Consumer complaint received 2025-09-14 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Investigation took more than 30 days
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: OH

Complaint narrative:
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Ct XXXX, OH XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX Date of Birth : XX/XX/XXXX Social ( Last XXXX ) : XXXX Date : XX/XX/XXXX TransUnion LLC XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, PA XXXX Equifax XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, GA XXXX Re : NONCOMPLIANCE Failure to Respond Within 30 Days / Failure to Provide Method of Verification ( FCRA XXXX ) Account : XXXX XXXX XXXX ( # XXXX ) Submission Channel : XXXX ( treated as a direct dispute under the FCRA ) To the Compliance Departments of TransUnion and Equifax : I write to place both TransUnion and Equifax on formal notice of * * continued noncompliance * * with the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) regarding my dispute of the XXXX XXXX XXXX account ( # XXXX ). This letter demands * * immediate deletion of the tradeline * * for failure to complete a reinvestigation within the 30-day statutory period and failure to provide the legally required Method of Verification ( MOV ). It also serves as a comprehensive recap of the facts, timelines, laws, and remedies. 

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- SECTION XXXX FACTUAL RECAP & TIMELINE ( WITH RECEIPT DATES ) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- A ) Prior cycle ( XX/XX/XXXX first violation ) TransUnion Dispute received XX/XX/XXXX ; response dated XX/XX/XXXX ( past 30 days ) and * * no MOV * * provided. 
Equifax Dispute received XX/XX/XXXX ; responded XX/XX/XXXX with an identity verification form * * after * * the 30-day deadline, despite my dispute including valid ID and proof of address.

Result : Both CRAs failed to meet FCRAs 30-day reinvestigation deadline in the XX/XX/XXXX cycle. 

B ) Current cycle ( XX/XX/XXXX second violation now at issue ) I sent a new written dispute on * * XX/XX/XXXX * * ( copy attached ) demanding reinvestigation of the XXXX tradeline and MOV if verified. 
* * TransUnion * * received XX/XX/XXXX. * * No results or MOV * * have been provided as of * * XX/XX/XXXX * * ( 35 days ). 
* * Equifax * * received XX/XX/XXXX. * * No results or MOV * * have been provided as of * * XX/XX/XXXX * * ( 35 days ). 
Note : * * Experian * * received XX/XX/XXXX ; therefore Experian is not included in this noncompliance notice because its XXXX period has not yet expired. 

No additional information was submitted by me after XX/XX/XXXX that could toll the 30-day deadline under 1681i ( a ) ( 1 ) ( B ), and neither bureau issued a timely frivolous or irrelevant notice within 5 business days as required by 1681i ( a ) ( 3 ) ( B ) if that were their position. 

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- SECTION 2 GOVERNING LAW ( STATUTES, REGULATION & GUIDANCE ) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- * * 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) [ FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) ] * * A CRA must conduct a reasonable reinvestigation and * * complete * * it * * within 30 days * * of receiving a dispute.

* * 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 2 ) ( A ) * * The CRA must * * promptly provide * * to the furnisher * * all relevant information * * received from the consumer.

* * 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ) * * If disputed information is * * inaccurate * *, * * incomplete * *, or * * can not be verified * *, it * * shall be promptly deleted * * from the consumers file.

* * 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 6 ) ( A ) * * The CRA must provide * * written results * * of the reinvestigation and a * * free updated report * * within 5 business days after completion.

* * 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 6 ) ( B ) ( iii ) * * & * * 1681i ( a ) ( 7 ) * * Upon my request, the CRA must provide the * * Method of Verification ( MOV ) * * within * * 15 days * *, including : the * * name, address, and telephone number of each furnisher contacted * *, and a * * description of the procedure * * used to verify the information ( with copies of documents relied upon ).

* * 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ) [ FCRA 607 ( b ) ] * * CRAs must follow * * reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy * *.

* * 12 C.F.R. 1022.43 ( Regulation V ) * * Furnishers must conduct a * * reasonable investigation * * of consumer disputes and may not deem covered disputes frivolous without proper notice.

* * CFPB Circular 2022-07 * * CRAs/furnishers must * * reasonably investigate * * consumer reporting disputes ; failure to do so violates federal law. 
* * Direct disputes via XXXX * * Disputes routed through XXXX are subject to the * * same FCRA obligations and deadlines * * as any other direct dispute ( see 1681i & 1681s-2 ( b ) ) ; the submission channel does not relieve CRAs of their statutory duties.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- SECTION 3 CASE LAW ( REINVESTIGATION & ACCURACY ) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- * * XXXX XXXX TransUnion, XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX. XXXX ) * * CRAs must conduct an * * independent, reasonable reinvestigation * *, not merely parrot the furnisher. 
* * XXXX v. TransUnion, XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX Cir. XXXX ) * * * * Willful * * noncompliance where CRAs fail to meet statutory duties and ensure accuracy. 
* * XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX Cir. XXXX ) * * Inconsistent/inaccurate reporting violates FCRA accuracy XXXX. 
* * XXXX XXXX Credit Bureau XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX. XXXX ) * * Even technically accurate but * * misleading * * data is actionable under the FCRA. 
* * XXXX v. XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX Cir. XXXX ) * * Failure to reasonably reinvestigate disputed data creates * * actionable harm * *. 

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- SECTION XXXX VIOLATIONS IN THIS MATTER -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- XXXX ) * * Missed 30-Day Deadline * * XXXX and XXXX each received my XX/XX/XXXX dispute on * * XX/XX/XXXX * * ; no reinvestigation results or MOV were provided by * * XX/XX/XXXX * *. This violates * * 1681i ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) * *. 
2 ) * * No Deletion of Unverified Information * * Having missed the deadline and offered no verified results, the disputed information is * * unverified * * and must be * * deleted * * under * * 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ) * *. 
3 ) * * No Frivolous Notice * * Neither XXXX nor XXXX provided a * * timely * * five-business-day notice under * * 1681i ( a ) ( 3 ) ( B ) * * that my dispute was frivolous or irrelevant.


4 ) * * Failure to Provide MOV * * If either CRA claims the data is verified, the CRA must provide the * * MOV within 15 days * * of my request per * * 1681i ( a ) ( 6 ) ( B ) ( iii ) * * and * * 1681i ( a ) ( 7 ) * *. No MOV has been provided.

It is now * * too late to update, cure, or fix * * this account while retaining the disputed information. The statute requires * * deletion * * when items are not verified * * within the 30-day period * *. 

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- SECTION XXXX DEMAND & DEADLINE -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Because you failed to complete a timely reinvestigation and failed to provide MOV, I demand the following * * within 15 calendar days of your receipt * * of this notice : A ) * * Immediate deletion * * of the * * XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( # XXXX ) * * from my * * TransUnion and Equifax * * credit files under * * 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ) * * ; * * and * * B ) A free updated credit report showing the deletion ( s ) under * * 1681i ( a ) ( 6 ) ( A ) * *.

If, despite the expired deadline, you elect to keep the tradeline, then you must * * within the same 15-day window * * provide the * * full Method of Verification * * required by * * 1681i ( a ) ( 6 ) ( B ) ( iii ) * * and * * 1681i ( a ) ( 7 ) * * ( including the furnishers name, address, telephone number ; date/time of verification ; detailed description of procedures ; and legible copies of all documents relied upon ). Absent that, deletion is mandatory.

Reinsertion warning : Any deleted information * * may not be reinserted * * without certification of accuracy and * * written notice within 5 business days * * per * * 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( B ) * *.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- SECTION 6 PRESERVATION OF RIGHTS -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- This notice places you on record for * * repeated noncompliance * * ( XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX cycles ). I reserve all rights and remedies, including filing complaints with the * * CFPB * *, * * FTC * *, and my * * State Attorney General * *, and pursuing civil claims for negligent and willful violations under * * 15 U.S.C. 1681n and 1681o * *, including actual, statutory, and punitive damages, plus attorneys fees and costs.

Enclosures : Copy of government-issued ID and proof of address Prior disputes ( XX/XX/XXXX ) and your untimely responses Dispute dated XX/XX/XXXX ( copy ) and delivery confirmations ( received XX/XX/XXXX ) Highlighted credit reports referencing the XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief