Consumer complaint received 2025-01-31 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: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
Subject : Follow-Up on Disputed Account XXXX XXXX XXXX ( Account Number : XXXX ) Dear Experian Consumer Relations, I am writing in response to your recent dispute results dated XX/XX/year>, regarding the XXXX XXXX XXXX account ( Account Number : XXXX ). Your response states that the account has been updated, but it fails to indicate whether the account has been verified as accurate, provide supporting documentation, or address the critical issues I raised in my dispute. This contradictory statement, coupled with Experians failure to provide sufficient documentation supporting your claim of verification, demonstrates clear violations of my rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ). 

Failure to Address Critical Issues 1. Lack of Verification and Supporting Documentation Despite my previous disputes and formal requests, Experian has not provided : Proof of how the account was verified. 
Detailed documentation such as the original signed agreement, payment history, and proof of ownership. 
Justification for updating the account without sharing any evidence to support its accuracy. 
Simply marking the account as updated without addressing the issues I raised is not sufficient under 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 6 ), which requires you to provide the results of the investigation and a description of the procedure used to verify the account. 
2. Failure to Issue a 1099-C and Tax Implications As the account was written off by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX a 1099-C ( Cancellation of Debt ) should have been issued for any debt forgiven over {$600.00}, as required under 26 U.S.C. 6050P. 
A charged-off debt that has been canceled, forgiven, or sold must have its balance updated to {$0.00}. 
The continued reporting of a balance without issuing a XXXX is misleading, inaccurate, and creates tax implications for me. 
I demand an explanation of how this debt was written off and why the balance remains reported if no XXXX has been issued. 
3. Rapid Completion of Dispute ( XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/year> ) The timeframe for this investigation was unreasonably short, suggesting that no proper reinvestigation was conducted. Under 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ), Experian is required to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation, which includes reviewing evidence provided by the consumer and verifying the disputed information. Completing a reinvestigation within 48 hours indicates that Experian likely relied solely on XXXX XXXX Acceptances unverified claims without conducting an independent or thorough review. 
XXXX. Failure to Update the Account to Reflect a {$0.00} Balance If the debt has been written off or sold to a third party ( e.g., XXXX XXXX ), XXXX XXXX XXXX no longer has a permissible purpose under 15 U.S.C. 1681b to continue reporting the account. 
Experians failure to demand documentation proving ownership or permissible purpose before updating the account violates 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ) ( maximum possible accuracy ).

Without proof of ownership or validation, the account must be removed, and the balance must reflect {$0.00}.

Experians Noncompliance and Stalling Experians refusal to provide requested documentation despite my submission of all necessary information, including proof of identity, constitutes stalling and a violation of my rights under the FCRA. 
Experian has not explained what documents it reviewed or why those documents were not shared with me. 
By delaying and failing to provide transparency, Experian is in violation of 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 6 ) and 1681e ( b ).

Despite this, the account remains reported with ongoing updates, creating the false impression of continued derogatory activity. This practice misrepresents the true status of the account and constitutes inaccurate reporting Requested Actions I demand that Experian take the following actions immediately : 1. Remove the XXXX XXXX XXXX Account Delete the account from my credit report due to the lack of verification, improper handling of my dispute, and failure to provide supporting documentation. 
2. Provide Validation Documents If you claim the account has been verified, provide the following : The original signed agreement between myself and XXXX XXXX XXXX. 
Detailed payment history and accounting records showing how the balance was calculated. 
Proof of ownership of the debt and any transfer agreements to Credit Control. 
XXXX. Clarify the Verification Process Explain who at XXXX XXXX XXXX or Credit Control was contacted during the reinvestigation.

Specify the documentation provided by them to verify the accounts accuracy.

4. Update the Account to {$0.00} Balance If the debt has been charged off or sold, update the balance to {$0.00}, and delete the account if no 1099-C has been issued or permissible purpose can not be proven.

Legal Notice Failure to comply with the above requests within 4 business days will result in the following actions : Filing complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) and Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ) for violations of the FCRA.

Escalating this matter to my state attorney generals office for review under state consumer protection laws.

Pursuing legal action under 15 U.S.C. 1681n and 15 U.S.C. 1681o for willful and negligent noncompliance with the FCRA. 

The CFPBs recent lawsuit against Experian filed in XX/XX/year> underscores systemic failures in handling consumer disputes, including : Failing to thoroughly investigate disputes and relying solely on information provided by furnishers without independent verification. 
Relying on inaccurate or incomplete data to validate disputed accounts. 
Improper reinsertion of deleted errors, causing harm to consumers. 

Contradiction in Dispute Results : On one hand, Experian claims the account has been updated, but on the other, you state that the incorrect account has not been changed. This inconsistency reflects a failure to properly address my dispute and raises questions about the thoroughness of your investigation.

5. Failure to Remove Unverifiable Information ( 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ) : If the account can not be verified with proper documentation, it must be removed from my credit report. Your failure to remove the account despite the lack of sufficient evidence is a clear violation of this provision.

Additional Concerns 1. No Issuance of a 1099-C Form ( 26 U.S.C. 6050P ) : XXXX XXXX XXXX has failed to issue a 1099-C form for the canceled debt, violating IRS regulations XXXX Without this form, the balance should be {$0.00}, yet it continues to be reported inaccurately. 
2. Inadequate Investigation Timeline : The dispute was completed between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/year>, a period far too short to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation as required under 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ). This rapid response suggests that Experian relied solely on the furnishers unverified claims, contrary to the CFPBs standards for proper dispute resolution.

If the debt was written off, update the balance to {$0.00} and explain why no 1099-C form has been issued.

Unlawful Reporting of Unverified Information FCRA Section 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) If the account can not be verified, it must be deleted. Since XXXX has not provided verification of ownership, this account should have been removed. 

A valid Identity Theft Report, in compliance with 15 U.S.C. 1681c-2 ( a ) ( FCRA Section 605B ), which mandates that credit reporting agencies must block fraudulent information when a consumer provides proper documentation.

2. A government-issued photo ID to verify my identity.

3. Proof of my address, establishing my residency at the time of the fraudulent activity. 

Despite my compliance with federal law, you have wrongfully declined to block or remove this fraudulent account from my credit report without providing the legally required documentation supporting your decision. This is a direct violation of my rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) and constitutes a failure to comply with your legal obligations. 

These allegations mirror my experience, as Experian has failed to provide verification or documentation supporting the continued reporting of the disputed XXXX XXXX XXXX account. Additionally, your response demonstrates a lack of transparency, as no explanation or evidence was provided to justify your decision to update the account instead of removing it. 

Conclusion Experian is legally required to ensure the accuracy of information reported on consumer credit reports. Your failure to properly investigate, provide supporting documentation, and address key issues in my dispute demonstrates a lack of compliance with the FCRA. I urge you to resolve this matter promptly by removing the XXXX XXXX XXXX account from my credit report and providing a detailed explanation of your actions.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation