Consumer complaint received 2025-12-07 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Investigation took more than 30 days
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
CFPB NARRATIVE FACTUAL STATEMENT OF EVENTS ( NO PERSONAL DATA INCLUDED ) Including XXXX as Furnisher Time Period of Activity : XX/XX/year> XX/XX/year> Summary of the Issue A previously reported debt appeared on one or more consumer credit reports. 
No original contract, itemized statement, or chain of assignment was provided at any time prior to reporting. 
XX/XX/year> XXXX formal written debt validation demand was sent to the furnisher and bureaus. 
The demand requested : Original contract Chain of title Itemized accounting Sworn affidavit from a living human custodian of records No sworn affidavit was provided. 
Reporting continued with no change in status. 
XX/XX/year> A regulatory inquiry was initiated through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 
The furnisher acknowledged the inquiry. 
The account continued to be reported during the investigation period. 
XXXX XXXX  Multiple unauthorized soft credit inquiries occurred by third-party lenders and platforms. 
No written authorization or permissible purpose was provided for these inquiries. 
Dispute results issued by bureaus relied on automated verification only. 
No human review, no affidavit, and no business-records certification were produced. 
XX/XX/year> The furnisher formally responded that it was unable to locate the account unless personal identifying information was provided. 
This response contradicted : Prior reporting activity Prior verification claims Ongoing credit bureau publication No deletion occurred following this admission. 
XX/XX/year> ( Current Status ) As of this date : The tradeline remains reported. 
No sworn validation exists. 
No human affiant has been identified. 
No timeline of verification has been disclosed. 
Unauthorized inquiries remain visible. 
No corrected credit report has been issued. 
Amounts in Dispute The reported balance has varied over time and was never supported by an itemized accounting. 
No lawful principal balance, interest calculation, or fee breakdown has ever been provided. 
and includes XXXX XXXX and XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  and all soft inquires of depletion unauthorized of no benefits to beneficiaries and validation of of debts a of signed signature of the living person connoting the audit A telecommunications account and related debt associated with XXXX and subsequent furnishers/collectors was reported to consumer reporting agencies without lawful validation, without a sworn affidavit from a human custodian of records, and without proof of contractual authority or chain of assignment. Despite repeated written disputes and regulatory escalation, negative reporting and unauthorized soft inquiries continued without correction. Automated responses were used in place of lawful human verification. This conduct caused ongoing financial harm and credit impairment. 
Chronological Timeline of Events XX/XX/year> A telecommunications-related tradeline associated with XXXX appeared on at least one consumer credit report.

No original service agreement, no itemized billing history, and no proof of assignment to any third party was provided at the time of initial reporting. 
XX/XX/year> A formal written debt validation and dispute notice was sent to : XXXX ( original furnisher ) The downstream furnisher/collector Consumer reporting agencies The demand requested : Original service agreement Full billing history Chain of custody from XXXX to any third party Sworn affidavit from a living human custodian of records No sworn affidavit was provided by XXXX or XXXX downstream furnisher. 
XXXX continued with no change in status. 
XX/XX/year> XXXX Consumer Financial Protection Bureau complaint was filed regarding the XXXXrelated reporting and the failure to validate. 
The furnisher acknowledged receipt of the regulatory inquiry. 
The disputed tradeline continued to be reported during the regulatory review period. 
XXXX XXXX  Multiple unauthorized soft credit inquiries were generated by third-party financial institutions and credit platforms. 
No written authorization, application, or permissible purpose documentation was produced. 
Dispute results issued by the consumer reporting agencies relied on automated electronic verification only. 
No human review occurred. 
No affidavit from XXXX or any assignee was produced. 
No proof of lawful transfer or authority was provided. 
XX/XX/year> The third-party furnisher responding to the CFPB inquiry stated it was unable to locate the account unless additional personal identifying information was provided. 
This admission directly contradicted : XXXX XXXX reporting activity Ongoing bureau publication XXXX verification claims No deletion occurred following this admission. 
XXXX negative reporting remained active. 
XX/XX/year> ( XXXX XXXX ) As of this date : The XXXXrelated tradeline remains reported.

No sworn validation exists.

No human affiant has been identified.

No audit trail of verification has been disclosed.

Unauthorized inquiries remain visible.

No corrected consumer report has been issued.

Amounts in Dispute The alleged balance associated with the XXXX account has varied over time. 
No lawful principal balance, monthly billing breakdown, usage records, fees, penalties, or contractual rate schedule has ever been produced. 
No payment history supported by business-record certification has been provided. 
Actions Taken by the Consumer Submitted written XXXX disputes. 
Submitted written debt validation demands to all furnishers. 
Demanded sworn human affidavit verification. 
Filed a CFPB regulatory complaint. 
Challenged unauthorized soft inquiries. 
Requested a full reinvestigation under federal law. 
Requested deletion in the absence of lawful verification. 
Actions Taken by XXXX and Other Companies Continued reporting during the dispute period. 
Relied on automated system verification. 
Failed to produce any sworn affidavit. 
Failed to disclose the human custodian of records. 
Failed to produce a lawful chain of assignment. 
Continued reporting after claiming the account could not be located. 
Failed to issue any corrected or updated consumer report. 
Consumer Harm Credit score suppression. 
Denial of financing opportunities. 
Increased borrowing costs. 
Business and personal financial impairment. 
Ongoing reputational financial injury. 
Regulatory rights delayed by automated handling.

Relief Sought Immediate deletion of all unvalidated XXXXrelated tradelines.

Immediate removal of unauthorized inquiries.

Written certification that no lawful validation exists. 
Issuance of a corrected consumer report. 
Monetary compensation for statutory and actual damages. 
Injunctive relief prohibiting further reporting without sworn human verification.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation