Consumer complaint received 2025-05-21 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: SC

Complaint narrative:
To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally dispute the accuracy and legality of two charged-off accounts currently appearing on my credit report : XXXX  account ending in XXXX and XXXX XXXX account ending in XXXX. These entries reflect seriously inaccurate, incomplete, and legally questionable data, and their continued publication violates my rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( 15 U.S. Code 1681 et seq. ) and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( 15 U.S. Code 1692 et seq. ). 

The XXXX account ( ending in XXXX ), opened on XX/XX/XXXX and listed with a balance of {$440.00}, is currently reported as a charge-off. Similarly, the XXXX XXXX account ( ending in XXXX ), opened on XX/XX/XXXX and reported with a high credit of {$1400.00}, is also marked as charged off. Neither creditor has substantiated these entries with lawful documentation, and I have not received any IRS Form 1099-C, which is legally required for any charged-off debt canceled in excess of {$600.00}. IRS Publication 4681 and federal tax law require that a creditor must issue a 1099-C if they have indeed canceled or forgiven a debt. If that has occurred, the debt has been extinguished and can not lawfully continue to be reported with a balance.

Under FCRA 1681e ( b ), all information included in a credit report must be complete and accurate. Reporting a charged-off account without clarifying the legal status of the debt whether forgiven, transferred, or discharged constitutes a violation of this statute. The continued presence of these negative tradelines if they are unverified or if debt collection efforts have ceased represents a further violation of FCRA 1681s-2 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ), which prohibits furnishing false or unverifiable information.

Additionally, the FDCPA prohibits debt collectors or furnishers from engaging in misleading or harassing reporting practices. If these accounts were ever in collection and no verification was sent to me as required under 1692g ( a ), then these tradelines may also violate FDCPA protections. The stress and reputational harm from being unfairly reported as financially delinquent have caused tangible damage to my credit profile and my ability to secure housing and financing.

I demand that these charged-off entries be deleted entirely from my credit filenot merely updated or marked as disputed. The current reporting is inaccurate, incomplete, and legally insufficient to justify their continued presence.

Please be advised that I expect full compliance within 10 days of receipt of this notice, pursuant to FCRA 1681n and FDCPA 1692k, which outline civil liability for willful noncompliance.

Do not send generic stall letters. Per FCRA regulations, each dispute must be addressed individually and based on its merits. Any attempt to delay processing based on assumptions about third-party assistance will be considered a willful violation under 15 U.S.C. 1681n.

I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE LAW & I KNOW IT IS IN MY RIGHT TO HAVE 3RD PARTY SOFTWARE HELP WRITE MY DISPUTES!

Enclosed please find a copy of my government-issued identification and proof of address to facilitate your investigation.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief