Consumer complaint received 2025-01-26 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: PA

Complaint narrative:
Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to formally request the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau investigate Equifax, XXXX, and XXXX for violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act ( GLBA ), and related privacy and consumer protection statutes. These credit reporting agencies have reported inaccurate and outdated information on my credit report, including charge-offs, and failed to meet their legal obligations under federal law to ensure accuracy and safeguard consumer information. 

Violations of Reporting Guidelines and FCRA The reporting of charge-offs and other adverse information on my credit report demonstrates a failure by the credit bureaus to maintain accuracy under 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ). Additionally, the IRS defines charge-offs as either gross income or ordinary income for tax purposes, which means these debts have been written off by the original creditor and are no longer active obligations. Reporting charge-offs as delinquent debts is therefore misleading and inaccurate. 

It is my understanding that a charge-off is classified as a Certificate of Indebtedness under federal regulations. As such, the continued reporting of these charge-offs constitutes a direct violation of my federally protected consumer rights to privacy and accuracy under FCRA and GLBA. 

Violations of Privacy Laws Under GLBA and FCRA The credit reporting agencies have also failed to comply with privacy and disclosure requirements under Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act ( GLBA ) and FCRA : 1. Failure to Provide Initial and Annual Privacy Notices : The agencies failed to notify me of their data-sharing practices and my rights under 16 CFR 313.4313.5. 
2. Improper Sharing of Nonpublic Personal Information : My nonpublic personal information has been disclosed to third parties without my authorization, violating 16 CFR 313.7 and 15 U.S.C. 6802. 
3. Failure to Provide Opt-Out Mechanisms : The credit bureaus failed to provide clear disclosures about my right to opt out of data sharing, as required by 16 CFR 313.6. 

Harm Caused The inaccurate and outdated reporting of charge-offs and other negative information has caused me significant harm, including : 1. Denial of Credit : I have been denied credit for housing, auto loans, and other financial opportunities due to these inaccuracies. 
2. Emotional Distress : The denial of credit and ongoing issues have resulted in mental anguish, depression, and emotional distress. 
3. Financial Harm : The negative information on my credit report has prevented me from obtaining fair credit terms, resulting in financial losses. 

Compensation Requested Under FCRA Section 604 ( a ) and Section 604 ( a ) ( 3 ), I am requesting the following : 1. Immediate Removal of Inaccurate Items : I demand the removal of all inaccurate, outdated, and improperly reported charge-offs and adverse accounts from my credit report. 
XXXX. Compensation for Damages : I seek {$1000.00} for each charge-off reported on my credit report as compensation for the harm caused. 
This amount reflects the damages incurred due to inaccurate reporting, emotional distress, financial hardship, and the misclassification of charge-offs as active obligations rather than written-off income. 
XXXX. Compliance with Federal Laws : I request that the CFPB ensure Equifax, XXXX, and XXXX comply with all FCRA, GLBA, and related consumer protection statutes.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation