Consumer complaint received 2025-06-15 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: MO

Complaint narrative:
Equifax Information Services LLC XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Subject : Final Legal Demand Cease Reporting of Fraudulent XXXX  Credit Card Account / Method of Verification and Debt Validation Required To Whom It May Concern, This letter constitutes my final formal dispute and legal demand for the immediate removal of a fraudulent XXXX  credit card account currently being reported on my Equifax credit report. Despite multiple disputes and the provision of all required documentation under federal law, you continue to report this account as accurate, a position that is unsupported and in violation of your duties under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) and other applicable consumer protection laws.

I. Equifax 's Reliance on e-OSCAR or Other Bureaus Is Legally Insufficient You are reminded that a mere verification via the e-OSCAR system or reliance on data furnished by another credit reporting agency does not satisfy your legal duty to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation.

As established by federal law : 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) requires a consumer reporting agency to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation to determine whether the disputed information is inaccurate.

Cushman v. Trans Union Corp., 115 F.3d 220 ( 3d Cir. 1997 ) held that a credit bureau must do more than merely parrot information received from other sources.

Gorman v. Wolpoff & Abramson, LLP, 584 F.3d 1147 ( 9th Cir. 2009 ) reaffirmed that a consumer reporting agency must verify the information independently and not rely solely on the word of the furnisher.

Therefore, if your conclusion that the account is accurate is based on XXXX  response alone or on e-OSCAR transmission, this is an incomplete and unlawful investigation under the FCRA.

II. Formal Method of Verification Demand 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 6 ) ( B ) ( iii ) You are now legally obligated to provide the full method of verification under 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 6 ) ( B ) ( iii ). I formally request : A description of the procedures you used to determine that the disputed information is accurate ; The name, title, and department of the individual at XXXX  you communicated with ; The date and time of your communication ; Copies of all documents presented to you to support that this account is valid.

Specifically, I demand that you produce the original application or agreement containing my wet signature or legally binding digital signature used to open this account. If you can not produce a document bearing my signature as proof of consent and acceptance of this account, then you have no lawful basis to continue reporting it.

III. Debt Validation Request FDCPA 809 ( 15 U.S.C. 1692g ( b ) ) Additionally, I am demanding debt validation under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), 15 U.S.C. 1692g ( b ). This includes : The name of the original creditor ( XXXX XXXX  ) ; A full accounting of the alleged debt ; Copies of the application or agreement signed by me ; Evidence that XXXX or any agent has a legal right to collect or furnish information on this account.

You can not continue reporting a debt that has not been validated. Failure to provide this information is a violation of the FDCPA and the FCRA.

IV. Continued Reporting During Investigation Is Illegal 15 U.S.C. 1681c-2 ( a ) Once I submitted an identity theft report and supporting documentation, Equifax was required to block the fraudulent information from my report within 4 business days, under 15 U.S.C. 1681c-2 ( a ). Continued reporting during or pending an investigation is not permitted and subjects Equifax to further liability.

Peart v. Shippie, No. 06-1495 ( E.D. Pa. 2007 ) confirms that blocking is mandatory upon proper documentation, regardless of the outcome of a future investigation.

V. Final Legal Notice Before Civil Action You have 7 calendar days to comply with the following demands or I will file suit for violations of : FCRA 15 U.S.C. 1681n ( Willful Noncompliance ) FCRA 15 U.S.C. 1681o ( Negligent Noncompliance ) FDCPA 15 U.S.C. 1692k ( Debt Collection Violations ) I will also file complaints with : The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) The Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ) My State Attorney General As precedent, in In re Equifax Inc. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX. XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ), Equifax paid {$570.00} XXXX in penalties and restitution for violations involving data mishandling and failure to protect consumers.

VI. My Formal Legal Demands Immediate and permanent deletion of the fraudulent XXXX  credit card account ; A detailed method of verification, including all documents bearing my signature ; Full debt validation documentation as outlined above ; Written confirmation of removal ; Assurance that this item will not be reinserted unless full legal protocol under 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( B ) is followed.

Failure to act will result in litigation seeking statutory damages, punitive damages, actual damages, attorney 's fees, and injunctive relief. If you can not provide the documentation requested then the law clearly states that this account must be deleted from my credit report immediately. I have once again attached a copy of the identity theft report. I have also attached directives from the Cfpb on how accounts like mine should be handled so kindly see file attached titled FCRA 605B and identity theft
recovery guide Sincerely, XXXX XXXX Enclosures : FTC Identity Theft Report Copy of U.S. Passport Utility Bill

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation