Consumer complaint received 2025-03-18 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: NY

Complaint narrative:
I am writing to formally address the egregious inaccuracies being reported by Experian, TransUnion & Equifax on my credit file, which are not only unverifiable but also in blatant violation of multiple consumer protection laws, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act ( GLBA ), the Privacy Act of 1974, and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act ( ECOA ). The credit bureaus and the furnisher of this information are failing to adhere to legal obligations, and immediate correction is required.

Violation of 15 U.S.C. 1681 Inaccurate Charge-Off Reporting According to IRS documentation , a charge-off is considered gross or ordinary income, meaning the amount has already been accounted for as income. Since income does not appear on consumer credit reports, the continued reporting of this charge-off is inaccurate and must be removed immediately.

Failure to Provide Notice Under 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ( a ) ( 7 ) A charge-off results from a late payment, and per the negative reporting rule, financial institutions are required to notify consumers either before or within 30 days of furnishing negative information. Additionally, under 15 U.S.C. 1666b, for a payment to be considered late, the creditor must meet four specific conditions, including the timely mailing of statements with required disclosures per 15 U.S.C. 1637b. The reporting entity must provide tracking documentation proving that I was sent these disclosures within 21 days before the payment due date. As I have opted out of electronic correspondence, I should have received physical documentation, which I have not.

Unjust Reporting of Late Payments Under 15 U.S.C. 1681a ( 2 ) ( A ) ( i ) Late payments fall under the category of " transactions and experiences, '' which can not be unjustly reported on a consumer credit file. The existence of a late fee classifies the late payment as a transaction, and therefore, it is unlawfully included in my credit report.

Violation of Consumer Privacy Rights Under 15 U.S.C. 6801 & 6802 Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion are consumer reporting agencies obligated to uphold consumer privacy. 15 U.S.C. 6801 requires financial institutions to respect the security and confidentiality of consumers nonpublic personal information. Furthermore, under 15 U.S.C. 6802 ( b ) ( c ), financial institutions can not disclose nonpublic personal information to nonaffiliated third parties without first informing the consumer of their right to opt out. I have never been given this right, nor have I authorized the reporting of this information.

Violation of 15 U.S.C. 1681c ( a ) ( 5 ) Reporting of Obsolete Adverse Information No consumer reporting agency may include adverse information older than seven years unless explicitly authorized. The continued reporting of this charge-off is a direct violation of this statute, further proving noncompliance with 15 U.S.C. 1681b.

Opt-Out of Unauthorized Reporting Under 12 CFR 1016.7 As per my legal right, I am formally opting out of your reporting services regarding this account. You are required by law to respect this request and cease further reporting.

Connection to CFPB 2025 Lawsuit Against Equifax Given the nature of these violations, my case should be connected to the ongoing 2025 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) lawsuit against Equifax regarding improper investigations of credit reporting errors. I expect this matter to be handled with the highest urgency to avoid further legal ramifications.

Demand for Immediate Deletion In light of these extensive violations, I demand the immediate removal of this specific account in question ( Account Number : XXXX ) from my credit file immediately. Failure to comply will leave me no choice but to pursue legal action. 
I expect a written response within the legally mandated time frame. Please send all correspondence to the mailing address listed above. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief