Consumer complaint received 2025-10-03 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report — Account information incorrect
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: NC

Complaint narrative:
Formal Method of Verification ( M.O.V. ) Request Failure to Reinvestigate Within 30 Days / Request for Statutory Verification From : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, NC XXXX XXXX : XX/XX/XXXX SSN ( Last XXXX ) : XXXX Phone : ( XXXX ) XXXX Email : XXXX Date : XX/XX/XXXX To : TransUnion LLC XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, PA XXXX Equifax Information Services LLC XXXX. XXXX  XXXX XXXX, GA XXXX Experian Information Solutions Inc . 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, TX XXXX Account in Dispute : XXXX | Acct # XXXX -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - I. Purpose of This Request Method of Verification ( M.O.V. ) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - This is a formal request under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) for the full * * Method of Verification ( M.O.V. ) * * for the XXXX account identified above. A detailed dispute was submitted via the CFPB portal on * * XX/XX/XXXX * *. Responses from the credit reporting agencies either * * exceeded the 30-day reinvestigation window * * or * * failed to provide the legally required M.O.V. * * details.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -
- -- -- -- -- -- - II. Chronology ( Documented ) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - XX/XX/XXXX Formal dispute submitted via CFPB portal regarding XXXX | Acct # XXXX. 
* * TransUnion * * : Received * * XX/XX/XXXX * * Responded * * XX/XX/XXXX * * ( Address UPDATED ). This was * * beyond 30 days * * and did not address the disputed account nor provide M.O.V. 
* * Experian * * : Received * * XX/XX/XXXX * * Responded * * XX/XX/XXXX * * ( generic verified as accurate process letter ). This was * * beyond 30 days * * and did not provide M.O.V. 
* * Equifax * * : Received * * XX/XX/XXXX * * Responded * * XX/XX/XXXX * * with an identity re-verification request. My dispute included * * state ID and bank statement * * sufficient for identity/address ; the response arrived * * after 30 days * * and did not provide M.O.V.

Conclusion : Each CRA failed to complete a timely, reasonable reinvestigation and/or failed to provide a legally sufficient M.O.V.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - III. Legal Framework -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - * * FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ), 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) * * A CRA must complete a reasonable reinvestigation * * within 30 days * * of receiving a dispute.

* * FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ), 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ) * * If information * * can not be verified * *, it * * must be deleted * *.

* * FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 6 ) ( B ) ( iii ), 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 6 ) ( B ) ( iii ) * * Upon request, a CRA must provide the * * Method of Verification * *, including the * * business name, address, and telephone number * * of any furnisher contacted and a * * description of the procedure * * used to determine accuracy.

* * FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 7 ), 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 7 ) * * The CRA * * shall provide * * that description * * within 15 days * * of the consumers request.

* * FCRA 607 ( b ), 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ) * * CRAs must follow reasonable procedures to assure * * maximum possible accuracy * *.

* * FCRA 623 ( b ), 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ( b ) * * Upon CRA notice, furnishers must conduct a * * reasonable investigation * * and correct/delete inaccurate data.

Case Law : * * Cushman v. Trans Union * *, 115 F.3d 220 ( 3d Cir. 1997 ) CRAs must conduct a * * meaningful * * investigation ; they can not merely parrot the furnisher.

* * Hinkle v. Midland Credit Mgmt. * *, 827 F.3d 1295 ( 11th Cir. 2016 ) Verification requires * * actual evidence * *, not conclusory assertions.

* * Dennis v. BEH-1 * *, 520 F.3d 1066 ( 9th Cir. 2008 ) Inconsistent/misleading data may be * * inaccurate * * under the FCRA.

* * Richardson v. Fleet Bank * *, 190 F. Supp. 2d 81 ( D. Mass. 2001 ) Conflicting data across reports constitutes inaccuracy requiring correction.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - IV. CFPB-Filed Disputes Carry the Same Legal Force -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - * * FCRA 611 ( 15 U.S.C. 1681i ) * * Reinvestigation duties apply regardless of submission channel ; disputes filed via * * CFPB.gov * * trigger the same obligations as direct disputes.

* * FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 8 ), 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ( a ) ( 8 ) * * Furnishers must maintain reasonable dispute procedures; routing through the CFPB does * * not * * diminish compliance duties.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - V. Specific Information Requested in the M.O.V.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - Pursuant to * * FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 6 ) ( B ) ( iii ) and 611 ( a ) ( 7 ) * *, provide all of the following for the XXXX account : 1 ) * * Furnisher identification * * Business * * name, address, and telephone number * * of every furnisher/source contacted.

2 ) * * Point of contact * * * * Name, title, and/or department * * of the individual ( s ) with whom you communicated.

3 ) * * Verification logistics * * The * * exact manner and date ( s ) * * of verification ( e.g., e-OSCAR/ACDV codes , telephone call, written correspondence ), including any * * ACDV/dispute IDs * * or internal reference numbers.

4 ) * * Procedure description * * A * * complete description of the procedure * * you used to determine accuracy and completeness.

5 ) * * Evidence relied upon * * Copies or identification 
of the * * specific documents, account records, or data * * used to verify the item ( e.g., service agreement, billing statements, payment history, charge-off records ).

* * Note : * * Generic statements like verified as reported * * do not * * satisfy the statutory M.O.V. requirement.

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- -- -- -- -- - VI. Bureau-Specific Demands -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - * * TransUnion * * You responded * * late * * on XX/XX/XXXX and failed to address the account. Provide the * * complete M.O.V. * * within * * 15 days * *, or * * delete * * the XXXX account. 
* * Experian * * You responded * * late * * on XX/XX/XXXX with a generic letter. Provide the * * complete M.O.V. * * within * * 15 days * *, or * * delete * * the XXXX account. 
* * Equifax * * Your XX/XX/XXXX letter ( after 30 days ) demanded identity re-verification despite sufficient documents having been provided with the dispute. Provide the * * complete M.O.V. * * within * * 15 days * *, or * * delete * * the XXXX account. 

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - VII. Required Remedy and Reinsertion Safeguards -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - Provide the * * full Method of Verification within 15 days * * of receipt of this request, as required by * * FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 7 ) * *. If you can not, then under * * FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ) * * the Verizon account must be * * deleted * * from my file. If any item is later reinserted, you must comply with * * FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 5 ) ( B ) * * ( certification of accuracy and * * consumer notice within 5 business days * * ).

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, NC XXXX XXXX : XX/XX/XXXX SSN ( Last Four ) : XXXX Phone : ( XXXX ) XXXX Email : XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation