Consumer complaint received 2025-07-26 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report — Information belongs to someone else
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
I am filing this formal identity theft and credit reporting dispute against XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, and Equifax based on new evidence and continued violations of my rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ). Although the letter from XXXX XXXX XXXX is dated XX/XX/year>, I did not receive or become aware of the letter until recently. This new correspondence confirms that XXXX is actively attempting to collect a debt that does not belong to me. I affirmatively and unequivocally dispute this debt. It is not mine. I did not open it, authorize it, or benefit from it in any way. It is the result of identity theft, and I have already submitted a valid FTC Identity Theft Report ( XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX ), my government-issued ID, and proof of address. XXXX is attempting to collect on behalf of XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX for an alleged account originated by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX but has failed to provide a signed original agreement, a chain of assignment, a purchase/sale agreement, or any verifiable proof that I am liable for this debt. No civil judgment appears in my XXXX Full File Disclosure dated XX/XX/year>, and there is no record of any judgment on my credit reports. Despite these facts, XXXX continues to threaten collection and demand sensitive personal documents such as my Social Security card, even after being presented with a valid identity theft report. This violates FCRA 1681c-2, which does not require a police report when a valid FTC Identity Theft Report has been submitted. Under FCRA 1681c-2 ( c ), XXXX and Equifax are required to block and delete all information relating to this identity theft-based debt within four ( 4 ) business days of receiving that documentation. Their continued reporting and failure to remove this tradeline is unlawful. This account must be permanently deleted from all consumer reporting agencies. Furthermore, when previously reported, the tradeline violated Metro 2 reporting standards. It reflected a closed account status while simultaneously showing an active balance and failed to include proper narrative coding, creating internal inconsistencies that mislead lenders and violate FCRA 1681e ( b ), which requires maximum possible accuracy. Equifax also failed to ensure this account was blocked as required by FCRA 1681c-2 ( c ). XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/year> letter is especially misleading because it references alleged legal claims and collection authority without disclosing a docket number, court jurisdiction, or any actual filing. This conduct appears to violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act under 15 U.S.C. 1692e ( 2 ) ( A ) and 1692e ( 5 ), which prohibit false representations of the legal status of a debt and threats to take legal action that are not intended or legally permitted. As a consumer victim of identity theft, I view this tactic as a coercive attempt to intimidate me into payment without any basis in law. I am demanding permanent deletion of this fraudulent account from all credit reporting agencies, an immediate cease and desist of all collection activity by XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX, and written confirmation that no judgment exists or is pending. This is not a frivolous or duplicative dispute. It is supported by new material evidence, clear statutory violations, and my right to protection as a victim of identity theft. I reserve the right to escalate this to the CFPB Enforcement Division, the FTC, and pursue civil remedies under FCRA 1681n and 1681o for willful and negligent noncompliance.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief