Consumer complaint received 2024-08-21 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Difficulty submitting a dispute or getting information about a dispute over the phone
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
I'm filing a complaint against XXXX for their overly burdensome dispute process, which violates the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ). Today, I received XXXX letters from XXXX ( dated XX/XX/XXXX, file numbers XXXX and XXXX ) requesting proof of my identification and current mailing address and many other personal documents before processing my dispute requests. This practice repeats for every dispute, and it contradicts the FCRA, which protects consumers ' rights to dispute inaccurate information without undue burden. Moreover, the FCRA requires furnishers to investigate all disputes. Section 1681s-2 ( b ) states that " [ a ] fter receiving notice '' of a dispute, the furnisher " shall conduct an investigation with respect to the disputed information. '' 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ( b ) ( 1 ) ( A ). This language is " both mandatory and comprehensive '' ( XXXX XXXX, XXXX v. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX ( XXXX ) ). XXXX 's practice contradicts CFPB guidance that " consumer reporting agencies and furnishers must reasonably investigate disputes received directly from consumers that are not frivolous or irrelevant and furnishers must reasonably investigate all indirect disputes received from consumer reporting agencies even if such disputes do not include the entity 's preferred format, preferred intake forms, or preferred documentation or forms '' ( CFPB, " Supervisory Highlights Consumer Reporting Special Edition, '' XXXX XXXX ). The CFPB and FTC have stated in an amicus brief : " If a company that provided disputed information to a credit reporting agency is unable to determine whether the information is true or not, the law requires them to tell the credit reporting company the information could not be verified so that the credit reporting company will stop reporting it '' ( FTC, " FTC, CFPB Submit Amicus Brief Defending Consumers ' Ability to Dispute Inaccurate Items on Credit Reports, '' XXXX XXXX, XXXX ). I request that the CFPB investigate XXXX 's practices to determine if they comply with the FCRA and take appropriate action to ensure that XXXX processes my disputes without this onerous process. The ideal resolution would be for XXXX to investigate my disputes without requiring repeated identity verification, focusing on the substance of the disputes as required by the FCRA. I am attaching the XXXX verification requests received today as evidence of XXXX 's practice. ( This is also the case for Equifax. As evidenced in the attached letter from Equifax dated XX/XX/XXXX, they similarly require extensive documentation for identity verification before processing disputes. Equifax demands copies of XXXX items : XXXX to verify identity -- -with a complete 9-digit Social Security number -- -and another to verify current address ). These requirements impose an undue burden on consumers attempting to exercise their FCRA rights.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief