Consumer complaint received 2025-12-27 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: FL

Complaint narrative:
FCRA STATUTORY VIOLATION : FAILURE TO COMPLETE INVESTIGATION WITHIN 30 DAYS I am filing this complaint against Equifax Information Services LLC for violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act 's mandatory XXXX investigation deadline.

THE VIOLATION : 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) explicitly requires credit bureaus to complete investigations and provide results within 30 days of receiving a dispute. Equifax has exceeded this statutory deadline by 23+ days and counting. 

TIMELINE : - XX/XX/XXXX : I mailed dispute letters to Equifax via XXXX mail - XX/XX/XXXX : Equifax received disputes ( confirmed via XXXX XXXX ) - XX/XX/XXXX : XXXX statutory deadline EXPIRED - XX/XX/XXXX : XXXX Funding still showing " Consumer Disputes- Reinvestigation in Process '' ( XXXX XXXX ) - XX/XX/XXXX : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX " Consumer Disputes- Reinvestigation in Process '' ( XXXX XXXX ) - XX/XX/XXXX : I pulled fresh Equifax report XXXX disputes STILL marked " in process '' - XX/XX/XXXX : Today - 23 DAYS OVERDUE ACCOUNTS STILL UNRESOLVED PAST DEADLINE : XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX ( Account # * XXXX ) - Status : " Consumer Disputes- Reinvestigation in Process '' - Last updated : XX/XX/XXXX - Balance : {$2400.00} - Still showing as collection account XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX ( Account # * XXXX ) - Status : " Consumer Disputes- Reinvestigation in Process '' ( XXXX XXXX ) - Last updated : XX/XX/XXXX - Balance : {$0.00} ( charged off {$2300.00} ) - Still showing charge-off history XXXX. XXXX XXXX accounts ( both accounts ) - Still showing as charge-offs - No resolution provided THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENT IS CLEAR : 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) states : " Before the expiration of the 30-day period... the agency shall provide notification of the dispute to any person who provided any item of information in dispute ... and shall complete its investigation ... '' There is NO exception for complex disputes. There is NO provision for extensions. The law says 30 days, period. 

WHAT I DISPUTED : My disputes were based on constitutional due process violations. Specifically, all disputed accounts became delinquent during my period of incarceration from XX/XX/XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX. During this time : - I was physically unable to receive mail or notices at the detention facility - I had no access to account management or ability to respond to creditors - I was denied procedural due process under the 14th Amendment ( notice and opportunity to be heard before property deprivation ) I requested that Equifax verify : 1. Whether creditors provided proper notice during my incarceration 2. Whether I had meaningful opportunity to respond 3. Whether the accounts meet legal requirements for continued reporting given these constitutional violations EQUIFAX 'S RESPONSE - OR LACK THEREOF : Equifax has taken NO action within the statutory timeframe. Their credit reports still show : - " Consumer Disputes- Reinvestigation in Process '' on XXXX XXXX  ( as of XX/XX/XXXX ) - " Consumer Disputes- Reinvestigation in Process '' on XXXX XXXX ( as of XX/XX/XXXX ) - No resolution letters sent to me - No deletion of unverifiable accounts - No completion of investigation This is not a situation where Equifax investigated and I disagree with the result. This is a situation where Equifax has FAILED TO COMPLETE THE INVESTIGATION AT ALL. 

ADDITIONAL VIOLATION - SCORE MANIPULATION : During this investigation delay, my Equifax score has fluctuated suspiciously : - XX/XX/XXXX : Score was XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX : Score dropped to XXXX This XXXX drop during an unresolved investigation period suggests possible : - Retaliatory scoring practices- Improper re-insertion of disputed information - Score manipulation to discourage consumer disputes COMPARISON TO OTHER BUREAUS : To demonstrate that 30 days IS sufficient time for proper investigation : - Experian received my dispute on XX/XX/XXXX and COMPLETED their investigation, including DELETING the XXXX XXXX  account - XXXX  received my dispute on XX/XX/XXXX and COMPLETED their investigation ( though I dispute their conclusion ) - Only Equifax failed to complete the investigation within the statutory period If other bureaus can investigate and resolve identical disputes in 30 days, Equifax has no excuse for failing to do so. REFERENCE TO PREVIOUS COMPLAINT
: This timeline violation follows a pattern of problematic behavior by Equifax that was the subject of my previous CFPB complaint regarding retaliation and selective enforcement. [ Insert complaint number if you have it ] Equifax appears to be : 1. Deliberately delaying investigations to discourage consumer disputes 2. Using extended timelines as a retaliatory tactic 3. Failing to allocate adequate resources to statutory dispute resolution THE HARM : This violation is causing ongoing harm : 1. My credit score remains artificially depressed by accounts that may be unverifiable 2. I am denied timely resolution that Congress mandated in the FCRA 3. I can not move forward with housing applications, employment opportunities, or financial rebuilding because my credit report is in limbo 4. The uncertainty prevents me from making important life decisions 5. Equifax is using delay as a weapon against consumers exercising their legal rights WHAT EQUIFAX SHOULD HAVE DONE : Within 30 days of receiving my dispute ( by XX/XX/XXXX ), Equifax should have : 1. Contacted each furnisher to verify the disputed information 2. Requested documentation proving proper notice during my incarceration 3. Made a determination about whether the accounts are verifiable 4. Either deleted unverifiable accounts OR provided me with a detailed explanation of their verification findings 5. Sent me written results of the investigation 6. Updated my credit report to reflect the investigation results Instead, Equifax has done NOTHING except mark the accounts " investigation in process '' - a status that provides them cover to indefinitely delay resolution.

LEGAL VIOLATIONS : 1. 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) - Failure to complete investigation within 30 days 2. 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 6 ) - Failure to provide written notice of investigation results 3. 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ) - Failure to follow reasonable procedures for timely dispute resolution 4. Possible retaliatory practices in violation of consumer protection principles REQUESTED RELIEF : I request that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau : 1. ORDER EQUIFAX TO IMMEDIATELY COMPLETE all pending investigations and provide written results within 7 days 2. DELETE any accounts that Equifax can not verify within the original 30-day statutory period- if they couldn't verify it in 30 days, they can not verify it now 3. INVESTIGATE Equifax 's dispute resolution procedures to determine why they are failing to meet statutory deadlines 4. AWARD COMPENSATION for the ongoing harm caused by this 23+ day violation, including : - Credit damage from delayed resolution - Inability to pursue housing/employment opportunities - Emotional distress from prolonged uncertainty 5. IMPOSE PENALTIES on Equifax for this clear statutory violation to deter future non-compliance 6. INVESTIGATE the suspicious score drop ( XXXX XXXX ) during the investigation period for possible retaliatory practices ACCOUNT DETAILS FOR INVESTIGATION : XXXX XXXX XXXX : - Account : * XXXX - Balance : {$2400.00} - Status : Collection, marked " Consumer Disputes- Reinvestigation in Process '' - Last updated : XX/XX/XXXX - Disputed : XX/XX/XXXX - Investigation deadline : XX/XX/XXXX - Days overdue : XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX : - Account : * XXXX - Balance : {$0.00} ( charged off {$2300.00} ) - Status : Charge-off, marked " Consumer Disputes- Reinvestigation in Process '' ( XXXX XXXX ) - Last updated : XX/XX/XXXX - Disputed : XX/XX/XXXX - Investigation deadline : XX/XX/XXXX - Days overdue : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX accounts ) : - Account # * XXXX : {$4400.00} charge-off - Account # * XXXX : {$690.00} charge-off - Disputed : XX/XX/XXXX - Investigation deadline : XX/XX/XXXX - Days overdue : XXXX - No resolution provided EQUIFAX CONTACT INFORMATION : Equifax Information Services LLC XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, GA XXXX Phone : ( XXXX ) XXXX Report Confirmation Number : XXXX Report Date : XX/XX/XXXX SUPPORTING EVIDENCE : I can provide upon request : - Certified mail receipts showing dispute sent XX/XX/XXXX, received XX/XX/XXXX - Current Equifax credit report dated XX/XX/XXXX showing " investigation in process '' codes - Proof of incarceration ( XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX ) - Documentation showing other bureaus completed investigations within 30 days - Score tracking showing XXXX XXXX drop during investigation period CONCLUSION : This is not a complicated legal question requiring interpretation. The FCRA states clearly : XXXX  days. Equifax received my dispute on XX/XX/XXXX. The deadline was XX/XX/XXXX. Today is XX/XX/XXXX. 

Equifax is XXXX days late and counting. 

This is a black-and-white statutory violation that requires immediate CFPB intervention. Every additional day Equifax delays is another day of harm to my credit, my opportunities, and my ability to rebuild my life after incarceration. 

I respectfully request the CFPB 's immediate action to enforce the statutory deadline that Congress enacted specifically to prevent credit bureaus from using delay tactics against consumers.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation