Consumer complaint received 2025-03-07 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report — Information belongs to someone else
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
Dear Equifax, XXXX XXXX XXXX, and XXXX XXXX, This letter serves as a final notice of pre-arbitration proceedings and a formal cease and desist demand regarding the continued reporting and collection efforts related to the XXXX XXXX XXXX account that was allegedly transferred to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

It has been over XXXX months since I began disputing this account, and despite repeated requests, you have failed to provide any legally required documentation supporting your claim that I owe this debt. Your ongoing failure to validate this debt or remove it from my credit report is a willful violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), and applicable consumer protection laws. 

If you do not immediately delete this account from my credit report and cease all communication regarding this matter, I will initiate arbitration and/or litigation against all parties involved. 

Legal Violations Committed by Equifax, XXXX, and XXXX XXXX XXXX. Failure to Provide Legally Required Documentation ( FCRA XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ) ) Requirement : Credit reporting agencies and furnishers must provide documentation proving the validity of a disputed debt, including : A signed contract proving I agreed to this debt. 
A full chain of title showing ownership transfer. 
Contact details of the furnisher for direct verification. 
Violation : None of this documentation has been provided despite my multiple disputes over the past XXXX months. 

XXXX. Failure to XXXX a Proper Reinvestigation ( FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 1 ) ) Requirement : When a consumer disputes an account, the credit bureau must conduct a reasonable investigation and delete any unverifiable information. 
Violation : Equifax has failed to provide verification from the current debt owner ( XXXX XXXX ) yet continues to report the debt. 
If you can not verify the debt, it must be deleted immediately. 

XXXX. Illegal Re-Aging of Debt ( FCRA XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ) ) Requirement : Debt XXXX and credit bureaus can not change the Date of Last Activity to extend the time a negative account remains on a credit report. 
Violation : Equifax modified the Date of Last Activity, making the debt appear newer than it actually is. 
This is an illegal re-aging tactic intended to keep the debt on my credit report past the legally allowed timeframe. 

XXXX. Continuing to Report an Account That Has Been Deleted by Other Bureaus ( FCRA XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ) ) Requirement : Credit reporting agencies must ensure accuracy and consistency across all consumer reports. 
Violation : XXXX and XXXX have already deleted this account, yet Equifax refuses to do the same. 
This is a failure to maintain consistency and accuracy, violating FCRA guidelines. 

XXXX. Failure to Block Inaccurate Information ( FCRA 605B ) Requirement : If a consumer provides proof of fraud or disputes an account multiple times with no verification provided, the credit bureau must block or delete the disputed information. 
Violation : Equifax refuses to delete this account, despite failing to verify it with supporting documents. 
If you can not provide evidence of my obligation to pay, the account must be removed immediately. 

XXXX. Failure to Cease Communication and Collection Attempts After Lack of Validation ( FDCPA 1692g ) Requirement : A debt collector must cease all collection efforts if they can not provide validation of the debt within XXXX  days of a consumers request. 
Violation : XXXX XXXX has continued to attempt collection on this debt despite never providing proof of ownership. 
This is an FDCPA violation, and I demand that all collection efforts cease immediately. 

Final Demand for Immediate Resolution Given the clear legal violations and financial liability Equifax, XXXX, and XXXX XXXX XXXX, I am demanding the following actions within XXXX calendar days : XXXX. Equifax Must : Immediately delete the XXXX XXXX XXXX account from my credit report. 
Provide written confirmation of the deletion. 
Ensure that the account is not reinserted or modified to reappear on my report. 

XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX Must : Immediately cease reporting this account since it has been transferred. 
Provide a copy of the Bill of Sale and Assignment Agreement proving the debt was sold. 
Confirm whether an IRS XXXX was issued for this charge-off. 

XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX : Provide full validation of the debt, including : A copy of the original signed contract proving I agreed to this debt. 
A bill of sale and assignment agreement from XXXX. 
A full payment history and breakdown of the balance. 
If they can not provide validation, they must cease all collection activity immediately. 

XXXX Notice XXXX the terms of any arbitration agreement in my original contract with XXXX XXXX XXXX, I am invoking my right to demand arbitration to resolve this matter immediately if my demands are not met. 

I demand that you cover all arbitration fees as required under consumer protection laws. 
I will pursue damages for willful FCRA and FDCPA violations. 

Cease and Desist Notice Termination of XXXX XXXX XXXX immediately, you are prohibited from contacting me in any manner other than to confirm that this account has been deleted. 

Do not contact me via phone, mail, email, or any other form of communication regarding this account. 
Do not attempt any further collection or reporting of this debt. 
Failure to comply will result in legal action. 


Below is a breakdown of the additional violations based on the documents you uploaded : XXXX. Failure to Conduct a Proper Reinvestigation ( FCRA XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ) ) Requirement : The Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) mandates that credit reporting agencies must conduct a reasonable reinvestigation when a consumer disputes an account. 
Violation : Equifax stated that they would not reinvestigate your dispute because you had disputed it at least twice within the last XXXX  days. 
This is illegal. There is no legal limit on the number of times a consumer can dispute an item, especially if new information has emerged ( such as proof that the account was transferred ). 
Equifax is refusing to investigate despite clear evidence from XXXX that the account has been transferred to XXXX XXXX. 

XXXX. Failure to Remove an Account That Was Transferred or Sold ( FCRA XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ) ) Requirement : If an account has been sold or transferred, the original creditor must cease reporting it and update the information accordingly. 
Violation : XXXX XXXX XXXX confirmed that they sold the account to XXXX XXXX, meaning XXXX should no longer be reporting this debt under your name. 
However, Equifax is still reporting the XXXX account, even though ownership has changedcreating duplicate reporting between XXXX and XXXX XXXX. 
This is a direct FCRA violation, as it misrepresents who currently owns the debt. 

XXXX. Illegal Re-Aging of Account History to Extend the Statute of Limitations ( FCRA XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ) ) Requirement : Debt XXXX and credit bureaus can not change the date of last activity to extend the reporting time of an account. 
Violation : Equifax is reporting conflicting dates on the XXXX account, making it appear as if the delinquency happened later than it actually did. 
This is an illegal attempt to keep the account on your credit report longer than legally allowed. 
If XXXX XXXX changed the Date of Last Activity after purchasing the account, this is considered re-aging and is a serious FCRA violation. 

XXXX. Failure to Maintain Accuracy Across Consumer Reports ( FCRA XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ) ) Requirement : Credit bureaus must ensure the accuracy and consistency of reporting across all consumer reporting agencies. 
Violation : XXXX and XXXX have already removed this account from your credit report. 
However, Equifax refuses to remove it, which means they are not maintaining consistency across consumer reports. 
Equifaxs continued reporting of an account that has already been removed by other bureaus proves they are in violation of FCRA accuracy standards. 

XXXX. Failure to Block Fraudulent Information ( FCRA XXXX ) Requirement : If a consumer provides documentation ( such as a police report or an identity theft affidavit ), the CRA must block fraudulent information within XXXX business days. 
Violation : Equifax stated in their letter that they will not block the disputed information at this time. 
If you provided documentation proving that this account is fraudulent or unauthorized, they are legally required to block it under FCRA XXXX. 
Their refusal to remove or block the fraudulent information is a direct violation of federal law. 

XXXX. Providing Conflicting and Misleading Information About Your Rights ( FCRA XXXX ( b ) ) Requirement : Credit reporting agencies can not provide misleading or false information about their investigation process. 
Violation : Equifax told you that you must submit additional relevant information to dispute the accountdespite the fact that you have already submitted proof from XXXX that the account was sold. 
They also falsely claimed that your dispute is frivolous just because it was submitted multiple timeswhich is a misleading statement because consumers have the right to dispute as often as necessary until the issue is resolved. 
This is an intentional misrepresentation of your rights under the FCRA. 

XXXX. Misrepresentation and Unfair XXXX Practices ( FDCPA 1692e ( 10 ) ) Requirement : It is illegal for a creditor, collector, or credit bureau to misrepresent the legal status of a debt. 
Violation : XXXX confirmed that they sold the account to XXXX XXXX, but Equifax still claims XXXX verified it. 
How can XXXX verify a debt they no longer own? This is a deliberate misrepresentation of the accounts status. 

Requested XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Within XXXX  Days XXXX. Equifax Must : Immediately delete the XXXX XXXX XXXX account from my credit report. 
Provide written confirmation of how they verified a debt with XXXX if XXXX no longer owns it. 
Correct the Date of Last Activity to prevent illegal re-aging. 
Ensure that my credit report is corrected across all bureaus. 

XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX Must : Immediately cease reporting this account since it has been transferred. 
Provide a copy of the Bill of Sale and Assignment Agreement proving the debt was sold. 
Confirm whether an IRS XXXX was issued for this charge-off. 

XXXX. XXXX XXXX Must : Provide full debt validation, including : A copy of the original signed contract proving I agreed to this debt. 
A bill of sale and assignment agreement from XXXX. 
A complete breakdown of the balance, interest, fees, and payments. 
Confirm that they have not re-aged the account. 
Cease all collection efforts until validation is provided. 

Cease All Collection & Reporting Until Verification Is Provided Equifax must immediately stop reporting duplicate, inaccurate, or unverifiable information. 
XXXX XXXX must cease all collection activity until the requested documentation is provided. 
Any further collection or reporting without proper verification will result in legal action.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation