Consumer complaint received 2025-04-11 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report — Account information incorrect
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
RE : Formal Dispute of Inaccurate XXXX Late Payment Reporting Request for Correction and Legal Compliance Re : ACCOUNT XXXX I am writing to formally dispute the XXXX late payment entry your agency has reported to the consumer credit bureaus regarding my federal student loan account. This entry is not only materially inaccurate, but it also constitutes a billing error under multiple consumer protection statutes and directly violates your responsibilities as a loan servicer under federal law. 
________________________________________ XXXX. Violation of Federal Consumer Protection and Student Loan Servicing Laws As a federally contracted loan servicer, your organization is bound by several statutes that govern the accuracy, integrity, and transparency of loan reporting. The XXXX late entry on my report is a clear violation of : Higher Education Act of 1965 20 U.S.C. 1083 ( e ) : Requires full and accurate disclosure of repayment terms and the borrowers rights before negative reporting. No such prior notice or verification of delinquency was provided.

20 U.S.C. 1080 ( a ) : Mandates the U.S. Secretary of Education to ensure accurate servicing and protection of borrower rights. Inaccurate credit reporting constitutes a failure in this statutory duty.

Consumer Financial Protection Act 12 U.S.C. 5536 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( B ) : Prohibits covered persons from committing any unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices in connection with consumer financial products or services, including student loans.

15 U.S. Code 1681s2 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) : Prohibits furnishing information to consumer reporting agencies that is known to be inaccurate or has not been properly verified.

15 U.S. Code 1666b & 12 CFR 1026.13 : Identify the requirements for timely payment application and dispute resolution. A XXXXXXXX late report contradicts your own record keeping obligations and billing cycle logic, which should reflect that XXXX and XXXX payments must have been made or resolved if only XXXX was unpaid. 
________________________________________ XXXX. The Entry Qualifies as a Billing Error This situation qualifies as a billing error as defined under 12 CFR 1026.13, since it involves the reporting of inaccurate delinquency and failure to properly apply payments or correct errors prior to negative reporting.

The Truth in Lending Act ( TILA ) further reinforces that billing errors must be acknowledged and investigated in good faith and resolved within specific time frames, none of which were followed in this matter.

________________________________________ 3. FCRA Misreporting 15 U.S. Code 1681 ( a ) ( 2 ) ( xi ) Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, any information provided to consumer reporting agencies must be accurate, complete, and verifiable. The XXXX late mark without prior warning, investigation, or communication constitutes negligent and unlawful data furnishing. You were required to verify this account status before reporting. You failed to do so. 
Furthermore, a XXXX late payment implies missed payments in XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX, which is inconsistent with my record and suggests internal inconsistency in your data reporting. At minimum, this must be corrected as Paid as Agreed due to a lack of coherent supporting data. 
________________________________________ XXXX. Demand for Immediate Resolution I hereby dispute the inaccurate XXXX late payment and demand that you : XXXX. Immediately remove or update the false derogatory entry on all consumer credit reports to reflect Paid as Agreed. 
XXXX. Provide me with written confirmation that the correction has been completed. 
XXXX. Confirm that your internal records reflect a consistent and accurate payment history. 
You are legally obligated to investigate and resolve this matter within 30 days, pursuant to your duty under the FCRA, TILA, and Higher Education Act. If you fail to comply, I will escalate this dispute to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Department of Education Ombudsman Group, and take further legal action as needed. 
________________________________________ This claim is written without prejudice and with full reservation of all rights and remedies under applicable federal and state law, including the Fair Credit Billing Act, FCRA, and TILA, pursuant to UCC 1-308. 

I respectfully request that you treat this letter with the seriousness it demands. Thank you in advance for your immediate attention to this matter. 
Sincerely, XXXX : XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation