Consumer complaint received 2025-09-01 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: GA

Complaint narrative:
I, submit this formal complaint against Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian for their continued and willful violations of federal consumer protection laws under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ). These violations include the unlawful reinsertion of previously deleted accounts without proper notification, failure to ensure maximum possible accuracy, failure to investigate disputes within the mandated time frame, failure to provide verification details upon request, and failure to validate debt prior to reporting. 

Background & Violations My credit reports contain fraudulent accounts and unauthorized inquiries that the Bureaus have failed to properly investigate and address despite multiple disputes and supporting documentation. Additionally, these Bureaus have removed fraudulent accounts and unauthorized inquiries only to reinsert them without proper validation, constituting an egregious violation of XXXX U.S.C. 1692g ( a ) and ( b ).

Furthermore, I sent a certified dispute letter to all three credit bureaus requesting verification details, including contracts, signatures, and all relevant documentation for these accounts. Despite more than 15 days passing, I have not received any response or documentation from any of the bureaus, which constitutes an additional violation of federal consumer protection laws, specifically : 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) : Failure to investigate disputes within the required 30-day period.

15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( B ) : Failure to provide notice and certification before reinserting previously deleted information.

15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ) : Failure to ensure maximum possible accuracy.

15 U.S.C. 1692g ( a ) ( 4 ) : Failure to provide verification of debt, including original contracts and signatures, upon request.

15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 6 ) ( B ) ( iii ) : Failure to provide specific details on dispute findings.

Related Lawsuits & CFPB Actions The CFPB has actively taken enforcement actions against the credit bureaus for similar violations, further demonstrating a pattern of noncompliance. These legal precedents reinforce the validity of my complaint : Experian Lawsuit ( XX/XX/XXXX ) : The CFPB filed a lawsuit against Experian for failing to properly investigate consumer disputes regarding credit report inaccuracies. The lawsuit alleged that Experian allowed erroneous information to reappear on reports, impacting consumers ' credit, employment, and housing access. The CFPB seeks to halt Experian 's misconduct, provide redress, and impose penalties. 
TransUnion Settlement ( XX/XX/XXXX ) : The CFPB, alongside the FTC, reached a {$15.00} XXXX settlement with TransUnion and its subsidiary, TransUnion XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, for failing to ensure the accuracy of tenant screening reports. The agency charged that TransUnions inaccuracy potentially hindered consumers ' ability to secure housing. TransUnion agreed to pay {$11.00} XXXX in restitution and a {$4.00} XXXX civil penalty and implement enhanced accuracy measures. 
Equifax XXXX ( XX/XX/XXXX ) : The CFPB filed a major lawsuit against Equifax for repeated violations of the FCRA and deceptive practices that misled consumers regarding credit report accuracy. The lawsuit highlighted that Equifax knowingly reported incorrect information, failed to correct disputes in a timely manner, and continued to allow erroneous reinsertion of previously deleted data without proper consumer notification. The CFPB is seeking financial penalties, injunctive relief, and systemic reforms to prevent future violations. 
These actions underscore the CFPBs commitment to enforcing the FCRA and ensuring that consumer reporting agencies uphold their obligations. My case mirrors these past violations, and I urge the CFPB to take similar action against Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. 
Fraudulent Accounts & Unauthorized Reinsertions XXXX Account Number : XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Issues : Charged-off status, discrepancies, lack of proper notification Violations : FCRA 1681e ( b ) : Failure to ensure maximum possible accuracy FCRA 1681i ( a ) : Failure to properly reinvestigate disputed information FCRA 1681g : Failure to disclose verification records FCRA 1681b : Lack of permissible purpose FDCPA 1692g : Failure to validate debt within 5 days FDCPA 1692e : Misrepresentation of debt status Georgia Fair Credit Reporting Act, O.C.G.A. 10-1-393 ( b ) Prohibiting reporting information known or should be known to be inaccurate Georgia Fair Credit Reporting Act, O.C.G.A. 10-1-394 Failure to disclose method of verification after dispute Georgia Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, O.C.G.A. 7-3-305 Incorporating FDCPA prohibitions against false, deceptive, or misleading representations Request : REMOVE AND BLOCK THIS ACCOUNT IMMEDIATELY under FCRA 1681c-2, O.C.G.A. 10-1-393 & 10-1-394, and O.C.G.A. 7-3-305. 
XXXX. BANKRUPTCY : XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Issues : Charged-off status, discrepancies, lack of proper notification Violations : FCRA 1681e ( b ) : Failure to ensure maximum possible accuracy FCRA 1681i ( a ) : Failure to properly reinvestigate disputed information FCRA 1681g : Failure to disclose verification records FCRA 1681b : Lack of permissible purpose FDCPA 1692g : Failure to validate debt within 5 days FDCPA 1692e : Misrepresentation of debt status Georgia Fair Credit Reporting Act, O.C.G.A. 10-1-393 ( b ) Prohibiting reporting information known or should be known to be inaccurate Georgia Fair Credit Reporting Act, O.C.G.A. 10-1-394 Failure to disclose method of verification after dispute Georgia Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, O.C.G.A. 7-3-305 Incorporating FDCPA prohibitions against false, deceptive, or misleading representations. 

This correspondence is a formal dispute of the inaccurate and unlawful bankruptcy entry reported on my Experian credit file, dated XX/XX/XXXX, with reference number XXXX. 
Neither TransUnion nor Equifax report this bankruptcy, proving inconsistency, unreliability, and violation of 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), which mandates maximum accuracy. Experians reporting of this entry without verifiable, complete, and consistent public record data also constitutes a violation of 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( failure to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation ) and 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ) ( failure to delete unverifiable or inaccurate information ). Additionally, disclosing or retaining this information without permissible purpose violates the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act ( GLBA ) and 15 U.S.C.

6801, as well as FCRA 604 ( a ). Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), 15 U.S.C. 1692e ( 8 ), continued communication or publication of disputed, inaccurate information is unlawful. Furthermore, as a Georgia resident, I invoke protections under the Georgia Fair Business Practices Act ( O.C.G.A. 10-1-390 et seq. ), which prohibits unfair or deceptive acts in commerce, including furnishing or publishing materially false financial data. Reporting this bankruptcy years after its discharge date of XX/XX/XXXX, with no liability amount, constitutes a direct violation of Metro 2 reporting standards and CDIA guidelines, which require completeness and accuracy in all fields.

DEMAND : I hereby demand immediate deletion and permanent suppression of this erroneous bankruptcy record from my Experian file. Failure to comply will result in formal complaints to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ), the Georgia Attorney Generals Office, and potential civil action for statutory damages, actual damages, attorneys fees, and injunctive relief under the FCRA ( 15 U.S.C. 1681n & 1681o ). You are required to provide written confirmation of deletion within 15 days of receipt of this letter.

BANKRUPTCY : U.S BANKRUPTCY COURT Issues : Charged-off status, discrepancies, lack of proper notification Violations : FCRA 1681e ( b ) : Failure to ensure maximum possible accuracy FCRA 1681i ( a ) : Failure to properly reinvestigate disputed information FCRA 1681g : Failure to disclose verification records FCRA 1681b : Lack of permissible purpose FDCPA 1692g : Failure to validate debt within 5 days FDCPA 1692e : Misrepresentation of debt status Georgia Fair Credit Reporting Act, O.C.G.A. 10-1-393 ( b ) Prohibiting reporting information known or should be known to be inaccurate Georgia Fair Credit Reporting Act, O.C.G.A. 10-1-394 Failure to disclose method of verification after dispute Georgia Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, O.C.G.A. 7-3-305 Incorporating FDCPA prohibitions against false, deceptive, or misleading representations This is a formal dispute of the bankruptcy entry reported by TransUnion, listed as a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX on XX/XX/XXXX with reference number XXXX. This entry is not reported by Experian or Equifax, creating a material inconsistency and violating 15 U.S.C.

1681e ( b ) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), which requires consumer reporting agencies to follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy. By reporting incomplete, unverifiable, and inconsistent public record data, TransUnion is in violation of 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( failure to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation ) and 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ) ( duty to promptly delete information that can not be verified ). Further, this reporting fails to meet Metro 2 standards and Consumer Data Industry Association ( CDIA ) guidelines, which require accuracy, completeness, and consistency in all fields of consumer reporting.

Reporting a bankruptcy without liability amounts, status notes, or complete record details also constitutes an unfair or deceptive act under the Georgia Fair Business Practices Act ( O.C.G.A. 10-1-390 et seq. ). Additionally, the continued publication of this disputed information violates the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), 15 U.S.C.

1692e ( 8 ), which prohibits the communication of false credit information once disputed, and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act ( GLBA ), 15 U.S.C. 6801, which requires protection against unauthorized disclosure of sensitive consumer information.

DEMAND : I hereby demand the immediate deletion and permanent suppression of this bankruptcy record from my TransUnion credit file. Failure to comply will result in formal complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ), the Georgia Attorney Generals Office, and civil litigation seeking statutory damages, actual damages, attorneys fees, and injunctive relief under 15 U.S.C. 1681n and 1681o. Written confirmation of removal is required within 15 days of receipt of this dispute. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Issues : Charged-off status, discrepancies, lack of proper notification Violations : FCRA 1681e ( b ) : Failure to ensure maximum possible accuracy FCRA 1681i ( a ) : Failure to properly reinvestigate disputed information FCRA 1681g : Failure to disclose verification records FCRA 1681b : Lack of permissible purpose FDCPA 1692g : Failure to validate debt within 5 days FDCPA 1692e : Misrepresentation of debt status Georgia Fair Credit Reporting Act, O.C.G.A. 10-1-393 ( b ) Prohibiting reporting information known or should be known to be inaccurate Georgia Fair Credit Reporting Act, O.C.G.A. 10-1-394 Failure to disclose method of verification after dispute Georgia Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, O.C.G.A. 7-3-305 Incorporating FDCPA prohibitions against false, deceptive, or misleading representations This is a formal dispute of the bankruptcy entry reported by Equifax, listed as a XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX with reference number XXXX. This entry does not appear on TransUnion or Experian, creating a material inconsistency across bureaus and violating 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), which requires credit reporting agencies to follow reasonable procedures to ensure maximum possible accuracy. By reporting this bankruptcy without consistent verification across all repositories, Equifax is also in violation of 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( failure to conduct a proper reinvestigation ) and 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ) ( failure to promptly delete unverifiable information ).

Further, this reporting fails to comply with Metro 2 standards and Consumer Data Industry Association ( CDIA ) guidelines, which require complete, accurate, and consistent reporting of public records. Equifaxs continued publication of this disputed record without proper verification constitutes an unfair or deceptive act under the Georgia Fair Business Practices Act ( O.C.G.A. 10-1-390 et seq. ). In addition, reporting and retaining this information without full verification and permissible purpose constitutes a violation of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act ( GLBA ), 15 U.S.C. 6801, and FCRA 604 ( a ). Finally, continued reporting of this disputed information constitutes a violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), 15 U.S.C. 1692e ( 8 ), which prohibits the communication of false credit information once it has been disputed. 
DEMAND : I hereby demand the immediate deletion and permanent suppression of this bankruptcy record from my Equifax credit file. Failure to comply will result in formal complaints filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ), the Georgia Attorney Generals Office, and the pursuit of civil litigation seeking statutory damages, actual damages, attorneys fees, and injunctive relief under 15 U.S.C. 1681n and 1681o.

Written confirmation of this deletion must be provided within 15 days of receipt of this dispute. 
Additional Inaccuracies to Remove Fraudulent Hard Inquiry : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Demand : Immediate deletion and permanent blocking of these inquiries under FCRA 1681c-2, Georgia Fair Credit Reporting Act ( Ga. Code 10-1-391 et seq. ) Ga. Code 10-1-393 ( a ), and Georgia Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( Ga. Code 10-1-901 et seq. ) Ga. Code 10-1-903 due to identity theft and lack of verification.

Incorrect or Unfamiliar Addresses : XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Demand : Immediate deletion and permanent blocking of these addresses under FCRA 1681c-2, Georgia Fair Credit Reporting Act ( Ga. Code 10-1-391 et seq. ) Ga. Code 10-1-393 ( a ), and Georgia Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( Ga. Code 10-1-901 et seq. ) Ga. Code 10-1-903 due to identity theft and lack of verification. 
Incorrect Employer Listing : XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Demand : Immediate deletion and permanent blocking of these employers under FCRA 1681c-2, Georgia Fair Credit Reporting Act ( Ga. Code 10-1-391 et seq. ) Ga. Code 10-1-393 ( a ), and Georgia Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( Ga. Code 10-1-901 et seq. ) Ga. Code 10-1-903 due to identity theft and lack of verification. 
Incorrect Name Listing : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Demand : Immediate deletion and permanent blocking of these names under FCRA 1681c-2, Georgia Fair Credit Reporting Act ( Ga. Code 10-1-391 et seq. ) Ga. Code 10-1-393 ( a ), and Georgia Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( Ga. Code 10-1-901 et seq. ) Ga. Code 10-1-903 due to identity theft and lack of verification.

Demands for Resolution Immediate Removal and Blockage : Remove and block all fraudulent accounts and unauthorized inquiries from my credit file across all three bureaus.

Ensure that these accounts and inquiries are not reinserted without proper validation as required under 15 U.S.C. 1692g ( b ).

Written Confirmation : Provide written confirmation of the removal of these accounts and inquiries along with updated copies of my credit reports.

Thorough Investigation : Conduct a full investigation into how these fraudulent accounts and inquiries were recorded without my consent.

Provide findings in writing, including all requested verification details, such as contracts and signatures.

Compliance with Identity Theft Protections : Implement fraud alerts and provide me with identity theft resources as mandated under 15 U.S.C. 1681g ( e ).

The continued noncompliance by Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian has caused significant financial harm and distress. The reinsertion of fraudulent accounts and inquiries without proper validation exacerbates these violations. Given the CFPBs history of legal action against these credit bureaus for similar misconduct, I urge immediate enforcement action to ensure compliance with federal law and provide appropriate remedies under 15 U.S.C. 1681n and 1681o for willful and negligent violations. 
Your intervention is necessary to ensure these Bureaus are held accountable and that my credit report is permanently corrected.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief