Consumer complaint received 2025-03-08 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: AR

Complaint narrative:
I am filing this formal complaint against the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ), and the XXXX major credit bureaus ( XXXX, Equifax, and XXXX ) for multiple unlawful actions and violations of federal laws regarding the reporting and handling of my student loan information. I am requesting that the loan be permanently deleted from all credit reports and that the debt be discharged, as I believe the reporting of this loan is in violation of multiple laws and regulations. 

Background Account Number : XXXX Loan Status : The loan is currently reported as in forbearance, but I believe it has been misreported and mishandled in multiple ways.

Violations Violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) ( 15 U.S.C. 1681 et seq. ) 1681s-2 ( a ) ( 1 ) Furnishing of Inaccurate Information : The information being reported on this loan is inconsistent across all three credit bureaus, including : Opening Date : XXXX shows XX/XX/XXXX, while XXXX and Equifax show XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX : XXXX and XXXX report a XXXX term, while Equifax reports a term of 0 months. 
Last Payment Date : XXXX and XXXX list the last payment as XX/XX/XXXX, while Equifax shows XX/XX/XXXX. These discrepancies render the information inaccurate and unverifiable, requiring immediate deletion under the FCRA. 
1681b Impermissible Access to My Credit Report : I did not provide explicit consent for this loan to be reported to the credit bureaus, and therefore, the continued reporting violates the FCRA. If the XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX can not prove valid consent, this account must be deleted immediately. 

1681c ( a ) ( 4 ) Obsolete Information : Given the discrepancies and inconsistencies in the reporting, the information is obsolete and must be deleted per the FCRA. 

Violation of the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ( FERPA ) ( 20 U.S.C. 1232g ) My student loan records are protected educational records under FERPA, and can not be shared with third parties ( such as credit bureaus ) without my explicit written consent. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  and XXXX have violated FERPA by disclosing my student loan information without my consent. Therefore, I am demanding the immediate deletion of this loan from my credit report. 
Violation of the Higher Education Act ( HEA ) ( 20 U.S.C. 1080 ( e ) ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and its servicer, XXXX, are prohibited from misreporting student loan status. Given the inaccuracies and discrepancies, this loan is being reported incorrectly under the HEA and should be discharged and deleted from all credit reports.

Violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) ( 15 U.S.C. 1692 et seq. ) If XXXX is acting as a debt collector, they must provide proper validation of the debt. They have failed to provide proof of the assignment of the debt and their legal authority to report it, which constitutes a violation of the FDCPA. As a result, the debt is not legally enforceable and must be deleted from all credit reports. 
Violation of IRS Code ( 26 U.S.C. 6050P ) 1099-C Requirement for Cancellation of Debt If this debt has been charged off or forgiven, the Department of Education and XXXX are required by the IRS to issue a 1099-C form for canceled debt. If a 1099-C has not been issued, the continued reporting of this debt is fraudulent, and the account must be deleted from all credit reports and discharged.

Violation of the Privacy Act ( 5 U.S.C. 552a ) As a federal agency, the Department of Education is bound by the Privacy Act to protect my personal information. The mishandling and illegal reporting of my student loan violate my federal privacy rights. I am demanding the immediate deletion of this loan and the protection of my personal information. 
Deceptive Practices Under the Dodd-Frank Act ( 12 U.S.C. 5536 ) The actions of the Department of Education, XXXX, and the credit bureaus have engaged in deceptive, unfair, and abusive practices ( UDAAPs ), as they have misrepresented my rights, failed to investigate my disputes, and knowingly reported false and conflicting information.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation