Consumer complaint received 2025-05-16 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: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
I am writing to file a formal complaint against Experian Information Solutions , Inc. ( " Experian '' ) for its persistent and unlawful failure to properly investigate consumer disputes, including my own, resulting in the continued presence of inaccurate information on my credit report. These actions constitute violations of my rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) and demonstrate a pattern of unfair and deceptive practices.

For approximately ten years, I have been a victim of Experian 's flawed policies and inadequate investigation procedures. I have repeatedly attempted to correct errors on my credit file and have requested that Experian contact my credit grantors to verify disputed information. Despite these efforts, Experian has consistently failed to conduct meaningful investigations, leading to my Experian credit report often reflecting a lower standing compared to those from the other two major credit reporting agencies.

My direct experiences with Experian 's dispute process highlight their systemic failures : Initial Dispute Met with Superficial Verification : Upon submitting a dispute clearly outlining inaccuracies on my report, Experian responded by stating that the information was simply " verified. '' This response lacked any detail about the investigative process and suggests an uncritical acceptance of the furnisher 's initial data, rather than a thorough review as mandated by the FCRA.

Evasion When Investigative Details Demanded : When I subsequently demanded that Experian provide details of the investigative measures taken to " verify '' the disputed information, they employed a stalling tactic. Experian claimed my account could not be verified, and therefore, they could not disclose any investigative steps or presumably conduct a proper investigation in the first place. This directly contradicts their earlier claim of having " verified '' the information and serves as a clear obstruction to my rights.

Rejection of Authenticated Identity : In a further attempt to ensure my dispute was processed, I sent a third communication which included a copy of my state-issued ID ( matching my current address on file with Experian ) and took the extraordinary step of having the letter notarized to authenticate my identity. Shockingly, this was met with what appeared to be an automated email stating that no action could be taken because the dispute " did not appear to come from me. '' This absurd response, in the face of irrefutable proof of identity, demonstrates that Experian is not conducting proper, good-faith investigations and is instead relying on processes designed to frustrate consumer rights.

These personal experiences are clear evidence that no one at Experian is conducting a proper or reasonable investigation into consumer files, including my own.

I am alleging that I have been subjected to Experian 's years-long pattern of violating consumer rights. I wish for this complaint to be recognized and, where applicable, for my experience to be considered in relation to any ongoing or future class action lawsuits against Experian for its unlawful acts.

Experian has unlawfully failed to properly investigate consumer disputes. I allege that Experian does not take sufficient steps to intake, process, investigate, and notify consumers about consumer disputes, resulting in the inclusion of incorrect information on credit reports. As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) has noted, inaccurate or false information on consumer reports can threaten consumers ' access to credit, employment, and housing.

The CFPB has previously stated that when consumers disputed errors on their credit reports, " Experian conducted sham investigations rather than properly reviewing the disputes as required by federal law. '' My experiences, detailed above, are a direct reflection of these " sham investigations. '' Credit reporting errors can have serious consequences for a family 's finances, and it is critical that credit reporting giants like Experian follow the law.

Experian, one of the nation 's three largest credit reporting conglomerates, maintains information on most families in America. It markets, advertises, sells, offers, and provides credit scores, credit reports, credit monitoring, and other related products. Information in consumer reports is provided to Experian by data furnishers, including banks, credit card companies, and debt collectors. Experian then sells these consumer reports to creditors and businesses.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) unequivocally requires that consumer reporting agencies take steps to ensure consumer reports are accurate and to conduct reasonable investigations of information disputed by consumers. The FCRA provides multiple ways for individuals to dispute inaccurate information, including by contacting consumer reporting agencies directly. The FCRA also mandates specific procedures before reinserting information previously removed due to a dispute.

The CFPB has alleged that Experian has violated the FCRAs requirements for handling consumer disputes in numerous ways. Specifically, the CFPBs allegations resonate with my own experiences, asserting that Experian harms consumers by : Conducting sham investigations that fail to properly address consumer disputes : My experience shows that Experian uses faulty intake procedures ( e.g., rejecting notarized identification ) and does not accurately convey or act upon all relevant information about disputes. Experian routinely and uncritically accepts the original furnishers response, as evidenced by their " verified '' claim without substantial investigation, even when circumstances ( like my persistent disputes and provision of identity verification ) should trigger a more thorough review. The notices I received from Experian failed to inform me of any meaningful investigation results and were instead confusing, contradictory, and obstructive.

Improperly reinserting inaccurate information on consumer reports ( if applicable, or a general concern about their processes ) : While not explicitly detailed in my immediate points above, Experian 's documented failure to implement basic matching tools that prevent or greatly reduce the likelihood of reinsertion by a new furnisher of a previously deleted tradeline is a grave concern. Their system allows inaccurate information to reappear, compounding consumer frustration.

In addition to violating FCRA requirements, Experians faulty dispute intake procedures, its failure to provide furnishers with consumer-submitted documentation ( or to properly consider it themselves ), its uncritical deference to furnishers responses, and its failure to prevent improper tradeline reinsertions also constitute violations of the Consumer Financial Protection Acts ( CFPA ) prohibition on unfair acts or practices.

Demands : I demand that Experian immediately : Conduct a thorough, transparent, and verifiable investigation into the inaccuracies previously disputed on my credit report, considering all information I have provided.

Provide me with a detailed written description of the steps taken in this new investigation.

Remove all inaccurately reported information from my credit file.

Implement procedures to ensure that its handling of consumer disputes, including mine, complies fully with the FCRA and CFPA.

I am seeking to stop Experian 's unlawful conduct, to receive redress for the harm caused by their actions, and for appropriate penalties to be levied against them for their systemic disregard of consumer rights. I intend to pursue all available legal remedies if this matter is not resolved satisfactorily.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation