Consumer complaint received 2025-09-24 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: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
New complaint. Unauthorized Fraud Alert Placement by Equifax - Im assuming placed XX/XX/XXXX since it is valid through XX/XX/XXXX - attached. > Equifax has placed a fraud alert on my credit file ( active until XX/XX/XXXX ) without my request or consent. I did not file a fraud or identity theft claim, and I did not authorize this alert. Equifax also failed to provide the required phone number for verification, in violation of FCRA 605A ( h ) ( 2 ) ( B ). This omission deprives me of the ability to exercise my rights and control over my credit file.

- Equifax misclassified my lawful request for a Method of Verification as a fraud/identity theft dispute - launching 10 disputes without my consent. 
- following that misclassification, Equifax placed an initial fraud alert on my file without my authorization.

- Under FCRA 605A ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ), fraud alerts may only be placed at the direct request of a consumer who claims to be a victim of fraud. I never made such a claim, and I have advised of the same countless times, including through prior CFPB complaints.

- Equifax also failed to provide the required Summary of Rights under FCRA 609 ( c ). 

All I ever asked for was the MOV on my XX/XX/XXXX dispute. Instead, Ive been subjected to months of confusion, stress, and frustration. Again, Ive advised repeatedly -- including through CFPB - - that I never claimed fraud. Yet Equifax treated my request as if I had, marking unauthorized disputes as fraud, placing a fraud alert I never requested, and even removing my residential address. As it stands, my file now shows me living out of a PO Box with a fraud alert attached and no phone number for verification. Meanwhile, Equifax used my personal documents - my drivers license, my IRS 1099- for everything except providing the MOV I lawfully requested. 

I have submitted everything I could through CFPB to prove this : letters from XXXX, Equifaxs own contradictory responses ( one saying verified, another saying account not found ), proof of the XXXX they claimed was insufficient, and even evidence that their own website allows broader forms of PII than what their letters demanded. Despite this, Equifax launched at least 10 unauthorized disputes and continued altering my file without my consent. They even reported two different XXXX account numbers- one verified and one not found. I never had two accounts with XXXX. 

This has been overwhelming. I log into Equifax nearly every day now just to check what else may have been changed without my authorization. Ive lost peace of mind and trust in a system that should protect consumers, not create more harm. 

What should have been resolved in 15 days has stretched into months. Ive been complaining for months at this point. Equifax could have simply provided the MOV - through the CFPB portal, by certified mail, or by any reasonable means. Instead, they obstructed me at every turn. No consumer should have to beg, over and over, just to exercise rights already guaranteed by law. 

If Equifax limited me to only the narrow forms of PII listed in its letters, then it should not have been able to use that same PII to launch unauthorized disputes, remove my residential address, or place a fraud alert I never requested. I never consented to any of these changes. Equifaxs actions show inconsistency and bad faith : the PII was treated as good enough to alter my file in multiple ways, yet declared insufficient for the single purpose of providing the Method of Verification I lawfully requested.

This is ongoing recklessness. I am exhausted from filing more than ten complaints, sending certified letters, and uploading every piece of proof I have. All of this, just to be denied a simple MOV. I am truly not understanding any of this.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation