Consumer complaint received 2025-05-25 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Investigation took more than 30 days
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: NJ

Complaint narrative:
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, NJ XXXX XXXX XXXX Date : XX/XX/XXXX To : Equifax Information Services LLC XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, GA XXXX RE : Final Demand FCRA Non-Compliance and Failure to Respond Within Statutory Timeframe Disputed Account : XXXX XXXX  Acct # XXXX Date of Original Dispute : XX/XX/XXXX To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to issue a final demand and to formally notify Equifax Information Services LLC of its material non-compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) regarding my dispute submitted on XX/XX/XXXX, concerning the XXXXXXXX XXXX account listed above. 

My original dispute was complete, submitted in writing, and accompanied by more than sufficient documentation to verify my identity and current address, including : - A copy of my passport photo ID - A bank statement - A signed lease agreement Despite fulfilling the identity verification requirements, Equifax failed to respond with a results-of-investigation letter or reinvestigation outcome within the 30-day period mandated by law. 

Instead, on XX/XX/XXXX well beyond the FCRAs 30-day deadline Equifax sent a vague and generic identity verification request, ignoring the fact that the required documentation had already been submitted. 

Applicable Federal Law & Violations : - FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) 15 U.S. Code 1681i If the completeness or accuracy of any item of information is disputed by a consumer and the consumer notifies the agency ... the agency shall, free of charge, conduct a reasonable reinvestigation to determine whether the disputed information is inaccurate, and record the current status of the disputed information, or delete the item, within 30 days of the dispute being received.

- FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 2 ) ( A ) A consumer reporting agency must notify the furnisher of the dispute within 5 business days of receiving it. 

- XXXX XXXX : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX Cir. XXXX ) The court held that credit bureaus have a duty to go beyond the original source if necessary and ensure a reasonable investigation is conducted. 

- Case Law : XXXX XXXX Equifax Information Services, XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX. Texas XXXX ) Delayed or insufficient responses to disputes especially after documentation was provided constitute willful noncompliance with the FCRA. 

- Equifax 's Inconsistent Behavior & Pattern of Misconduct It is also highly ironic and troubling that Equifax has already resolved and removed other disputed accounts using the exact same identity documents I attached to this XXXX XXXX dispute proving that my documentation was sufficient and accepted by your office. 

To now pretend the documentation is inadequate or missing is not only deceptive but could be considered willful obstruction and stall tactics in direct violation of the FCRA and Consumer Financial Protection Act ( CFPA ).

Major Issue Entire Credit File Removed I have now obtained an updated copy of my Equifax credit report, and my entire file is blank not just the XXXX XXXX  account. It appears Equifax may have removed all of my data due to internal identity verification issues.

This is a serious issue. I am formally demanding that Equifax immediately restore and update my full credit file using the documentation attached to this dispute which has already been accepted by your agency in prior investigations and that my credit score be adjusted accordingly to reflect an accurate and complete file, in full compliance with the FCRA.

Immediate Action Required 15-Day Demand Due to Equifaxs failure to comply with the legal timeframe, I hereby demand : - Immediate reinsertion or restoration of all accurate tradelines, inquiries, and credit data previously on file including the removal of the XXXXXXXX XXXX account. 

- A written confirmation of all updates or deletions.

- A copy of the results of any reinvestigation, and the method of verification ( MOV ) per FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 7 ). ( If Verified As Accurate Is The Outcome ) - The name and company of the person ( s ) who verified the information.

- An updated credit score that reflects an accurate and complete credit report.

If I do not receive written confirmation and correction within 15 calendar days, I will take the following actions without further notice : - Explore legal remedies under FCRA 616 & 617, which allow for actual damages, statutory damages, and attorneys fees for willful or negligent noncompliance You are legally required to ensure your reinvestigation procedures provide " maximum possible accuracy '' under FCRA 607 ( b ). Equifax has failed to meet that standard.

I expect this matter to be resolved promptly and in compliance with all applicable laws.

Enclosures for Verification and Reference For your review and to eliminate any further delays due to identity verification, I have enclosed the following documents : A copy of my passport photo ID as proof of identity A bank statement and signed lease agreement as proof of address A copy of my previous dispute filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) for reference and context These documents have been accepted by Equifax in prior disputes and should be considered sufficient to satisfy all verification requirements. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX DOB : XX/XX/XXXX SSN ( Last 4 Digits ) : XXXX Employer : XXXXXXXX XXXX  Phone : XXXX Email : XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation