Consumer complaint received 2025-03-14 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MA

Complaint narrative:
SUBJECT : FORMAL NOTICE OF NON-COMPLIANCE & LEGAL VIOLATIONS DEMAND FOR IMMEDIATE REMOVAL To Whom It May Concern, This letter is personally written by me and serves as a formal dispute and demand for the deletion of inaccurate, unverified, and non-compliant collection accounts currently being reported by various collection agencies on my credit report. This is NOT from a third party, and you are required to treat this as a direct dispute from the consumer, per the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ). 

I demand that each of the collection agencies listed below immediately cease all collection activity and that XXXX instruct them to cease and desist from reporting unverifiable accounts, as required by law. 

Your continued reporting of these accounts is in direct violation of multiple federal consumer protection laws, including but not limited to : Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) XXXX XXXX. XXXX et seq. 
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) XXXX XXXX. XXXX et seq. 
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) Regulations Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ) Guidelines on Unfair or Deceptive Practices DISPUTED COLLECTION ACCOUNTS The following accounts are inaccurate, unverified, and must be removed immediately unless full legal validation is provided : Collection Agency Name Account Number Dispute Reason XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX Not mine Remove immediately XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Not mine Remove immediately XXXX XXXXXXXX Not mine - Remove immediately XXXX XXXX XXXX Not mine Remove immediately XXXX XXXX XXXX Not mine Remove immediately Each of these accounts fails XXXX XXXX compliance and violates XXXX law. If XXXX, Equifax, XXXX and the listed collection agencies can not provide full legal documentation proving the accuracy and ownership of these debts, they must be removed immediately, per XXXX XXXX. XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ). 

XXXX XXXX COMPLIANCE CHALLENGE & DOCUMENTATION REQUEST Under XXXX XXXX reporting standards, all data furnished to credit reporting agencies must be accurate, complete, and verifiable under XXXXXXXX XXXX  XXXX ( b ). I demand that you obtain and provide the following FULL documentation for each account listed above : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX A full record of all transfers of ownership from the original creditor to the current collection agency, including purchase agreements, sale contracts, and assignment documentation. 
Original Creditors Name & Contact Information Proof of the original agreement and terms. 
Full Automated Universal Data ( AUD ) Report Confirmation that this account has been verified according to XXXX XXXX standards. 
Date of First Delinquency ( DOFD ) Must match the original creditors records. Any discrepancy is a direct FCRA violation. 
Legal Validation of Debt Complete itemization of alleged debt, including all interest, fees, payments, and adjustments.

Proof of Collection Authority Documentation proving that each collection agency has legal authority to collect and report this debt. 
If any of the above documentation can not be provided, then per XXXXXXXX XXXX  XXXX ( a ) ( XXXX ), these accounts must be permanently deleted from my credit report immediately. 

LEGAL VIOLATIONS UNDER FCRA & FDCPA Your agency and the listed collection agencies are currently in non-compliance with federal regulations regarding fair and accurate credit reporting. Below are key violations that must be corrected immediately : Failure to Maintain Maximum Possible Accuracy ( XXXX XXXX. XXXX ( b ) ) Reporting unverifiable or inaccurate data is a direct violation of the FCRA. 
Failure to Properly Investigate Disputed Information ( XXXX XXXX. XXXX ( a ) ) Bureaus must conduct a thorough reinvestigation within XXXX  days. Failure to provide documented proof mandates deletion. 
Reporting of Unverified Debt ( XXXX XXXX. XXXX ( b ) ) If any collection agency can not prove a valid legal claim, they must cease all reporting activity immediately. 
Failure to Provide Debt Validation ( XXXX XXXX. XXXX ( b ) ) Under the FDCPA, debt XXXX must provide proper validation upon request. If the debt remains unverified, it can not be collected or reported. 
Unfair or Deceptive Collection Practices ( XXXX XXXX. XXXX & XXXX ) Misrepresenting debt ownership, balance amounts, or reporting false data violates consumer protection laws and subjects your agency to legal liability. 
Re-Aging of Debt ( XXXX XXXX. XXXX ( a ) ) Any attempt to change the Date of First Delinquency ( DOFD ) to keep this account on my report longer than legally permitted is a serious FCRA violation. 
FINAL DEMAND CEASE AND DESIST & CONSEQUENCES FOR NON-COMPLIANCE This letter serves as my formal notice of dispute under the FCRA and FDCPA. You are now on legal notice that failure to comply with these federal requirements will result in : Formal complaints filed with the CFPB, FTC, and my states Attorney Generals Office. 
Potential litigation against XXXX and all listed collection agencies for willful non-compliance. 
A demand for statutory and punitive damages per XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX. XXXX. 
Furthermore, I am formally requesting that XXXX instruct all listed collection agencies to immediately issue a CEASE-AND-DESIST ORDER regarding any further collection attempts, calls, letters, or reporting of these accounts, as they are unverified and in violation of my consumer rights.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief