Consumer complaint received 2025-09-03 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Written notification about debt — Didn't receive enough information to verify debt
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MO

Complaint narrative:
I am filing this formal complaint against Equifax Information Services, LLC for knowingly, willfully, and systematically misreporting my XXXXXXXX XXXX account ( Acct. ending in XXXX ). Equifaxs reporting is contradictory, inaccurate, misleading, and unlawful, and it has directly harmed my creditworthiness, financial stability, and reputation. 

Factual Background Account Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Charged Off : XX/XX/XXXX Amount Written Off : {$1800.00} Balance Still Reported : {$1900.00} past due as of XX/XX/XXXX Status : Collection/Chargeoff Last Payment Reported : XX/XX/XXXX Contradictions and False Reporting 1. Charge-off vs. Past Due Equifax reports this account as Collection/Chargeoff. 
Yet, Equifax simultaneously reports {$1900.00} past due as of XX/XX/XXXX. 
These two statuses can not legally coexist. Once charged off, an account is closed and removed from active repayment. Reporting it as both charged off and actively delinquent is a factual impossibility and a clear violation of federal law. 
2. Illegal Re-aging of Debt Equifax falsely reports the account as last updated XX/XX/XXXX. 
The account was charged off in XXXX. Updating it in XXXX to show new delinquency is a deliberate act of re-aging designed to extend the derogatory impact beyond the seven-year reporting limit. 
This conduct violates : FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 5 ), 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ( a ) ( 5 ) : Furnishers must report the actual date of first delinquency ( DOFD ), not artificially extend it.

FCRA 605 ( a ), 15 U.S.C. 1681c ( a ) : Negative items may not remain on a credit file beyond 7 years. 
3. False Balance Reporting Equifax continues to report {$1900.00} due even though {$1800.00} was already written off. 
This creates the false impression that I remain liable for a debt that was partially forgiven years ago. 
This constitutes a false representation of the character, amount, or legal status of the debt under FDCPA 807 ( 2 ) ( A ), 15 U.S.C. 1692e ( 2 ) ( A ).

4. Conflicting Payment History Equifax reports the last payment as XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX  reports the last payment as XXXX.

These can not both be true. Equifaxs failure to ensure accuracy violates FCRA 607 ( b ), 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ).

5. Failure to Reinvestigate Under FCRA 611 ( a ), 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ), Equifax is required to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation once a dispute is raised. By continuing to report contradictory information, Equifax has failed in its reinvestigation duties. 

Consumer Harm Equifaxs unlawful and reckless reporting practices create the false impression that I am in ongoing delinquency in XXXX, when in reality, this account was resolved in XXXX. As a direct result : My credit score has been artificially suppressed. 
I have been denied access to credit. 
I have been subjected to higher interest rates. 
I have been prevented from obtaining fair housing opportunities. 
My reputation has been damaged, portraying me as financially irresponsible years after the fact. 

This harm is material, ongoing, and directly attributable to Equifaxs misconduct.

Legal Violations by Equifax FCRA 607 ( b ), 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ) : Failure to assure maximum possible accuracy.

FCRA 611 ( a ), 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) : Failure to reinvestigate disputed information. 
FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 5 ), 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ( a ) ( 5 ) : Prohibited re-aging of delinquent accounts.

FCRA 605 ( a ), 15 U.S.C. 1681c ( a ) : Prohibited extended reporting beyond 7 years.

FCRA 616617, 15 U.S.C. 1681no : Liability for negligent and willful noncompliance. 
FDCPA 807 ( 2 ) ( A ), 15 U.S.C. 1692e ( 2 ) ( A ) : False representation of character, amount, or legal status of a debt.

FDCPA 807 ( 10 ), 15 U.S.C. 1692e ( 10 ) : Use of deceptive means to collect or furnish information. 

Case Law Precedents Saunders v. Branch Banking & Trust Co., 526 F.3d 142 ( 4th Cir. 2008 ) : A furnishers failure to correct misleading reporting after dispute violates FCRA.

Carvalho v. Equifax Info. Servs., LLC , 629 F.3d 876 ( 9th Cir. 2010 ) : CRAs can not blindly parrot furnishers ; they must meaningfully investigate.

Dalton v. Capital Associated Indus., 257 F.3d 409 ( 4th Cir. 2001 ) : Even technically true information is unlawful if misleading. 

Regulatory Enforcement Precedents Against Equifax CFPB Consent Order, In re Equifax IncXXXX, 2019-CFPB-0006 : Equifax fined for inaccurate reporting and weak accuracy controls.

FTC v. Equifax, Civil Action No. 1:00-CV-0087 ( N.D. Ga. 2000 ) : Equifax sanctioned for systemic failures in accuracy procedures.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief