Consumer complaint received 2025-07-10 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: FL

Complaint narrative:
I'm writing this complaint because I'm really frustrated with what's happening to my credit reports. I submitted a complaint before ( reference # XXXX ) that I wrote myself, but you guys closed it the same day without even looking into it properly. That's not fair and I need help. 

My credit reports are completely messed up with accounts that aren't mine. I've been dealing with identity theft for months now and these credit bureaus just won't fix the problems even when I send them letters and documentation. It's affecting my ability to get loans, rent apartments, and even get jobs because employers check credit now. 

After doing some research and talking to people who know about credit reporting, I found out that many of these accounts are violating something called Metro 2 reporting standards. These are the rules that companies are supposed to follow when they report information to the credit bureaus, but they're clearly not following them in my case. 

Here 's what's wrong with my reports and why these are Metro 2 violations : XXXX XXXX account number XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX showing a balance of {$5000.00} - this isn't my account and I never had any loan with them. They're reporting it as both a collection AND a chargeoff at the same time, which I learned is a Metro 2 violation. You can't report something as both simultaneously - it has to be one or the other. 

XXXX XXXX auto loan XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX with {$0.00} balance but they still show it as a chargeoff. Someone explained to me that reporting a {$0.00} balance as a chargeoff violates Metro 2 standards because if there's no money owed, it shouldn't be showing as a negative account. 

XXXX  loan XXXX XXXX XXXX also showing {$0.00} but marked as collection/chargeoff. Same Metro 2 violation - you can't report a XXXX balance as a collection or chargeoff. 

XXXX collection account XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for {$10000.00} - I have no idea what this is for and they don't even show who the original creditor was. This violates Metro 2 because collection agencies are required to provide the original creditor information. Without that, how am I supposed to verify if this is even legitimate? 

XXXX XXXX from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for {$730.00} - I never had a XXXX  XXXX account that went to collections. This is fraudulent and the dates they're reporting don't match up with when they claim the account was opened, which is another Metro 2 violation. 

XXXX XXXX has XXXX accounts on my report : - One from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for {$1200.00} - Another from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX also for {$1200.00} Both showing as collections AND chargeoffs at the same time. I've learned this dual reporting is a clear Metro 2 violation. Plus the balances and dates don't make sense if these were supposedly paid or settled. 

XXXX XXXX has XXXX accounts too : - XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for {$1200.00} - XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  for {$1200.00} Both marked as collection/chargeoff but they don't show the original creditor information, which violates Metro 2 requirements. These debt buyers are supposed to include that information but they're not doing it. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX showing {$0.00} balance but still marked as collection. This is a Metro 2 violation because you can't report a XXXX  balance as a collection account. 

Then there's a bunch of credit cards showing as chargeoffs with {$0.00} balances : - 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 All of these violate Metro 2 standards because they're reporting {$0.00} balances as chargeoffs. If there's no money owed, these shouldn't be showing as negative accounts at all. 

XXXX  lease XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  for {$3800.00} - I never leased anything from this company. The balance and status they're reporting don't match up with their dates, which is another Metro 2 violation for inaccurate date reporting.

On top of all these fake accounts with Metro 2 violations, my personal information is all mixed up across the XXXX credit bureaus. Sometimes they have my name spelled different ways, old addresses I never lived at, and other people 's information mixed in with mine. This violates both the Fair Credit Reporting Act and Metro 2 guidelines for accurate personal information reporting. 

I've sent dispute letters to all three bureaus multiple times but they keep coming back saying the information is " verified '' without actually investigating. How can they verify accounts that aren't mine and that clearly violate Metro 2 reporting standards? I've included copies of my ID, social security card, and even filed a police report for identity theft but they still won't remove these fraudulent accounts.

This is ruining my life. My credit score is in the XXXX because of all these fake accounts and Metro 2 violations, and I can't get approved for anything. I can't buy a car, can't get a decent apartment, and some employers won't hire me because of my credit. This isn't fair when none of these accounts are actually mine and they're all being reported incorrectly according to Metro 2 standards.

I've tried working with the credit bureaus directly but they just send me form letters saying everything is accurate when it's clearly not. The companies reporting these accounts either don't respond to my disputes or send back generic responses without any real proof that these accounts belong to me or that they're following Metro 2 reporting requirements.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation