Consumer complaint received 2025-12-29 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: CA

Complaint narrative:
I am filing this complaint against Equifax Information Services LLC, TransUnion LLC, XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX because these companies have repeatedly failed to ensure the accuracy of my consumer reports and have continued to publish, verify, and furnish serious derogatory information that is not mine, not authorized by me, and not supported by competent evidence. I have disputed these items multiple times through standard dispute channels and through CFPB complaints, and the pattern of responses shows procedural obstruction and noncompliance rather than a lawful reinvestigation. The disputed tradelines are the XXXX account ( ending XXXX, allegedly opened XX/XX/XXXX and reported as a charge-off ) and the XXXX XXXX  account XXXX ending XXXX, allegedly opened XX/XX/XXXX and reported as a charge-off ), along with any related inquiries or inquiries that lack a permissible purpose. A critical fact now establishes that the XXXX Bank tradeline is unverifiable : XXXX  has already removed the XXXX XXXX  account from my XXXX  credit report. That deletion demonstrates that the furnisher could not substantiate ownership and/or accuracy to at least one nationwide consumer reporting agency ; therefore, continued reporting of that same XXXX XXXX tradeline by any other CRA is not maximum possible accuracy and must be deleted unless it can be verified with competent records. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, consumer reporting agencies must follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy ( 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ) ) and must conduct a reasonable reinvestigation upon dispute ( 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) ). If disputed information is inaccurate, incomplete, or can not be verified, the CRA must delete or modify it promptly ( 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ) ). Equifaxs and TransUnions continued publication of the XXXX XXXX  tradeline after XXXX deletion is unreasonable and inconsistent with these duties unless they can produce competent evidence of origination and authorization. XXXX XXXX  has also admitted in writing that the alleged XXXX account was opened online and that no signed application exists, and it has further acknowledged the debt is time-barred and that it will not sue. The absence of a signed application, combined with the failure to produce authenticated online origination and authorization records, means XXXX can not substantiate that I opened or authorized the account ; continued reporting of a charge-off under these circumstances is inaccurate and misleading and violates the duty to furnish accurate information and to investigate disputes after notice ( 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ( b ) ). Where the core dispute is identity/authorization, a generic verified code response is not competent verification ; verification requires actual records tying origination and authorization to me. In addition, I am entitled to the method of verification and a description of the procedures used for any item a CRA claims to have verified, including the name, address, and telephone number of the furnisher ( s ) /source ( s ) contacted and sufficient detail to understand what records were actually reviewed ( 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 6 ) ( B ) ( iii ) and 1681i ( a ) ( 7 ) ). Boilerplate explanations of an electronic dispute workflow do not satisfy this requirement when the dispute concerns account origination and consumer authorization. I also dispute any inquiries associated with these tradelines and any hard inquiries that were not initiated or authorized by me. A consumer report may be obtained only for a permissible purpose ( 15 U.S.C. 1681b ( a ) ), and no person may obtain a consumer report without a permissible purpose ( 15 U.S.C. 1681b ( f ) ) ; if a requester can not document that I initiated an application or otherwise authorized the pull, the inquiry is unauthorized and must be removed to maintain maximum possible accuracy under 1681e ( b ). The harm from these violations is concrete and ongoing : the publication of unverified charge-offs and unauthorized inquiries suppresses my creditworthiness, causes denials and worse pricing, and forces substantial time and effort to correct information that should not be reported without verification. I am not requesting a fraud alert or a security freeze as a condition of relief ; this is an accuracy and verification dispute, and the law requires deletion of unverifiable information regardless of whether a fraud alert or freeze is placed. I request that the CFPB require immediate corrective action as follows : XXXX  must confirm in writing the deletion of the XXXX XXXX  tradeline and confirm it will not be reinserted without the certifications and notice required by 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( B ) ( C ) ; Equifax and TransUnion must immediately delete the XXXX XXXX  tradeline as unverifiable under 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ) unless XXXX XXXX  produces competent, reviewable evidence that I opened and authorized the account ; XXXX XXXX must either provide competent, reviewable evidence of origination and authorization for the XXXX account ( at minimum a signed application or authenticated online origination records such as timestamped e-consent logs, IP address, device identifiers, XXXX/identity verification steps, and account-opening documentation that link authorization to me ) or must instruct all nationwide CRAs to delete the tradeline ; Equifax, TransUnion, XXXX XXXX  must delete the XXXX tradeline if it can not be verified and must provide the method of verification for any item they claim to have verified, including the identity and contact details of the sources contacted and a detailed description of the actual records reviewed, as required by 1681i ( a ) ( 6 ) ( B ) ( iii ) and 1681i ( a ) ( 7 ) ; all companies must remove any related or unauthorized inquiries for which permissible purpose can not be documented under 1681b ; and all CRAs must issue corrected reports reflecting deletions and corrections and must ensure no deleted item is reinserted without compliance with 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( B ) ( C ). Given the repeated pattern of nonresponsive verification without competent evidence and continued publication of serious derogatory information, I request that the CFPB evaluate monitored compliance deadlines and enforcement action, as ongoing noncompliance is causing continuing harm and the FCRA provides for liability for willful or negligent noncompliance ( 15 U.S.C. 1681n and 1681o ).

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief