application with a creditor, insurer, employer, landlord, or other business. The FCRA specifies those with a valid need for access.

You must give your consent for reports to be provided to employers. A consumer reporting agency may not give out information about you to your employer, or a potential employer, without your written consent given to the employer. Written consent generally is not required in the trucking industry. For more information, go to to XXXX. 

You may limit prescreened offers of credit and insurance you get based on information in your credit report. Unsolicited prescreened offers for credit and insurance must include a toll-free phone number you can call if you choose to remove your name and address from the lists these offers are based on. You may opt-out with the nationwide credit bureaus at XXXX ( XXXX ). 

The following FCRA right applies with respect to nationwide consumer reporting agencies : CONSUMERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBTAIN A SECURITY FREEZE You have a right to place a security freeze on your credit report, which will prohibit a consumer reporting agency from releasing information in your credit report without your express authorization. The security freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent. However, you should be aware that using a security freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application you make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. 

As an alternative to a security freeze, you have the right to place an initial or extended fraud alert on your credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumers credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumers credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumers identity before extending new credit. If you are a victim of identity theft, you are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting 7 years. 

A security freeze does not apply to a person or entity, or its affiliates, or collection agencies acting on behalf of the person or entity, with which you have an existing account that requests information in your credit report for the purposes of reviewing or collecting the account. Reviewing the account includes activities related to account maintenance, monitoring, credit line increases, and account upgrades and enhancements. 

You may seek damages from violators. If a consumer reporting agency, or, in some cases, a user of consumer reports or a furnisher of information to a consumer reporting agency violates the FCRA, you may be able to sue in state or federal court Identity theft victims and XXXX XXXX military personnel have additional rights. For more information, visit to XXXX. 

States may enforce the FCRA, and many states have their own consumer reporting laws. In some cases, you may have more rights under state law. For more information, contact your state or local consumer protection agency or your state Attorney General. For information about your federal rights, contact : Type of business Contact 1.a. 
Banks, savings associations, and credit unions with total assets of over {$10.00} XXXX and their affiliates. 
a. 
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX. 
XXXX  XXXX DC XXXX b. 
Such affiliates that are not banks, savings associations, or credit unions also should list, in addition to the CFPB b. 
Federal Trade Commission : Consumer Response Center XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX  XXXX DC XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX 2. 
To the extent not included in item 1 above : a. 
National banks, federal savings associations, and federal branches and federal agencies of foreign banks a. 
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Customer Assistance Group XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, TX XXXX b. 
State member banks, branches and agencies of foreign banks ( other than federal branches, federal agencies, and Insured State Branches of Foreign Banks ), commercial lending companies owned or controlled by foreign banks, and organizations operating under section 25 or 25A of the Federal Reserve Act b.

Federal Reserve Consumer Help Center XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, MN XXXX c. 
Nonmember Insured Banks, Insured State Branches of Foreign Banks, and insured state savings associations c. 
Division of Depositor and Consumer Protection National Center for Consumer and Depositor Assistance Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX  # XXXX XXXX  XXXX, MO XXXX d. 
Federal Credit Unions d. 
National Credit Union Administration Office of Consumer Protection ( OCP ) Division of Consumer Compliance and Outreach ( DCCO ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, VA XXXX 3. 
Air carriers Asst. General Counsel for Office of Aviation Consumer Protection Department of Transportation XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, DC XXXX 4. 
Creditors Subject to Surface Transportation Board Office of Public Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance Surface Transportation Board XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, DC XXXX 5. 
Creditors Subject to Packers and Stockyards Act, XXXX Nearest Packers and Stockyards Division Regional Office 6. 
Small Business Investment Companies Associate Administrator, Office of Capital Access United States Small Business Administration XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX  XXXX XXXX, DC XXXX 7. 
Brokers and Dealers Securities and Exchange Commission XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, DC XXXX 8. 
Institutions that are members of the Farm Credit System Farm Credit Administration XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, VA XXXX 9. 
Retailers, Finance Companies, and All Other Creditors Not Listed Above Federal Trade Commission Consumer Response Center XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX  XXXX DC XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX What this proves : that Equifax is not doing or following the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) is codified in 15 U.S.C. 1681

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation