Consumer complaint received 2025-08-02 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: TX

Complaint narrative:
b"To Whom It May Concern,\nI am filing this formal complaint against the credit bureaus and data furnishers for repeated and willful violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). My consumer rights are being violated due to the presence of numerous inaccurate, unverifiable, and fraudulent entries on my credit report. I have disputed many of these items directly, and yet the information remains, causing harm to my financial well-being, employment opportunities, and emotional health.\nBelow is a list of addresses, accounts, and inquiries that are either wrong, not mine, unverifiable, or reported inaccurately:\nXXXX XXXX XXXX, TX XXXX\nWrong Address\nIssue: This address has no relation to me and never belonged to me. Its presence is a result of file mixing or identity confusion.\nLaw: FCRA  607(b) states that consumer reporting agencies must ensure maximum possible accuracy.\nStory: This address might be connected to someone else's data but it is showing on my credit report, causing misidentification with potential creditors, damaging my reputation, and linking accounts that don't belong to me.\nXXXX XXXX XXXX TX XXXX\nWrong Address\nIssue: This is not and has never been my residence.\nLaw: FCRA  611 gives me the right to dispute any information that is inaccurate.\nStory: Because this is showing on my file, I am being matched with accounts and inquiries that are not mine. It can lead to wrongful collection attempts and credit denials.\nXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  TX XXXX\nWrong Address\nIssue: Completely unfamiliar address, never resided there, and never used for any correspondence.\nLaw: FCRA  604 and  605(a) require accurate personal data reporting.\nStory: Keeping this on my report creates confusion for lenders, employers, and landlords. I worry this may have allowed fraudulent accounts to be opened in my name or linked to my file by mistake.\nXXXX XXXX  Late Payment  High Balance: $XXXX  Opened: XXXX\nIssue: Late payment was reported without full context and without communication.\nLaw: FCRA  623(a)(1) prohibits reporting inaccurate data and requires proper notice.\nStory: I always made regular payments or communicated financial hardship. The creditor failed to notify me before reporting the late payment. This unfairly hurt my score despite my consistent history of repayment. I request full documentation or removal.\nXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX   Late Payment  High Balance: $XXXX  Opened: XXXXnIssue: Reporting of late payment for an account that has no proper validation or billing dispute resolution.\nLaw: FCRA  609(a)(1) and  611 give me the right to verification.\nStory: I was never notified properly about the due amount nor given a fair chance to resolve the issue before derogatory reporting. This is unjust and goes against responsible consumer reporting practices.\nXXXX XXXX   Charge Off  High Balance: $XXXX   Opened: XXXX\nIssue: A charge-off with XXXX  balance indicates either closed or resolved account, yet derogatory status remains.\nLaw: FCRA  605(a) prohibits retaining negative data without balance or activity.\nStory: Keeping a charge-off mark with zero owed gives a misleading image to lenders and ruins my ability to obtain new credit. Its misleading and damaging.\nXXXX XXXX XXXX  Charge Off  High Balance: $XXXX   OpenedXXXX XXXX\nIssue: Charge-off reported without proper billing or opportunity to settle.\nLaw: FCRA  623(a)(3) mandates notice before derogatory reporting.\nStory: I was not given the chance to dispute or discuss the debt. Instead, I was blindsided with a charge-off which severely damaged my report.\nXXXX XXXX XXXX  Charge Off  High Balance: $XXXX   Opened: XXXX\nIssue: Charge-off was applied despite payment arrangements and hardship notification.\nLaw: FCRA  607(b) and FDCPA  808(1)  no deceptive collection activity allowed.\nStory: I informed the creditor of hardship and made partial payments. Still, they added a charge-off which misrepresents the relationship and caused major credit damage.\nXXXX XXXX XXXX  Charge Off  High Balance: $XXXX   OpenedXXXX XXXX\nIssue: Charge-off resulted from improper billing and unexplained fees.\nLaw: FCRA  609(a) and  611(a)(1) require full validation upon request.\nStory: I repeatedly asked for billing breakdown and received none. The reporting is unjust and legally disputable.\nXXXX XXXXXXXX   Late Payment  High Balance: $XXXX   Opened: XXXXnIssue: Late payment reported despite agreed deferral and financial hardship.\nLaw: FCRA  623(a)(1)(A) mandates accurate furnishing of data.\nStory: During a temporary job loss, I arranged a payment pause, which was not honored. The creditor failed to fulfill their agreement, yet reported late and damaged my credit heavily.\nXXXX XXXX XXXX  Charge Off  High Balance: $XXXX   Opened: XXXX\nIssue: Energy service account wrongly marked as charged off without validation.\nLaw: FCRA  611  consumer has right to dispute and demand reinvestigation.\nStory: XXXX  failed to respond to billing dispute and placed a charge-off unjustly, which continues to hurt my score even after I paid a corrected balance.\nXXXX XXXX  Charge Off  High Balance: $XXXX   Opened: XXXX\nIssue: Obsolete account still reporting long after statutory period.\nLaw: FCRA  605(a)(4)  negative items over 7 years old must be removed.\nStory: This account is nearly 20 years old. Its presence is not just wrong but unlawful and must be deleted.\nXXXX XXXX XXXX   Charge Off  High Balance: $XXXX   Opened: XXXX\nIssue: No proper verification provided after multiple requests.\nLaw: FCRA  609(a)(1) and FDCPA  809  requires verification on demand.\nStory: Despite multiple efforts, the creditor ignored my requests. I cannot accept this as valid reporting without proof.\nXXXX XXXX XXXX  Collection  High Balance: $XXXX   Opened: XXXXnIssue: Debt amount is inflated and unverifiable.\nLaw: FDCPA  808  prohibits misrepresentation of debt amount.\nStory: I requested an itemized statement and received nothing. Its XXXX  and dishonest.\nXXXX XXXX XXXX   High Balance: $XXXX   Opened: XXXX\nIssue: Unknown medical debt or billing misplacement.\nLaw: FCRA  609(a) and FDCPA  809  right to dispute and verify debt.\nStory: I was unaware of any medical balance. Reporting it without validation is unjust and legally challengeable.\nXXXX XXXX XXXX   Collection  High Balance: $XXXX   Opened: XXXX\nIssue: Third-party collection reported without communication.\nLaw: FDCPA  809  debt collector must notify and allow dispute.\nStory: I never heard from XXXX. They blindsided me with this reporting and never gave me a chance to respond.\nXXXX XXXX  Collection  High Balance: $XXXX   Opened: XXXX\nIssue: Possibly duplicate of XXXX XXXX above.\nLaw: FCRA  607(b)  prohibits redundant and confusing entries.\nStory: Appears to be the same debt but reported under different names. This is unethical and harmful.\nI am requesting that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) conduct a thorough investigation into these ongoing and harmful violations. These errors continue to impact my credit standing and financial security. I have previously disputed with the credit bureaus directly but have not received proper relief. I am attaching my identification documents and supporting evidence for review.\nPlease ensure that these violations are addressed immediately, the inaccurate items are permanently removed from my credit reports, and appropriate action is taken against the responsible furnishers and agencies.\nThank you for your time and attention."

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief