Consumer complaint received 2025-08-20 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: WI

Complaint narrative:
Dear Sir/Madam, I am submitting this complaint to formally dispute multiple inaccuracies on my credit report. These errors have caused substantial financial and personal harm, and I request immediate investigation and corrective action under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), 15 U.S.C. 1681 et seq. 
Wrong Addresses Reported XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, WI XXXX Wrong Address XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, WI XXXX Wrong Address Issue : Inaccurate reporting of addresses that do not belong to me. 
Law Applied : FCRA 609 ( a ) ( 1 ) grants me full rights to receive accurate file disclosures. FCRA 607 ( b ) requires credit reporting agencies to ensure accuracy.

Story : These false addresses create a distorted identity linked to my record. I have lived responsibly at my true residence, and yet your files show me at other locations where I never lived. This type of reporting error can create mix-file issues, expose me to identity theft risks, and even implicate me in accounts or obligations that are not legally mine. 

Imagine the harm : a lender may assume I lived at multiple unstable addresses, creating a false impression of transience or unreliability. A potential employer, landlord, or bank will see instability instead of truth. It is not acceptable to connect my identity with places I have never resided. For my protection and compliance with federal law, these addresses must be immediately deleted.

XXXX XXXX Charge-off {$140.00} ( Opened XX/XX/XXXX ) Issue : Account reported as " charge-off '' inaccurately. 
Law Applied : FCRA 611 requires a reinvestigation of disputed accounts ; FDCPA 807 ( 8 ) prohibits false credit reporting.

Story : This account has been labeled as charged-off in a manner that is misleading, inaccurate, and without proper validation. The alleged balance is minimal ( {$140.00} ), yet it has been reported in a way that maximizes damage branding me as someone who abandoned financial responsibility. This contradicts the core purpose of the FCRA which demands accuracy and fairness.

No valid documentation proving a legally enforceable debt has been provided to me. Without original agreements, signed contracts, and payment histories, you can not legally justify continuing to poison my credit file with this entry. This is not only a violation of my rights but also an abusive practice that elevates a small, disputed balance into a disproportionately damaging record. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Charge-off {$410.00} ( Opened XX/XX/XXXX ) Issue : Improper charge-off reporting. 
Law Applied : FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) prohibits furnishing information known or even suspected to be inaccurate.

Story : This reporting paints me as though I deliberately defaulted on my obligations. That is not true. Mistakes in reporting balance, account status, or payment dates have created an image of irresponsibility that does not exist. Before a charge-off can legally remain on my record, the reporting agency must substantiate it with true, verifiable records.

Without supplying proper proof, you are placing my financial future at jeopardy a future that affects not just me, but my familys stability. Deleting this unverifiable and damaging record is both a legal necessity and a moral duty. 

Depted XXXX Accounts Multiple Late Payments ( XXXX, balances ranging {$1700.00} {$6000.00} ) Issue : Inconsistent, redundant, and harmful late payment reporting. 
Law Applied : FCRA 605 ( a ) ( 5 ) limits obsolete negative information ; FCRA 607 ( b ) ensures accuracy ; FCRA 611 requires timely dispute reinvestigation.

Story : The same creditor appears multiple times under different balances, creating duplication of debt and inflating negative history against me. Some of these late notations date back nearly a decade, beyond the permissible reporting timeline for adverse accounts.

This not only misrepresents my history but multiplies the harm. For example, reporting the same educational debt under duplicate balances makes me appear as though I had multiple defaults, when in truth, it was a single obligation. This error magnifies my debt profile unfairly and directly violates FCRA mandates. 

Such reckless reporting robs me of fair access to credit, employment opportunities, and even housing. This is not simply inaccuracy it is unlawful harm. 

XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Issue : High Balance {$29000.00} | Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX | Reported as Charge-off Law : FCRA 605 ( a ) ( 4 ) clearly restricts how charge-offs may remain reported, and FDCPA forbids misrepresentation of debt amounts. Creditors must provide verifiable documentation and original signed contract under 809. 
Story : This massive balance has been haunting me, creating unnecessary financial burden in my report, although no proof was ever supplied when requested. Repeated requests for validation, including original loan details, contract, and payment ledger, have been ignored. As a consumer, I am entitled to clarity. Instead, I have been left facing repeated denials of credit, which has delayed my ability to manage medical bills, support my household, and even limited my ability to obtain fair auto financing. The human cost here is not just about numbers it is about dignity, reputation, and the basic right to survive financially. Unverified charge-offs should not determine the course of my familys stability.

DEPTEDXXXX XXXXXXXX ( {$3000.00} Late Payment ) Law : FCRA 609 & 611 require creditors to provide true payment history. Any unverified late payments are fundamentally inaccurate and must be deleted. 
Story : This entry claims multiple lates which I have disputed for years. Never has there been any clear evidenceno direct billing statements or correspondence. These late markers are haunting scars on my credit profile, portraying me as irresponsible. Yet the reality is I struggled through a period of severe pandemic-related loss of work, while simultaneously trying to keep up with my financial obligations. Like millions of hardworking Americans, I faced circumstances outside of my control. To have these hardships misreported, without any verification, compounds financial injustice.

DEPTEDXXXX XXXXXXXX ( {$1500.00} Late Payment ) Law : Duplicate reporting violates FCRA 607 ( b ) ( maximum possible accuracy ) ; FDCPA forbids presenting misleading information. 
Story : This account is essentially a duplication of another XXXX account but represented with a different balance. This double damage entry paints me as far more delinquent than reality. I have had multiple instances of being denied opportunities simply because underwriting teams saw multiple derogatory student entries which is factually misleading and emotionally devastating. 

XXXX  XXXX ( {$750.00} Collection ) Law : FDCPA 809 requires validation of debt prior to continued reporting. 
Story : When contacted, this collector has never provided assignment proof nor chain of custody documentation. Without proof that they even own this account legally, I am being unfairly punished. Imagine the frustration of trying to apply for basic credit while a collection company continues to weigh down my profile without proving their right. This ghost debt jeopardizes my path to financial recovery. 

XXXX XXXX ( {$5200.00} Collection ) Law : FCRA 611 & FDCPA 807 protect consumers from inflated or unverifiable amounts. 
Story : This amount appears heavily inflated and inconsistent with what I originally recall. Without full itemization, payment history, and original creditor verification, this can not lawfully remain. For over a year, I have struggled with fear and stress, uncertain whether collectors will harass me further or whether lenders will continue to judge me for numbers that have no proper basis. This weighs on my ability to sleep at night and causes constant anxiety.

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX ( {$940.00} Collection ) Law : FDCPA 807 strictly prohibits false representation. 
Story : Despite my documented dispute, XXXX. XXXX never provided any validation. Still, it continues to stain my report. This unfair practice hurts not only my financial reputation but also undermines my ability to start fresh. As a parent/provider, these roadblocks hurt my dependents as well as myself. 

XXXX XXXXXXXX ( {$430.00} Collection ) Law : Unverified debt under FDCPA 809 can not be pursued or reported further. 
Story : This account was never validated when I attempted to request proof. The persistence of such unverifiable items shows disregard for consumer rights. Having such small but toxic debts weigh down my financial profile for years is unjustified and cruel.

Multiple Inquiries ( XXXX XXXX XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX ) Law : FCRA 604 ( a ) ( 3 ) allows hard inquiries only with consumer consent. Unauthorized inquiries are unlawful. 
Story : These inquiries were not authorized by me. Each pulls down my score unfairly and portrays me as desperate for credit when this is factually incorrect. This damages my credibility with lenders and undermines the financial stability I have worked so hard to rebuild. Unauthorized hard pulls are not just a technical error they actively erode the trustworthiness of my file and my chances at upward mobility. 

Legal Basis : FCRA 1681i ( a ) : Credit reporting agencies must conduct a reasonable investigation of disputed information.

FCRA 1681e ( b ) : Agencies must maintain reasonable procedures to assure maximum accuracy of reported information.

FCRA 1681c : Protects against reporting incorrect addresses that materially affect credit evaluation. 
Requested Action : 1. Conduct a thorough investigation of all disputed accounts and incorrect addresses.

2. Remove or correct all unverifiable negative items.

3. Provide written confirmation of the corrections made. 
These inaccuracies have caused undue stress, hindered my ability to obtain credit, and may have negatively affected employment or rental opportunities. I urge CFPB to treat this matter as urgent and ensure compliance with federal law. 
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief