Consumer complaint received 2025-11-14 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: OH

Complaint narrative:
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Ohio XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Equifax Information Services LLC XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, GA XXXX RE : LEGAL REQUEST FOR METHOD OF VERIFICATION - SENT VIA CERTIFIED MAIL # ______________ RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED Dear Equifax, XXXX Department, and Records XXXX : This letter serves as my formal written request under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 7 ), for the SPECIFIC METHOD OF VERIFICATION used to verify the accuracy of the following accounts appearing on my credit report, which I dispute as inaccurate, incomplete, and/or unverifiable : # Creditor Name Account Number Date Opened XXXX XXXX Limit Status XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$5200.00} Closed. {$670.00} past due as of XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX BANK XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$11000.00} Account charged off. {$11000.00} written off. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$940.00} Closed. {$220.00} past due as of XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX  XX/XX/XXXX {$1200.00} Closed. 
XXXX XXXX  XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$440.00} Closed. {$160.00} past due as of XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX  XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$420.00} Closed. {$160.00} past due as of XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX  XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$630.00} Closed. {$180.00} past due as of XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$17000.00} Account charged off. {$17000.00} written off. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$3000.00} Closed. {$240.00} past due as of XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$1100.00} Account charged off. {$1100.00} written off. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$21000.00} Account charged off. {$21000.00} written off. 
XXXX XXXX BANK XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$420.00} {$5000.00} Closed. {$76.00} past due as of XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$11000.00} XXXX. {$1500.00} past due as of XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$4000.00} Open. {$530.00} past due as of XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$3900.00} Account charged off. {$3900.00} written off. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$3900.00} Account charged off. {$3900.00} written off. 
XXXX BANK XXXX XXXX, XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX {$69000.00} XXXX. {$5600.00} past due as of XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX BANK XX/XX/XXXX {$32000.00} Account charged off. {$32000.00} written off. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$20000.00} Account charged off. {$20000.00} written off. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$11000.00} XXXX. {$1800.00} past due as of XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$14000.00} Account charged off. {$14000.00} written off. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$61000.00} XXXX XXXX  Account # XXXX Date opened XX/XX/XXXX bal- {$5500.00} XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Account XXXX XXXX XXXX opened XXXX bal- {$14000.00} XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Account XXXX XXXX XXXX opened XX/XX/XXXX Bal- {$6000.00} XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Account XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Bal- {$8400.00} XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Account # XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Bal- {$29000.00} XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Account # XXXX Date XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$44000.00} XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX : As mandated by 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ( b ) ( 2 ), furnishers must complete all investigations, reviews, and reports and provide results to consumer reporting agencies within 15 days of receiving notice of a dispute from a consumer reporting agency. 

I specifically reference the XX/XX/XXXX, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) enforcement action against Equifax ( XXXX ) which found that Equifax routinely failed to properly investigate consumer disputes, ignored submitted documents, allowed previously deleted information to reappear on credit reports, and sent confusing and contradictory statements to consumers regarding investigation results. 

SPECIFIC DEMAND FOR VERIFICATION METHODOLOGY : Pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 7 ), I legally demand that you provide for EACH ACCOUNT listed above : XXXX. Did you use the automated XXXX system as your primary or only means to verify this dispute? 
a. If yes, provide evidence showing how an automated system meets the FCRA requirement for a reasonable investigation b. If no, provide detailed documentation of what additional verification methods were used XXXX. For each creditor contacted regarding my disputes : a. The full name and employee ID of each Equifax employee who conducted the investigation b. The specific date and time when each creditor was contacted XXXX XXXX method of contact ( phone, email, mail, XXXX XXXX d. The name and title of each person at the creditor 's organization who responded XXXX. For each account disputed : a. Copies of ALL communications sent to furnishers ( including XXXX XXXX forms ) b. Exact copies of ALL supporting documentation you provided to each creditor c. Confirmation of whether you forwarded my dispute letters and supporting evidence to creditors d. If you did not forward my complete dispute information, explain why XXXX. For your verification process : a. Did you simply accept furnishers ' responses without independent verification? 
b. What specific steps did you take to verify information beyond using automated systems? 
c. Did you merely " parrot '' information received from furnishers? 
d. Did you conduct any investigation independent of the furnishers ' responses? 

XXXX. For previously disputed information : a. Were any of these items previously deleted from my credit report and later reinserted? 
b. If reinserted, what specific verification did you obtain prior to reinsertion? 
c. Do you maintain a system to prevent previously deleted inaccurate information from reappearing? 

LEGAL PRECEDENT AND CFPB FINDINGS : The CFPB 's XX/XX/XXXX, enforcement action specifically found that Equifax : XXXX. Failed to consider relevant information submitted by consumers XXXX. Excessively deferred to furnishers without meaningful review XXXX. Used ineffective systems that allowed previously deleted errors to reappear XXXX. Limited consumers ' ability to fully describe disputes Courts have consistently held that merely passing along disputes through XXXX without additional investigation is insufficient : In XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX. XXXX ), the court ruled that " reasonable reinvestigation '' requires more than simply contacting the creditor. 
In XXXX v. XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX. XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX ), the court held that merely using the XXXX system without additional steps was insufficient. 

LEGAL CONSEQUENCE OF FAILURE TO COMPLY : Under 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ), if any disputed information can not be verified, you MUST delete the item within the XXXX statutory timeframe. Failure to provide specific answers to all questions above will demonstrate that you can not verify the information and must delete it. 

Your failure to comply will result in : XXXX. Immediate complaint to the CFPB citing your continuation of practices identified in the XX/XX/XXXX, enforcement action XXXX. Complaint to the Federal Trade Commission XXXX. Civil action under 15 U.S.C. 1681n for willful noncompliance, including statutory damages, punitive damages, costs, and attorney fees I require your complete response within 15 days as specified by law. This response must include either : XXXX. Specific answers to ALL questions above for EACH account listed, or XXXX. Confirmation that the disputed items have been deleted Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX : Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Federal Trade Commission Ohio Attorney General 's Office

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief