Consumer complaint received 2024-10-10 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: TX

Complaint narrative:
Subject : Formal Complaint Regarding Inaccurate Reporting and Failure to Investigate - XXXX XXXX XXXX To Whom It May Concern at the CFPB, I am filing this complaint due to inaccuracies in my credit reports and the failure of [ Credit Bureaus : XXXX, Equifax, and XXXX ] to adequately investigate my disputes. Despite my good-faith attempts to resolve these issues directly with the credit bureaus, the negative items in question remain inaccurately on my credit reports, violating my rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), and the Truth in Lending Act ( TILA ). These inaccuracies have caused undue harm to my creditworthiness and must be rectified. 

On XX/XX/year>, I sent certified letters to each of the credit bureaus, formally disputing these items and requesting verification and correction of inaccurate information. The credit bureaus have since responded, claiming that their investigations have concluded. However, they have failed to provide documentation or proof of their findings as required by law and have not performed the necessary corrections to the inaccurate information on my reports. 

Details of Disputed Items : XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Balance {$1000.00} ( Original Creditor : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX ) Issue : This account has been reported as Placed for Collection. Under the FCRA ( 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ), I have the right to dispute inaccurate information on my credit report and to expect a reasonable reinvestigation of disputed items. I requested verification of this debt, but the credit bureaus have not provided documentation proving that XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  has the legal right to collect this debt, nor have they verified the accuracy of the reported information. Additionally, under the FDCPA ( 15 U.S.C. 1692g ), I have the right to request debt validation from the collector, which was not properly fulfilled. 
Desired Resolution : Removal of the collection account from my credit report due to the lack of proper verification of the debts accuracy and validity as required under both FCRA and FDCPA, and due to the failure to provide adequate documentation within the required 30-day period following my certified letter sent on XX/XX/year>. 

2. Late Payments Across All Accounts Issue : There are multiple instances of late payments reported across my credit accounts. Under the FCRA ( 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ) ), credit reporting agencies are required to follow reasonable procedures to ensure maximum accuracy of the information they report. I have requested detailed proof that each reported late payment is accurate and that proper notice of delinquency was provided as required under the Truth in Lending Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1637 ( b ) ). Despite my certified request sent on XX/XX/year>, the credit bureaus have failed to provide sufficient evidence of their investigation or that proper disclosures were made, violating the FCRAs requirements. Additionally, under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act ( XXXX ) ( XXXX XXXX. XXXX ), creditors must ensure that reporting practices do not adversely impact my creditworthiness unfairly. 

Desired Resolution : Removal of all late payment notations from my credit report due to the lack of proper documentation and verification of these reports, failure to provide timely disclosures, and failure to ensure accuracy under FCRA, TILA, and ECOA following my certified dispute letter sent on XX/XX/year>. 

XXXX. Charged-Off Account : Regional Finance Issue : This account has been reported as Charged-Off and Sold. Under Section 623 of the FCRA ( 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ( a ) ( 2 ) ), creditors have an obligation to provide accurate and updated information to credit reporting agencies, particularly if there are changes in the status of a debt. I disputed this with the credit bureaus through certified letters on XX/XX/year>, requesting validation of the charge-off date and proof of accurate reporting. The credit bureaus have failed to meet their obligations under 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) to investigate and correct inaccurate information. Furthermore, the creditor did not comply with its duty under the FDCPA to provide proper validation of the charged-off status. 

Desired Resolution : Removal of the Charged-Off status from my credit report due to the failure of the credit bureaus and Regional Finance to validate the accuracy of this report and to comply with the FCRAs and FDCPAs requirements for proper information verification following my certified dispute letter. 

XXXX. Hard Inquiries Multiple ( XXXX ) Issue : Several hard inquiries appear on my report, including from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX Under FCRA ( 15 U.S.C. 1681b ), creditors must have a permissible purpose to access my credit report. I disputed these inquiries through certified letters on XX/XX/year>, requesting proof of authorization and permissible purpose. The credit bureaus failed to provide evidence that these inquiries were conducted with my consent or for a permissible purpose. Additionally, failure to properly disclose the nature of these inquiries may constitute an unfair practice under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act ( 12 U.S.C. 5531 ). 

Desired Resolution : Removal of all hard inquiries from my credit report due to the inability to validate that these inquiries were made with permissible purpose and my consent, as required under FCRA and Dodd-Frank regulations. 

XXXX. Incorrect Names and Addresses Issue : My credit report contains names and addresses that are inaccurate and do not correspond to my legal name or places of residence. Under FCRA ( 15 U.S.C. 1681c ( a ) ( 5 ) ), credit reporting agencies are required to report only accurate personal identifying information. The only correct name that should appear on my credit report is XXXX XXXX XXXX. The only addresses that should be reported are XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX, TX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, TX XXXX. Reporting any other names or addresses is misleading and a violation of my rights under the FCRA. 

Desired Resolution : Removal of all incorrect names and addresses from my credit report that do not match the name XXXX XXXX XXXX or the addresses XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX, TX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, TX XXXX, as required under FCRA and following my certified dispute letter sent on XX/XX/year>. 

XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX Unrecognized Account Issue : My credit report lists an account with XXXX XXXX XXXX, a company with which I have never conducted business and of which I have no knowledge. This account is inaccurately associated with my credit report, violating my rights under the FCRA ( 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ) ). Additionally, under the FDCPA ( 15 U.S.C. 1692e ), it is illegal for a debt collector to use any false, deceptive, or misleading representations regarding a debt, including misreporting the status of a debt. Despite disputing this entry through a certified letter on XX/XX/year>, the credit bureaus have not provided proof that I have any relationship with XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

Desired Resolution : Immediate removal of any references to XXXX XXXX XXXX from my credit report, as it is not a valid account associated with me, violating both the FCRA and FDCPA following my certified dispute letter. 

Conclusion : I am requesting the CFPBs assistance to ensure that my rights under the FCRA, FDCPA, TILA, ECOA, and Dodd-Frank Act are upheld and that these inaccuracies are addressed promptly. The continued presence of these unverified and improperly reported items is causing significant harm to my credit score, impacting my ability to obtain credit at fair rates. 

Please feel free to contact me for any additional information or documentation that may assist in resolving this matter. Thank you for your attention to this important issue. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX, TX XXXX Phone : XXXX Email : XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief