Consumer complaint received 2025-05-06 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report — Account information incorrect
Company: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: MI

Complaint narrative:
I am filing this formal complaint against Experian for multiple violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), Metro 2 guidelines, and federal consumer protection laws related to their inaccurate reporting of my closed, charged-off account with XXXX Despite conclusive evidence that this account was charged off in XX/XX/XXXX and has had no consumer activity since XX/XX/XXXX, Experian continues to report it as a fresh charge-off each month through XX/XX/XXXX. These actions constitute unlawful re-aging, inflated balance reporting, improper past due status usage, and retaliatory updates in response to lawful disputes. Notably, a letter from XXXX XXXX  dated XX/XX/XXXX, confirms the account was charged off in XXXX and provides no justification for Experians monthly updates or inflated balance. This proves that Experian did not conduct a reasonable or lawful reinvestigation and is independently responsible for continuing to publish materially false and harmful information in violation of FCRA 607, 611, and 623.

Inaccuracy # 1 : Re-Aging of a Closed, Charged-Off Account Whats Incorrect : Experian is reporting this account as a fresh charge-off every single month, despite it being closed and charged off in XX/XX/XXXX with no activity since XX/XX/XXXX. 
Why Its Incorrect : Under Metro 2 and FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 5 ), once an account is charged off and closed, it must reflect the original date of delinquency, not be continuously updated to appear new.

Rebuttal : You can not claim this data was simply certified by the furnisher. FCRA 611 ( a ) requires that you ensure all data is accurate. Monthly re-aging artificially extends the derogatory impact and resets the timeline of delinquency that is unlawful.

Evidence : Your own reports show the charge-off date as XXXXXX/XX/XXXX, yet your system shows status updates through XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. There has been no consumer activity since XXXX. That is a clear Metro 2 violation. 

Evidence : The XX/XX/XXXX letter from XXXXXXXX XXXX confirms the charge-off occurred in XXXX and provides no indication of further consumer activity. Yet Experian continues to update the account monthly, including status dates of XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. This constitutes illegal re-aging. 

Law Violated : FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 5 ), FCRA 607 ( b ), and Metro 2 reporting standards.

Inaccuracy # 2 : Inaccurate Past Due Amount Whats Incorrect : A {$2500.00} past due amount is being reported on an account that is already charged off and closed. 
Why Its Incorrect : Once charged off, there is no due date, so nothing can be past due. Per Metro 2, the past due field must be blank or {$0.00} unless the account is still billing. 
Rebuttal : Reporting a past due amount on a charged-off, closed account is inherently misleading and violates the maximum possible accuracy clause under FCRA 607 ( b ).

Evidence : You are reporting an original balance of {$1600.00} and a past due amount of {$2500.00} exceeding the original loan. No payments or billing occurred after XXXX. 

Evidence : The XXXX letter does not state any current billing, active payment schedule, or new balance creation. The past due field on a closed, charged-off account is therefore fabricated and unsupported by any valid source documentation, in direct violation of Metro 2 guidelines.

Law Violated : FCRA 607 ( b ), Metro 2 Reporting Guidelines ( Closed/Charged-Off Accounts section ), and UDAAP principles.

Inaccuracy # 3 : Inaccurate and Inflated Balance Reporting Whats Incorrect : Experian reports a balance of {$2500.00} on a loan that was originally {$1600.00}, with no documented payments or activity since XX/XX/XXXX. 
Why Its Incorrect : Adding fees, interest, or penalties after charge-off without consumer authorization or legal justification is misleading and must not be reflected unless verified and permitted.

Rebuttal : You can not rely on blind acceptance from the furnisher. You must validate the accuracy and reasonableness of all data reported.

Evidence : No documentation has been provided showing how the balance rose to {$2500.00}. The furnishers own letter confirms the charge-off occurred in XXXX. 

Evidence : The reported balance of {$2500.00} is unsupported by the original loan amount of {$1600.00}. The XXXX letter fails to explain or validate the increase, and Experian has not provided documentation verifying this inflated figure. 

Law Violated : FCRA 607 ( b ), 611 ( a ), and UDAAP deceptive practices clause.

Inaccuracy # 4 : Improper Verified Notation Without True Investigation Whats Incorrect : Experian marked this dispute as Verified and Updated with no evidence of independent investigation. 
Why Its Incorrect : Under FCRA 611 ( a ), credit reporting agencies must perform a reasonable reinvestigation not rely on automatic, unchallenged data.

Rebuttal : Furnisher certification is not verification. You have a duty to review the dispute details and evaluate conflicting information which you ignored.

Evidence : You did not provide any documentation showing how you verified monthly charge-off updates or inflated balances. The burden is on you to explain the outcome under FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 7 ). 

Evidence : XXXX XX/XX/XXXX letter confirms charge-off in XXXX and lacks any updated payment history or account activity. Experians Verified and Updated response lacks any independent documentation, in violation of FCRA 611 ( a ).

Law Violated : FCRA 611 ( a ), 611 ( a ) ( 6 ) ( B ) ( iii ), 607 ( b ).

Inaccuracy # 5 : Retaliatory Reporting After Dispute Whats Incorrect : After I submitted lawful disputes, Experian re-reported the charge-off status with new update dates : XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. 
Why Its Incorrect : Re-aging or modifying a tradeline based solely on a consumer dispute when no new information was provided is retaliatory and prohibited. 
Rebuttal : The FCRA protects my right to dispute without penalty. Experians behavior discourages legitimate disputes and exposes you to liability for willful harm.

Evidence : My dispute history shows charge-off status was updated immediately following submissions, even though no new activity has occurred since XXXX. 

Evidence : The XX/XX/XXXX letter was received before the XX/XX/XXXX Experian update. Yet Experian re-reported the tradeline again after receiving both my dispute and confirmation from the furnisher that the account was long closed. This further confirms retaliatory and misleading updates tied to my lawful disputes.

Law Violated : FCRA 611, 623 ( a ) ( 5 ), 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ), and FCRA 616 ( willful noncompliance ). 

Inaccuracy # XXXX : Lack of Method of Verification Documentation Whats Incorrect : Experian has failed to provide the documentation required by law under FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 6 ) ( B ) ( iii ) in response to my dispute.

Why Its Incorrect : When a consumer requests verification details, you must disclose the method and basis of how the account was confirmed as accurate.

Rebuttal : Your vague statement that the account was verified does not satisfy your legal obligation. I demand all verification records and communication with the furnisher that explain how this information was validated.

Evidence : No documents have been sent to justify monthly re-aging, past due amounts, or inflated balances. Failure to provide these confirms unlawful reinsertion or negligent reinvestigation. 
Law Violated : FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 6 ), 611 ( a ) ( 7 ), 611 ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ).

Conclusion & Legal Demand Experian is independently responsible for : Failing to ensure accurate data under FCRA 607 ( b ) Re-aging and misreporting under FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 5 ) Improper reinvestigation under FCRA 611 ( a ) Retaliatory practices violating FCRA 611 and 616 Failing to provide documentation under FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 6 ) ( B ) ( iii ) I am demanding immediate correction of this account to reflect : Charge-off date : XX/XX/XXXX Past Due amount : {$0.00} or blank Current Balance : {$1600.00} ( unless settled, then {$0.00} ) No ongoing monthly CO status Last activity date : XX/XX/XXXX No status updates after XX/XX/XXXX I expect a written response with complete verification records as required by federal law.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation