Consumer complaint received 2025-08-07 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: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
Dear Experian, I am writing to dispute the inaccurate and fraudulent XXXX XXXX account ( XXXX ) listed on my Experian credit report. This account was not authorized by me and was opened due to identity theft, and I did not incur this debt. This is my final attempt to have this fraudulent account removed from my credit report, following Experians refusal to act despite prior disputes and clear evidence of identity theft, including alerts from my Experian online account indicating my Social Security number was found on the dark web ( copy enclosed ). Experians failure to remove this account has caused significant harm, including the denial of a housing application on XX/XX/XXXX leading to financial losses from temporary hotel stays, homelessness, and additional debt. I demand immediate investigation and removal of this account under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), or I will pursue legal action for damages. I requested information from XXXX XXXX, and they sent a letter falsely claiming the account is mine without providing verifiable evidence. Additionally, I received alerts from my Experian online account confirming that my Social Security, phone number, and old email address was exposed on the dark web, further substantiating the likelihood of identity theft. The presence of this fraudulent account on my credit report has caused severe financial and personal harm, including : Denial of a housing application on XX/XX/XXXX which prevented me from securing a home. 
Financial losses from temporary hotel stays, costing approximately {$2000.00} Homelessness, resulting in emotional distress and financial instability. 
Additional debt incurred to cover living expenses due to the housing denial. 
These damages are directly attributable to Experians failure to remove this fraudulent account, despite my prior disputes and clear evidence of identity theft. 

Under the FCRA, specifically 15 U.S.C. 1681c-2, credit reporting agencies must block information resulting from identity theft within four business days of receiving a consumers dispute, provided supporting documentation is included. I have enclosed a copy of the Experian dark web alert, and a copy of email from XXXX XXXX DENIED APPLICATION DUE TO CREDIT SCORE.

The following case law supports the immediate removal of fraudulent accounts : XXXX v. Experian Information Solutions , Inc. ( XXXX. XXXX ) : The court ruled that Experian violated the FCRA by failing to remove a fraudulent account after a consumers dispute, affirming the obligation to conduct a reasonable investigation and delete inaccurate information. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX Cir. XXXX ) : The court held that credit bureaus must follow reasonable procedures to ensure the accuracy of credit reports, and failure to remove unverifiable or fraudulent information violates the FCRA. 
XXXX v. Experian Information Solutions XXXX XXXX, XXXX. XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX Ohio XX/XX/XXXX ) : The court awarded damages for Experians failure to remove a fraudulent account, emphasizing liability for actual damages caused by inaccurate reporting, such as credit denials and emotional distress. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX. XXXX ( C.D. XXXX. XXXX ) : The court found that failure to promptly remove fraudulent accounts after identity theft disputes, especially with evidence like dark web exposure, constitutes an FCRA violation, supporting claims for actual and statutory damages. Experians refusal to remove this account, despite evidence of identity theft including the dark web alert from your own system, violates 15 U.S.C. 1681i, which requires a reasonable investigation within 30 days. XXXX XXXX response letter, which merely asserts the account is mine without providing verifiable evidence, fails to meet the FCRAs verification standards under 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ( b ). Experians continued reporting of this account has caused tangible harm, entitling me to statutory damages up to {$1000.00} per violation under 15 U.S.C. 1681n, as well as actual damages for credit denials, financial losses, and emotional distress from homelessness.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation