vivekkopthsd/cfpb-consumer-complaints huggingface dataset:
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
Equifax ( a company I never directly engaged with ) has obtained large amounts of my personal information and mishandled it by not implementing effective defensive cyber security tactics and left certain critical pieces of their public facing web infrastructure in a vulnerable state. 

These ineffective security practices have been exploited and have put me and over 100 million other people at risk of fraud and identify theft that can cause meaningful harm.
I am listed as a potential victim according to their equifaxsecurity2017.com website, and would like a resolution. I find their offering of a single year of credit monitoring and protection to be ineffective, as the stolen data can be used at any time ( far longer than just for one year from when it was stolen ) and can be used in a damaging way against all affected people forever.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: OR

Complaint narrative:
Equifax lost my data as a result of it 's XXXX 2017 hack.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
Equifax has mishandled my personal information, allowing it to get into the hands of those it does n't belong to. I am listed as a potential victim according to the equifaxsecurity2017.com website. Equifax did n't notify anyone quickly enough and openly admit that they wo n't notify everyone.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: CAVALRY INVESTMENTS, LLC
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
I have tirelessly tried to resolve this matter with this collection company but to no avail. I found this company had reported an account to my credit report which I believed was an invalid debt not belonging to me. I sent them by certified return receipt mail a debt validation letter dated XXXX XXXX, XXXX, which they conveniently ignored. Concurrently when I disputed the item with the credit repositories, I was told that the debt collection company responded back to them affirming that this account was valid. I am appalled that this company continues to violate my rights and refuses to delete the account despite not being able to provide the original debt instrument.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with fraud alerts or security freezes — 
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: IA

Complaint narrative:
I used the equifax site to see if my wife and I were victims of their security breach. It said we both were. This means we are both victims of identity theft, therefore we should be able to place a freeze on both our accounts without paying the {$10.00} fee. However, they provide no option for this on their site. If I call their phone number there is no option to speak to anyone about credit freezes. It 's all automated. We 'll be forced to go ahead and pay the {$10.00} each since equifax chose to wait over a month to notify consumers. We ca n't gamble with waiting any longer. Also, due to the sneaky language about waiving your rights to trial by signing up in their free monitoring service, that is not an option we want to take. We should be entitled to a refund of this {$10.00} fee, each.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CO

Complaint narrative:
My information was leaked in the Equifax hack. There has been no effect on my credit yet, but the very fact that the information is out there is frightening.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
Due to the recent Equifax data breach from XXXX to XXXX of 2017 my personal information appears to have been stolen by an unauthorized person ( s ). I appreciate the work Equifax did to stop this breach and to notify those affected. However, I have no agreement with Equifax and upon allowing my personal credit information to be disseminated to possibly malicious individuals they have caused undue stress and possible financial disaster to myself and possibly more than 100 million others. 
After reaching out to see what they are doing about this situation I found that they are signing affected individuals up for a one-year membership for identity fraud insurance. 
This is unacceptable. I can not and will not accept responsibility in any time frame for their failure to protect my information. 
Thank you.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Credit inquiries on your report that you don't recognize
Company: TRANSUNION INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, INC.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
There is a credit inquiry on my XXXX report that I have never seen and did not approve. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX

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
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Credit inquiries on your report that you don't recognize
Company: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
There is a credit inquiry on my XXXX report that I have never seen and did not approve. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX

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
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MI

Complaint narrative:
Equifax was the target of a security breach and millions of Americans and their personal information was compromised on XXXX/XXXX/2017. My information was a part of this hack as well, which may or may not include information such as my name, address, social security number, etc.
Equifax, while victim of a hack, did not take adequate measures to protect the information of millions. It is a breach of trust that such an incident could occur. Users have noticed that Equifax used poor methods of protecting said information, or showed easy ways to get around their encryption process.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
Private and important information of mine was shared in Equifax 's leak/hack. While the company is partial victim to the hack, the security provided was sub par and the response to the issue has been lacking. The site to see if you are effected not secure as well.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
Equifax has leaked my personal data due to a flaw in their security. They have provided me with a solution that requires me to relinquish my rights to take legal action against them for any wrong doing.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
Equifax did not adequately protect my credit report from hackers, resulting in my personal information being stolen. Moreover, their decision to delay notifying me about the hack for two months delayed any measures I might wish to take to prevent identity theft. Not only were they negligent with my private information, but they failed to notify me in a timely manner so that I could protect myself from their negligence. My identity and credit are now permanently at a higher risk of theft due to this recent hack, and any compensatory action must take that into account.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
Equifax exposed my personal information on file in a security breach. It was clearly not properly secured, and now I 'm exposed to possible identity fraud and need to take both time and money to do due diligence to protect my assets and credit.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
This is my last effort to resolve this matter before I pursue to taking legal action. 
This company had reported an account on my credit report that I believed to be inaccurate and in violation of the FCRA. Hence, I wrote to this company not only disputing this account but asking them to prove the validate of it and asked that the item be removed if they couldnt produce the requisite information. No signed contract was produced to show this item belonged to me.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: OR

Complaint narrative:
Data breach! Unable to get logged on to their website. " Unable '' to provide a free annual credit report online.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MD

Complaint narrative:
Equifax mishandled my personal information including name, social security number, address, birthdate, driver 's license number, and possibly more. They allowed a data breach to occur in XXXX XXXX, and they confirmed I could be affected on their website, www.equifaxsecurity2017.com. 

They have put myself and millions of others at risk of identity theft/fraud due to negligent security protocols in handling consumer information. They are further attempting to capitalize on the situation by signing injured parties THEY are responsible for up for " trial periods '' of their ID protection services. They are simultaneously defrauding these injured parties with hidden terms of service that waive their right to sue the company in what is clearly a situation of criminal negligence/fraudulent behavior as indicated by the three Equifax executives who dumped stock immediately prior to the data breach announcement.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem — Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Company: TRANSUNION INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, INC.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
I sent this company a dispute letter dated XXXX XXXX, 2017. Here I had pointed out some blatantly incorrect trade line information that my credit report contained. I waited the allotted 30 days only to find this company had not rectified my report. 

At this time I am reaching out to the CFPB and asking they investigate this company, as on the BBB website I have found thousands of complaint against this company where folks were suffering from the same mistreatment as I have.

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
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
From mid-XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX due to Equifax 's negligence with protecting my private data, my personal information ( Social Security number, Birth Date, Addresses, Credit Card numbers, and driver 's license number ) was mishandled and leaked to hackers. 

In Equifax 's own words on their website, unauthorized access occurred from mid-XXXX throughXX/XX/XXXX That is almost 2 months of my personal data being leaked to hackers, which have most likely  made it publicly accessible by now. 

In addition to mishandling my personal information, Equifax failed to alert me to this failure in a timely manner. Instead of being notified by Equifax, I found out about this through the media ... .on XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX I went to Equifax 's website ( https :  //www.equifaxsecurity2017.comXXXX ) and was shown the message that I was affected by the information mishandling. 

All in all, Equifax mishandled my data several months ago and never sent me any kind of mail, phone call or e-mail to notify me, which is quite a horrendous act on the part of the company.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I found out that my personal information may have been stolen during the recent security breach at Equifax.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CO

Complaint narrative:
My information was stolen in the hack of Equifax 's data stores. I confirmed that my data may have been affected on their site : https : XXXX. 

I submitted a credit watch and have looked at my credit report : no issues so far. It is messed up that a credit company does not have secure databases. ESPECIALLY when that database contains information that can mess up people 's lives for years to come.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MI

Complaint narrative:
My information was stolen in a hack from Equifax.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MA

Complaint narrative:
My data was involved with the Equifax data breach of 2017. They knew about the breach months ago but I have just heard about it now. 

My personal information has n't been used yet, to my knowledge, but now my SSN, credit card numbers, DOB, and potentially my driver 's license number are now public knowledge. They should have safeguarded this information at HIPAA levels, this is unacceptable.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
XX/XX/XXXX : This morning, I became aware of the Equifax breach which happened between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX and I entered the last four digits of my social security and my last name on the following website to check if I was a possible victim of identity theft : https : //www.equifaxsecurity2017.com/XXXX. After checking, I was given the following notice, " Based on the information provided, we believe that your personal information may have been impacted by this incident. '' I went ahead and ordered my credit reports through XXXX, checked for any discrepancies and followed up with a 90 day fraud alert as well.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
Equifax Inc. insufficiently protected my data, and subsequently allowed it to be taken in their recent security breach. Equifax Inc. failed to notify me at the time of the breach, so my data may have been in unscrupulous hands for over two months while the company failed to take action to inform me. While I have not yet experienced identity theft as a result of this negligence, I expect better of a company that has access to sensitive financial information of hundreds of millions of Americans. I hope that Congress will take action to require accountability for major breaches such as this in the future.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MN

Complaint narrative:
" Here are the facts, according to Equifax. The breach lasted from mid-XX/XX/XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX. The hackers accessed peoples names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and, in some instances, drivers license numbers. They also stole credit card numbers for about 209,000 people and dispute documents with personal identifying information for about 182,000 people. And they grabbed personal information of people in the XXXX and XXXX too. '' Equifax waited almost 3 full months before letting consumers know about potential identity theft. I do n't have a choice on whether or not they collect my information, so it needs to be protected

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MA

Complaint narrative:
Equifax mishandled my personal and private information by not properly adhering to information security practices, and that negligence led to a breach of data that puts myself and millions of others at potential risk of identity theft and fraud I am extremely disappointed with how Equifax has handled reporting this breach. Very little was done to notify the public for over a month after the breach was detected. I received no email, letter, or phone call and instead had to discover it via the internet. 

Going forward, Equifax should be required to monitor every account and notify victims if any fraud occurs. Credit fraud protection should be mandatory for every account, not an option for us to have opt-in to and pay for. 

This should be rectified firstly by making credit freezing free and refunding everyone who paid for it following this data breach. Requiring a police report is unnecessary when it is clearly known that I was impacted. 

Lastly, Equifax should be stripped of its position and tenure of being a reputable credit reporting company, and a replacement company should complete the trio with XXXX and XXXX.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: Trident Asset Management, L.L.C.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
Amount of {$52.00} and other account for {$210.00} They never sent me anything about this accounts or bills ..

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem — Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
An unknown account, XXXX XXXX is currently reporting on my Equifax credit report which does not belong to me. The account also was reporting on my XXXX account which was disputed and deleted from my report. Equifax has not provided me with any mechanisms or procedures in their investigation.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-09-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
XXXX 2017 Equifax data breach - my information was accessed without my permission.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation