Consumer complaint received 2025-03-19 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: IL

Complaint narrative:
Consumer Reporting Agencies play a crucial role in gathering and assessing consumer credit information. However, they must exercise their responsibilities with fairness, impartiality, and respect for the consumers right to privacy. The banking system relies on accurate and fair credit reporting, and when these reporting methods are unfair, it undermines public trust, which is vital for the system 's stability. I never gave my explicit, written consent for these agencies to report my information, which is a violation of 15 U.S. Code 1681b ( 2 ). This violation has led to an alleged case of identity theft, breaching 15 U.S. Code 1681c-2. The accounts in question are not related to any transactions made by me.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act was created to ensure that laws and procedures are in place to protect consumers from abusive, deceptive, and unfair practices by debt collectors. In this case, the company has violated 15 U.S. Code 1692f, which prohibits debt collectors from using unfair or unconscionable means to collect a debt. Specifically, they can not collect any amounts that arent explicitly authorized by the agreement or allowed by law. Additionally, the company has violated 15 U.S. Code 1692e, which prohibits the use of false, deceptive, or misleading representations in debt collection efforts. This includes using deceptive methods to collect a debt or gather consumer information. Moreover, they are forbidden from contacting consumers at inconvenient times or places, or engaging in behavior that harasses or abuses consumers.

In this case, the company has harassed me by claiming I owe a debt that I do not recognize as my responsibility. They have also contacted me at inconvenient times and places, in violation of the law. 

XXXX. The following personal information is incorrect Previous Address ( es ) : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, IL XXXX XXXX. The inquiry was not authorized XXXX XXXX Date of inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Please remove it from my credit report. 
XXXX. The inquiry was not authorized XXXX XXXX Date of inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Please remove it from my credit report. 
XXXX. The inquiry was not authorized XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Illinois XXXX TransUnion LLC Consumer Dispute Center po box XXXX XXXX, PA XXXX Date of inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Please remove it from my credit report. 
XXXX. The inquiry was not authorized XXXX XXXX Date of inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Please remove it from my credit report. 
XXXX. The inquiry was not authorized XXXX  Date of inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Please remove it from my credit report. 
XXXX. The inquiry was not authorized XXXX XXXX  Date of inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Please remove it from my credit report. 
XXXX. The inquiry was not authorized XXXX  Date of inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Please remove it from my credit report. 
XXXX. The inquiry was not authorized XXXX Date of inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Please remove it from my credit report. 
XXXX. The inquiry was not authorized XXXX XXXX Date of inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Please remove it from my credit report. 
XXXX. The inquiry was not authorized XXXXXXXX Date of inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Please remove it from my credit report. 
XXXX. The inquiry was not authorized XXXX XXXX  Date of inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Please remove it from my credit report. 
XXXX. The inquiry was not authorized XXXX Date of inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Please remove it from my credit report. 
XXXX. Identity Theft XXXX XXXX Account Number : XXXX Please remove it from my credit report. 
XXXX. I am disputing the collection account that was previously deleted from my credit report, but your bureau has readded it and continues to report it. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), once an item is deleted, it can not be re-added without proper verification. You have re-added this account without solid proof of its accuracy, which violates XXXX U.S. Code 1681i, requiring that all information on my report be accurate and up-to-date. Furthermore, you have failed to comply with 15 U.S. Code 1681e ( b ), which mandates that information reported must be accurate and not misleading. Case law, including XXXX v. Equifax, supports my position that re-reporting an item after deletion without proper verification is unlawful. I demand that this deleted account be removed immediately, or I will pursue further legal action. 
XXXX Account Number : XXXX Please remove it from my credit report. 
16. This collection account violates the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1692g ) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1681 ), as it has not been properly validated ; failure to remove it will result in legal action for non-compliance with federal law. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Account Number : XXXX Please remove it from my credit report. 
XXXX. According to 15 U.S.C. 1681i, Paragraph ( 5 ), if a consumer disputes any information and it is found to be inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable, the consumer reporting agency must promptly delete the item. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Account Number : XXXX Please remove it from my credit report. 
18. This collection account violates the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1692g ) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1681 ), as it has not been properly validated ; failure to remove it will result in legal action for non-compliance with federal law. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX Account Number : XXXX XXXX. This collection account violates the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1692g ) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1681 ), as it has not been properly validated ; failure to remove it will result in legal action for non-compliance with federal law. 
XXXX XXXX Account Number : XXXX XXXX. This collection account violates the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1692g ) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1681 ), as it has not been properly validated ; failure to remove it will result in legal action for non-compliance with federal law. 
XXXX Account Number : XXXX XXXX. Mistaken Identity XXXX  Account Number : XXXX Please remove it from my credit report.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief