Consumer complaint received 2024-11-20 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: SC

Complaint narrative:
I discovered several serious issues on my credit report, and XXXX taking action to fix them. I found multiple violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) that need immediate attention and resolution. These violations are causing harm to my credit score and overall financial health, so XXXX formally disputing them. 

Inaccurate Personal Information : On my credit report, there are addresses listed that dont belong to me, such as XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX SC and XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX SC XXXX These are completely unrelated to me, and Ive requested that they be deleted immediately. According to the FCRA, inaccurate personal information must be corrected, and this is a clear violation of that. 

False Late Payments : I found that XXXX has been reporting late payments on my account when, in fact, those payments were made on time. This is a huge mistake that is negatively impacting my credit score. Ive asked them to update the account to show that the payments were never late or paid as agreed, in accordance with 15 U.S.C. 1666b, which deals with the timing of payments. 

Unverified Debts : There are also multiple debts listed on my report that I dont recognize or owe, such as accounts with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and others. Under 15 U.S.C. 1681c and 15 U.S.C. 1692g, I have the right to request validation of these debts. This means they need to provide documentation proving that I am actually responsible for these debts, such as original contracts or agreements signed by me. If they cant provide that, these items should be removed from my report. 

Unauthorized XXXX Inquiries : Another issue I found is an unauthorized hard inquiry from XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/year>. This is a direct violation of FCRA Section 1681b ( a ) ( 2 ), which requires that I give consent before any hard inquiry can be made on my credit report. Since I didnt authorize this, Ive XXXX that it be removed. 

Failure to Disclose Opt-Out Rights : I wasnt informed about my right to opt out of sharing my personal information with third parties, which is a violation of FCRA Section 603 ( d ) ( 2 ) ( A ). Not disclosing this right is misleading and goes against my consumer rights. 

Debt Collection Violations : Ive also experienced violations under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Debt XXXX have been reporting debts that arent mine, and in some cases, theyve been contacting third parties without my consent. This is a violation of regulations that prohibit disclosing debt information to unauthorized parties. Its causing me unnecessary stress and harassment. 

Finance Charges and Payment Reporting Errors : There are errors in how my finance charges have been calculated, and some of the reports about " late payments '' are inaccurate because they dont define what constitutes a late payment. This makes it impossible for me to understand how these late payments are being determined, which is misleading and deceptive. 

Because of these violations, Ive disputed the errors with the credit bureaus and demanded that these mistakes be corrected. If they dont take action, XXXX have no choice but to pursue legal remedies available under the FCRA XXXX including civil liability for willful noncompliance, which can be as much as {$1000.00} per violation. 

In short, Ive found that my credit report is full of errors, inaccuracies, and violations of my rights under the FCRA, and XXXX actively working to have them resolved as quickly as possible to prevent further damage to my credit and financial well-being.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief