Consumer complaint received 2025-07-26 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: MD

Complaint narrative:
Dear CFPB, I am filing this formal complaint against the following credit bureaus and data furnishers for reporting inaccurate, outdated, and unverifiable information on my credit report. This complaint is filed in accordance with my rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), 15 U.S. Code 1681. 
Below is a detailed breakdown of the addresses, accounts, and inquiries that are falsely associated with me, along with the relevant legal violations and personal impact : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX, MD XXXX Wrong Address Issue : I do not have any personal or financial ties to this location Law : According to FCRA 611, I have the right to dispute and request the deletion of inaccurate or unverifiable information Story : Because of this unknown address, my credit file appears inconsistent, and I was flagged by an employer during onboarding for a remote role. They questioned whether I had undisclosed employment or residence history, which put me under unnecessary investigation and stress. It cost me that job opportunity. This entry is clearly false and must be deleted XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX, FL XXXX Wrong Address Issue : This is not and has never been my residence Law : FCRA mandates that unverifiable information be deleted within 30 days of dispute ( FCRA 611 ( a ) ) Story : I was denied financing for a small business loan because the lender suspected identity inconsistency based on this address. I had to explain and prove where Ive actually lived, which delayed the funding and cost me an important business deal. This wrong address affects my life and finances directly and needs to be removed without delay XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Late Payment ( Opened : XX/XX/XXXX | Balance : {$180000.00} ) * * Issue : Inaccurate and harmful reporting of late payment Law : Under the CARES Act Section 4021 and FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ), creditors are required to report accommodations fairly and not penalize borrowers affected by national emergencies Story : During the COVID-19 pandemic, I experienced significant income loss. I contacted XXXX XXXX  to request forbearance or hardship assistance. I was told verbally that my account was in forbearance, and I relied on that. Later, they reported me late without proper notice or opportunity to cure. This destroyed my credit and disqualified me from a first-time homebuyer program. I acted in good faith and deserve better treatment under the law. This late payment should be removed XXXX  XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX Late Payment ( Opened : XX/XX/XXXX | Balance : {$360.00} ) * * Issue : Late payment reported without honoring my hardship request Law : Under FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act ( ECOA ), creditors must consider hardship and report accurately Story : I lost my job in XX/XX/XXXX and immediately informed XXXX  XXXX of my situation. I requested a temporary payment arrangement but received no response. Instead, they reported me late even though I was only days behind and had already scheduled a payment. That mark caused a XXXX drop in my credit score. Im now paying higher interest on everything, which has created a cycle of financial stress. This entry needs to be corrected to reflect my effort and compliance XXXX  XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX Late Payment ( Opened : XX/XX/XXXX | Balance : {$930.00} ) * * Issue : False late mark despite autopay being enabled Law : FCRA requires fair investigation and correction of disputed data ( FCRA 611 ) Story : I had autopay set up, and the payment was processed late due to Capital Ones internal processing error. I noticed the late mark months later and contacted them to fix it, but they refused. This single error damaged my score and led to a denied credit limit increase. I am working hard to rebuild my finances, and errors like this set me back further. Please investigate and remove this mark XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX Late Payment ( Opened : XX/XX/XXXX | Balance : {$460.00} ) * * Issue : Late payment reported despite my dispute over fraud Law : FCRA 623 and the Fair Credit Billing Act require investigation of disputed charges and accurate credit reporting Story : I reported suspicious activity on this card and stopped making payments while the dispute was ongoing. The issuer reported me late even though the account should have been frozen during investigation. This caused multiple account rejections and embarrassment when applying for store credit. I ask that this be reclassified properly or removed entirely from my report XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Late Payment ( {$5500.00} | Opened : XX/XX/XXXX ) * * Issue : Late payment due to improper processing of IDR application Law : FCRA and the Higher Education Act require that student loan servicers accurately process and report borrower assistance requests Story : I applied for income-driven repayment on time, but XXXX delayed reviewing my paperwork. They marked me late without cause or justification. As a result, I was blocked from receiving Pell Grants and faced financial aid suspension. This record needs to be removed because the delinquency was not my fault and was never explained properly XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Late Payment ( {$3000.00} | Opened : XX/XX/XXXX ) * * Issue : Duplicate entry of same student loan with separate late payment mark Law : FCRA 605 prohibits duplicate negative reporting of the same obligation Story : This is the same loan as the XXXX listed above, but reported as a separate account with its own delinquency. That makes my report look worse than it is, which is extremely damaging. I can not qualify for home assistance or income-based relief with duplicate derogatory entries. This entry should be removed or merged with the correct tradeline XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Issue : Alleged collection debt never validated Law : Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) 809 ( a ) requires debt validation, and FCRA 611 requires deletion of unverifiable items Story : I was never notified of this debt, nor did I receive any validation letter. XXXX has refused to prove this debt belongs to me. Im struggling with credit access and cant get an apartment without paying triple deposit because of this false entry. It must be deleted immediately XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX  Charge Off ( {$150.00} | Opened : XX/XX/XXXX ) * * Issue : Small balance charged-off despite my efforts to pay Law : FCRA 623 requires accurate reporting and FDCPA demands fair treatment Story : I missed a payment due to temporary job loss and offered to pay the full balance, but XXXX proceeded to charge it off. This small amount should never have escalated to this level. It caused denial of a secured loan and impacted my self-esteem. I ask that this be removed or updated to show paid as agreed REQUEST FOR RELIEF : In light of the above, I respectfully request the CFPB to : XXXX. Investigate each issue listed above with the respective credit bureaus and furnishers. 
XXXX. Direct them to delete or correct all inaccurate, unverifiable, and obsolete information. 
XXXX. Ensure compliance with all FCRA and FDCPA requirements. 
XXXX. Issue penalties where appropriate to prevent future violations. 
These errors have caused me financial, emotional, and professional harm. Ive been denied credit, housing, and employment due to misreporting that Ive tried to correct multiple times with no success. I ask the Bureau to hold these entities accountable.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief