Consumer complaint received 2025-09-04 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: TX

Complaint narrative:
To Whom It May Concern, I am filing this formal complaint under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) 15 U.S.C. 1681, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureaus enforcement authority. My credit report contains several inaccurate, misleading, and harmful entries that have caused me serious financial, professional, and emotional harm. These errors violate my rights to accuracy, fairness, and proper validation. 
The following items are in dispute : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Address This is another address that has no connection to me, but it continues to appear on my credit report. Because of this, I was once flagged for identity verification when applying for a personal loan, which delayed the process and caused financial hardship. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Address This repeated inaccurate address variation shows negligence in reporting. These duplications have confused creditors, who treat me as if I am tied to multiple residences I never had. This has lowered my creditworthiness and damaged my reputation. 
XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance Owed : {$0.00} Late Payment * * This account is being inaccurately reported with late payments even though the balance shows {$0.00}. This error makes it appear that I was irresponsible with my mortgage obligations, which is false. As a result, I was denied a refinance opportunity that would have lowered my monthly payments, costing me hundreds of dollars in unnecessary interest. The reporting of lates on an account that is resolved is misleading and unlawful under FCRA 1681e ( b ). 
XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance Owed : {$1000.00} Charge Off * * This account is being reported as a charge off without proper validation. Because of this false reporting, my credit score dropped significantly, which directly caused me to be denied a credit card I needed for emergency expenses. The reporting is damaging my ability to rebuild my financial stability and is highly stressful, leaving me unable to secure basic financial tools. 
XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance Owed : {$0.00} Late Payment * * This older account is being inaccurately reported with late payments despite being closed and showing a XXXX balance. This makes it look like I am a repeat offender of late payments, which is not true. Because of this false reporting, I was denied a rental application when the landlords screening service flagged me as high credit risk, creating housing insecurity and emotional distress. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance Owed : {$1600.00} Late Payment * * This student loan account is being inaccurately reported with late payments. This is unfair and misleading because the servicer failed to properly apply deferment and forbearance requests during the XXXX relief period. These false lates made it appear that I neglected my obligations when in fact I followed all federal guidelines. Because of this false reporting, I was denied a car loan, which directly harmed my ability to travel to work and caused me emotional stress. 
XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance Owed : {$39000.00} Charge Off * * This account is listed as a charge off, which is both inaccurate and incomplete. No proper validation has been provided as required under FDCPA 809, and the reporting has destroyed my credit score. Because of this false charge off, I was denied a mortgage pre-approval, preventing me from purchasing a home for my family. This not only caused financial harm but also created deep emotional distress. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance Owed : {$10000.00} Charge Off * * This credit union account is being reported as charged off without accurate context. The reporting fails to note disputes I raised and does not reflect the actual resolution status. The continued presence of this derogatory mark prevents me from qualifying for affordable refinancing options, costing me higher interest rates every month. This misreporting is misleading, harmful, and a violation of my rights under FCRA 1681i. 
XXXX  XXXX XXXX Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance Owed : {$1100.00} Charge Off * This entry is inaccurate and misleading. The reporting of a charge off for this account has unfairly lowered my credit score. I was denied a small business loan because of this false reporting, which stopped me from pursuing opportunities to increase my income and support my household. This reporting is causing financial hardship and is in violation of FCRA requirements of accuracy. 
XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance Owed : {$5600.00} Late Payment * * This student loan account is reported with late payments despite being in an approved repayment program. The inaccurate lates created the false impression that I am not responsible with federal loans. Because of this, I was denied a rental home when the landlords credit screening flagged me as high risk. This has created housing insecurity and unnecessary emotional suffering. 
XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance Owed : {$4700.00} Late Payment * * This account is another student loan inaccurately reported with lates. The errors have compounded across multiple student loans, making it look like I am habitually delinquent. In reality, these payments should have been in deferment or forbearance. The combined negative impact has reduced my credit score drastically and made it difficult for me to secure affordable car insurance, which directly raises my cost of living. 
XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance Owed : {$5300.00} Late Payment * * This student loan is also reported with false late payments. These inaccurate reports have left me unable to qualify for educational financing to continue my training, holding back my career growth and long-term financial security. The misreporting also caused personal humiliation when I had to explain to a financial aid office why my credit history incorrectly shows missed payments on federal loans. 
XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance Owed : {$5600.00} Late Payment * * This student loan account is being reported with late payments even though deferment and forbearance protections should have applied. The servicers misreporting created the false appearance of delinquency. Because of this, I was denied financial aid assistance for additional schooling, which has harmed my career growth. This violates FCRA 1681e ( b ) requiring accuracy. 
XXXX XXXXXXXX * * Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance Owed : {$8400.00} Charge Off * * This account is listed as a charge off, but no proper validation has been provided under FDCPA 809. The reporting destroyed my credit score, and I was denied an auto refinance that could have saved me hundreds of dollars monthly. This false charge off continues to harm my financial stability and credibility. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance Owed : {$780.00} Collection * * This collection account is inaccurate and unverified. XXXX XXXX has a known history of debt purchasing and reporting unverifiable accounts. This false collection has lowered my score and resulted in higher deposit requirements when applying for housing, creating direct financial hardship and unnecessary stress. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance Owed : {$230.00} Collection * * This is an inaccurate collection account. I never received validation notices as required under FDCPA 809. Because of this collection, my credit profile shows risk for small debts, which caused me to be denied approval for a retail card that I intended to use for emergencies. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance Owed : {$0.00} Late Payment * * This account is closed with a XXXX balance yet still shows late payments. This is misleading because it portrays me as irresponsible even on resolved accounts. The continued reporting of late payments has unfairly lowered my score and resulted in higher interest on a personal loan I had to take to cover family expenses. 
XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Inquiry This inquiry also appears without my authorization. I never applied for credit with this entity. The repeated presence of unauthorized inquiries damages my credibility and causes lenders to treat me as high-risk. 
XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Inquiry This inquiry was made without my permission. The presence of such inquiries creates the false impression that I am desperately seeking credit, which lowers my standing with lenders. I was denied a personal loan after this inquiry appeared. 
The cumulative effect of these inaccurate reports has been devastating : I have been denied loans, faced higher interest rates, suffered housing denials, been unable to advance my education, and endured emotional and financial hardship. The repeated misreporting, duplication, and unauthorized inquiries demonstrate negligence and violations of both FCRA and FDCPA. 
I demand immediate reinvestigation, correction, and deletion of these inaccurate items, as well as accountability for the furnishers and agencies responsible. I request the CFPB to ensure my rights are fully protected under federal law.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief