Consumer complaint received 2025-11-19 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with fraud alerts or security freezes — 
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MI

Complaint narrative:
# * * CFPB COMPLAINT FCRA VIOLATIONS, FAILURE TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE, UNLAWFUL FRAUD CLAIM BLOCKING * * * * Subject : * * Credit Bureau Refusal to Provide Evidence of Alleged Fraud, Improper Dispute Blocking, and Violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) -- - I am filing this complaint because the credit bureau is * * unlawfully blocking my disputes * * by falsely asserting that there is suspected fraud on my account. I have * * all credit reports frozen * *, and * * no evidence of fraud exists * *. The credit bureau has * * refused to provide documentation * *, even after multiple requests from myself and the CFPB. Their unsupported fraud claim appears to be a tactic to avoid their obligations under the FCRA.

-- - # * * I. Violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) * * # # # * * 1. Failure to Conduct a Reasonable Investigation FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) * * The FCRA requires a credit bureau to conduct a * * reasonable reinvestigation * * of any disputed information.

* The bureau has * * refused to reinvestigate * * my disputes because they placed an unsupported fraud flag on my file.

* They provided * * no documentation or evidence * * supporting the alleged fraud, making their refusal unlawful.

# # # * * 2. Failure to Provide Required Documentation FCRA 609 ( a ) ( 1 ) & 609 ( e ) * * Under FCRA, a consumer has the right to receive * * all information in their file * *, including : * Any documentation the bureau relied on, * Any materials indicating suspected fraud or identity theft, * Any records used to determine dispute eligibility.

The bureau has * * not provided any evidence * *, because such evidence does not exist.

# # # * * 3. Improper Blocking of Dispute Rights FCRA 611 ( a ) * * A credit bureau * * can not * * block a consumer from disputing information unless it has * * verified identity theft * * through proper documentation, such as : * A filed police report * A valid FTC Identity Theft Report * Documentation provided by the consumer demonstrating identity theft I have submitted * * no such identity theft materials * *, and the bureau has not claimed to possess anythey simply assert fraud without proof. This is a * * direct FCRA violation * *.

# # # * * 4. Failure to Provide Notice of Fraud Determination FCRA 605B ( c ) * * If a bureau determines that fraud exists, they must provide : * A written notice of the determination, * Documentation supporting that determination, * Instructions for correcting the information.

None of this was provided. 

-- - # * * II. Relevant Case Law Supporting My Complaint * * # # # * * XXXX. * XXXX XXXX Trans Union XXXX *, XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  The court held that credit bureaus must conduct a * * reasonable investigation * * and can not ignore disputes or rely solely on automated responses. 

* By blocking my disputes entirely, the bureau is violating XXXX standards. 

# # # * * XXXX. * XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX * * The ruling states that a credit bureau must * * obtain actual evidence * * from furnishers and can not reinvestigate by simply accepting unverifiable claims. 

* The bureau has provided * * XXXX evidence * * supporting their fraud claim. 

# # # * * XXXX. * XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX ) * * The FCRA requires providers and bureaus to show * * documentary evidence * * when the accuracy of an account is challenged. 

* Failure to provide this evidence violates FCRA obligations. 

# # # * * XXXX. * XXXX v. XXXX & XXXX *, XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX Cir. XXXX ) * * Credit bureaus must ensure * * accuracy and completeness * *, and must correct errors when furnishers fail to provide documentation. 

* The bureau has chosen to block disputes rather than verify accuracy. 

-- - # * * XXXX. CFPB and FTC XXXX Violated * * # # # * * CFPB XXXX XXXX * * Consumer reporting agencies must * * stop practices that prevent consumers from exercising dispute rights * *. Fraud-flagging without evidence is explicitly warned against. 

# # # * * FTC XXXX Theft Guidelines * * XXXX blocks can only be placed when : XXXX. The consumer submits an identity theft report, XXXX. The bureau has confirmed fraud with documentation. 

Neither applies to my situation.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation