Consumer complaint received 2025-11-28 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: FL

Complaint narrative:
I am filing this complaint because there are multiple derogatory accounts appearing on my credit report that I do not own, did not authorize, and never opened. These accounts have caused significant damage to my credit and have continued to be reported despite my disputes and despite the fact that I have filed an FTC Identity Theft Report stating clearly that these accounts are fraudulent. I am requesting the CFPBs assistance because the companies involved have failed to verify the accounts properly or provide documentation proving that I opened them. They also continue reporting the accounts even though they are now associated with an active identity theft claim. 

The derogatory accounts currently reporting on my credit file are : XXXX XXXX ending in XXXX Reporting as a charge-off with a past-due balance of approximately {$9100.00} XXXX XXXX  ending in XXXX Reporting as derogatory with a {$0.00} balance but multiple late-payment entries including XXXX, XXXX, and several XXXX delinquencies These XXXX negative accounts are severely harming my credit. They appear as major derogatory items, and they are completely inaccurate because I do not own these accounts and have never had any relationship with these accounts whatsoever. I did not open them, apply for them, authorize them, or use them. Because they do not belong to me, I filed an FTC Identity Theft Report to document that these accounts are fraudulent. 

After seeing these accounts on my credit report, I immediately disputed them with the credit reporting agencies and asked for verification and documentation from the furnishers. I specifically asked for proof of my ownership, including original applications, full agreements, identity verification documentation, signed contracts, or any evidence connecting me to these accounts. Instead of supplying the required documentation, the companies involved either ignored the request, provided partial and incomplete documents, or responded with generic statements claiming the accounts were verified without providing any actual proof. 

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), when a consumer disputes an accountespecially an account claimed to be fraudulentthe furnisher and the credit reporting agencies must conduct a full, meaningful, and reasonable reinvestigation. They must obtain and provide : The original signed application The complete contract Identity verification information Billing statements Full transaction histories Authentication or fraud-prevention data Any documents linking the consumer to the debt None of this has been provided to me. In fact, one furnisher admitted they only provided page 1 of the application and refused to provide the rest of the application because they claimed it contained proprietary information. Not only is this incorrect, but it is also a violation of my rights because consumers are entitled to documentation used for validation. Furnishers can not refuse to provide information necessary to verify a debt. 

Another issue is that the credit bureaus closed my disputes quickly and marked the accounts as verified, even though no verification documents were ever given to me. This suggests that the reinvestigation may have been automated through systems like e-OSCAR, which rely on code responses rather than reviewing original documentation. A computerized verification is not the same as a legally compliant verification, and it does not satisfy the requirements of FCRA 611. Because I did not receive any meaningful investigation results, and because no company provided proof linking me to these accounts, I took the next st
ep required by law : I filed an FTC Identity Theft Report. This report officially states that these are fraudulent accounts that do not belong to me. Under FCRA 605B, once a consumer submits a valid identity theft report, the furnisher must : Block the account from reporting Stop furnishing negative information Stop verifying the account Remove the account unless they can produce full documentation proving it is legitimate This has not happened. The accounts continue to appear on my report, and the companies have not provided the required documentation. This is harmful, unfair, and in direct violation of federal law. 

The derogatory account ending in XXXX is reporting as a charge-off with a balance of more than {$9000.00}, and the account ending in XXXX is reporting multiple serious late payments. These negative items are significant and have immediate effects on my ability to obtain loans, mortgages, credit cards, and other financial opportunities. They are also damaging my credit profile even though they are fraudulent. 

I have never received any statements, billing notices, collection letters, or communications related to these accounts at any point prior to seeing them on my credit report. If these accounts were legitimately mine, I would have received monthly statements or communications. I have received none. I have no knowledge of when they were allegedly opened or used. This further supports that these accounts were opened without my permission. 

I have taken every reasonable step available to me. I disputed the accounts with the credit bureaus. I contacted the furnishers. I filed an FTC Identity Theft Report. I provided detailed written explanations. I asked for original documentation. None of the companies involved have provided legally sufficient proof that I am responsible for these accounts. 

Instead, I received responses that were incomplete, dismissive, or in violation of FCRA procedures. In one response, the creditor stated that documents are sufficient even though they refused to provide the full application and could not provide any signature or verification documents. In another response, I was told to submit my Social Security number and a copy of my credit report to help them investigatedespite the fact that it is the furnishers responsibility to validate the account based on their records, not mine.

These responses demonstrate that the accounts are unverifiable. If the companies can not produce documents proving authenticity, they can not legally report the accounts. Continuing to do so after receiving an FTC Identity Theft Report is not only inaccurateit is unlawful.

My credit should not be harmed by accounts I never opened. I should not be responsible for debts that I did not create. I should not have to repeatedly dispute fraudulent accounts that the furnishers can not validate. 

Because this is my second attempt and because my first attempt did not result in compliance, I am turning to the CFPB to ensure that my rights as a consumer are protected and that the companies involved follow the law. I am requesting that the CFPB intervene to require the deletion and removal of these fraudulent accounts from all credit reporting agencies. 

These accounts have caused financial and emotional distress, and they have prevented me from maintaining an accurate credit file. I have followed every required legal step to prove identity theft. I am not responsible for the creation, use, or existence of these accounts. 

To summarize what happened : I discovered XXXX derogatory accounts on my credit report. 

I did not open these accounts and had no knowledge of them. 

I disputed the accounts with all credit bureaus. 

The bureaus closed the disputes without providing documentation. 

Furnishers refused to provide full validation or complete application documents. 

I filed an FTC Identity Theft Report documenting the fraud. 

Despite this, the accounts continue to be reported. 

I have made multiple attempts to resolve this, including this second formal complaint. 

No company has provided sufficient proof linking me to the accounts.

Under FCRA, the accounts should have been removed already.

I am requesting that the CFPB review the situation and require the companies to : Remove all derogatory XXXX XXXX accounts Stop reporting the accounts permanently Correct all credit files Confirm deletion in writing Comply with FCRA 605B and all identity theft regulations These accounts are fraudulent, unverifiable, and harmful. I filed an FTC Identity Theft Report because I do not own these accounts, and I am requesting that they be removed immediately.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation