Consumer complaint received 2024-10-15 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:
Subject : Formal Complaint Violations of FCRA and Identity Theft Related to Fraudulent XXXX XXXX XXXX Card Account Dear CFPB Team, I am submitting a formal complaint regarding the fraudulent XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX  account that has been reported on my credit file. I am a verified victim of identity theft, and this account does not belong to me. Despite reporting the issue to the credit bureaus and filing a police report and FTC Identity Theft Report, this account remains on my credit reports, causing significant damage to my financial reputation and impeding my ability to obtain critical housing and financial services. 

Account Information : Account Number : XXXX Date Opened : XX/XX/year> Balance : {$850.00} XXXX XXXX : {$700.00} Late Payment : Reported on XX/XX/year> Reporting Credit Bureau : XXXX, Equifax, XXXX Violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) This situation represents multiple violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) by XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX and the credit reporting agencies involved : 1. Failure to Block Fraudulent Information After Identity Theft Report FCRA Section 605B Under FCRA 605B, once a consumer submits an Identity Theft Report, the credit reporting agencies must block the reporting of information resulting from identity theft. I submitted my FTC Identity Theft Report and a police report regarding this fraudulent account, but it has not been removed from my credit report, violating this section of the FCRA. 

2. Failure to Investigate Disputed Information FCRA Section 611 Under FCRA 611, when a consumer disputes the accuracy of any information on their credit report, the credit reporting agencies are required to investigate and either verify or remove the incorrect information. Despite my formal dispute, no proper investigation has been conducted, and the fraudulent account remains on my report, violating this provision. 

3. Inaccurate Reporting and Re-Reporting FCRA Section 623 XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX continues to report the fraudulent account inaccurately despite having been notified of the identity theft. Under FCRA 623, furnishers of information are required to ensure the accuracy of the information provided to the credit reporting agencies. The failure to correct and remove this fraudulent account after notification constitutes a violation of this section. 

4. Inaccurate and Harmful Information FCRA Section 609 The fraudulent late payment reported in XX/XX/year> has significantly damaged my credit score, making it impossible for me to obtain necessary financial services, including purchasing a home. Under FCRA Section 609, consumers have the right to accurate reporting of their credit information, and this false reporting has caused direct financial harm. 

Steps I Have Taken : -Filed an FTC Identity Theft Report and received verification of my identity theft status. 
-Filed a police report with local law enforcement regarding the identity theft -Submitted disputes to XXXX, Equifax, and XXXX regarding the fraudulent account. 
-Sent letters to XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX formally notifying them of the fraudulent nature of the account and requesting removal from my credit reports. 
-Filed XXXX XXXX complaint against XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX  regarding the issue. 
-Consulted with XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Illinois XXXX to explore legal action due to the ongoing damage caused by this fraudulent reporting Financial and Personal Impact : Due to this fraudulent account and the inaccurate reporting by XXXX XXXX XXXX and the credit bureaus, I have been unable to purchase a home and have been forced to live in a hotel with my children. This has caused significant financial and emotional distress. My inability to secure housing and other financial products has been directly tied to the false information on my credit report. 

Requested Actions : Immediate removal of the fraudulent XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX account from all three major credit bureaus ( XXXX, Equifax, and XXXX ). 
Immediate deletion of the late payment reported in XX/XX/year>. 
Written proof from XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX  and the credit reporting agencies confirming the removal of the account from my credit files. 
Confirmation that this account has been removed from all secondary reporting databases such as XXXX and XXXX, to ensure my information is accurate across all platforms Pursuit of punitive damages due to the continued harm caused by this failure to resolve the identity theft claim in a timely manner. 

Legal Action : I have consulted with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, Illinois, regarding the preparation of a lawsuit seeking {$72000.00} in damages and punitive compensation for the ongoing harm and violation of federal law. Should this fraudulent account not be removed immediately, I will move forward with legal proceedings. 

I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter. Please advise on any additional steps I need to take to expedite this investigation and ensure my credit report is corrected. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief