Consumer complaint received 2025-02-10 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: OR

Complaint narrative:
**Subject : Dispute of Child Support Accounts Case Numbers XXXX and XXXX, XXXX I am writing in response to your letter stating that my dispute regarding the reporting of my State of XXXX XXXX XXXX obligations ( Accounts XXXX XXXX and Account XXXX ) has been dismissed as frivolous and that the information was verified as accurate. I must express my serious concerns with this response, as it fails to address both the legal grounds of my dispute and the ongoing violation of consumer protection laws. 
As I have previously stated in my earlier dispute submissions, child support obligations should not be reported on my credit report under the law. Despite my providing case law and raising the matter with Equifax on multiple occasions, the child support accounts continue to appear on my report. This constitutes an improper and unlawful reporting of such debts, and I find it highly troubling that your investigation concluded that the information is verified as accurate, particularly given the legal precedents supporting my position. 
Legal Precedents : The cases I have cited provide compelling legal authority that child support obligations should not be reported to credit bureaus, and that Equifaxs actions XXXX be in violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) and related consumer protection laws. Below are the relevant cases that further support my dispute : XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, and XXXX XXXX XXXX ( Case XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX  ) This XXXX XXXX the improper reporting of debts, including child support, on credit reports. 
XXXX. XXXX XXXX v. XXXX XXXX XXXX & XXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  ) This case addressed the legal restrictions on reporting child support-related collections on credit reports. 
XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( No. XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX This case reinforced restrictions on reporting debts tied to government entities, including child support, on credit reports. 
XXXX stance that this information has been verified as accurate does not take into account these precedents or the clear guidance from the DOJ on the reporting of child support obligations. 
More Legal Basis for Disputing the Reporting of Child Support on My Credit Report 1. Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) : Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1681 et seq. ), credit reporting agencies like XXXX are required to ensure that the information reported is accurate and complete. Child support is a personal obligation and not a credit obligation. As such, it does not meet the criteria for credit reporting and should not be included in my credit file. 
XXXX. Child Support and Credit Reports : The XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) has clarified that child support payments should not be treated as consumer credit. Reporting child support as a debt can lead to erroneous credit reporting and the negative impact on a consumers credit score, which can be disputed on the grounds of unfair practice.

3. Section 605A of the FCRA : Under 15 U.S.C. 1681c-1, child support obligations are not to be included on credit reports unless they meet specific criteria as a court judgment. Even in the case of a judgment, the reporting should be restricted and limited to certain purposes like a lien, which must be properly recorded. In most cases, this does not apply to child support obligations, and the reporting of this information should be considered erroneous. 
XXXX. More Case Law References : In the case XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, ( XXXX ), the court ruled that credit reporting agencies must comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act and remove inaccurate or unverifiable information. This includes information about child support if it does not meet the requirements for inclusion in a credit file. 
XXXX v. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) also clarified that child support obligations that do not involve a legal XXXX or judgment are not considered credit obligations under the FCRA. 
Inadequate Verification Process : The response stating that the information was " verified '' does not address the fundamental issue : that the reporting of child support obligations is prohibited under consumer protection laws and regulations. The verification process conducted by Equifax appears to be inadequate, as it does not consider the legal restrictions that govern the reporting of such debts. Furthermore, as the courts have ruled, child support obligations do not qualify as a " credit transaction, '' and therefore, a collection agency has no permissible purpose to obtain or report such information to credit bureaus without specific legal authorization or written consent from the consumer.

Conclusion : I request that Equifax immediately remove both child support accounts ( XXXX, XXXX ) from my credit report. I trust you will review my dispute thoroughly and comply with the legal protections surrounding such obligations. I am providing the case law and referencing the supporting documentation.

Please provide me with a written response confirming the removal of these accounts from my credit report, as well as an explanation of the steps Equifax is taking to ensure compliance with the relevant legal requirements going forward.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation