Consumer complaint received 2025-08-28 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this complaint under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) 15 U.S.C. 1681 and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ). My credit report contains numerous inaccurate, unverifiable, and misleading entries, including late payments, collections, charge-offs, hard inquiries, and wrong addresses. These errors have caused denials of credit, higher interest rates, financial hardship, stress, and reputational damage. I request CFPBs intervention to ensure these errors are corrected or removed immediately. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, FL XXXX Wrong Address Issue : False and unverifiable address.Law : FCRA 1681i ( a ) .Story : This is a business office suite , not a residence, and I have never lived or worked there. Including this as part of my address history misrepresents my identity and creates confusion with potential creditors. On more than one occasion, I was asked to provide proof of residence for credit applications because lenders questioned why a commercial office was listed as my home. This wasted my time, damaged my reputation, and delayed approvals. I should not be penalized for inaccurate reporting that ties me to places I have no connection with. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, FL XXXX Wrong Address Issue : Wrong and misleading address.Law : FCRA 602 ( A ) .Story : I never lived in XXXX XXXX and never used this XXXX XXXX Having this on my file makes it seem as though I am trying to hide behind a mail drop instead of using my real home address. This creates suspicion for employers, landlords, and financial institutions who may think I am being deceptive about my identity. This false address has personally caused me stress, XXXX, and confusion when trying to explain my history to creditors who assume I am being dishonest. 
XXXX XXXX Late Payment High Credit : {$390.00} | Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : False late payment reporting.Law : FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) .Story : This account is reporting late payments even though I made my payments on time. No proof has been shown that I was ever delinquent. Because of this false reporting, my credit score dropped, and I was forced to accept higher interest rates on auto financing. This situation has created real financial hardship for me and has also caused emotional stress and embarrassment. It is painful to be portrayed as irresponsible when I worked hard to maintain on-time payments. 
XXXX  XXXX Chargeoff High Credit : {$15000.00} | Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : Charge-off without validation.Law : FDCPA 807.Story : A charge-off is one of the most damaging items that can appear on a credit report, and this one is inaccurate. I was never provided account statements or proof that I defaulted. Yet, this negative item has been used against me in multiple credit applications. I was denied a personal loan, denied a new credit card, and even questioned about my financial stability when applying for housing. This one false charge-off has destroyed years of effort I put into building credit. The reporting has created financial loss, stress, and humiliation. 
XXXX XXXX Late Payment High Credit : {$1000.00} | Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : False late payment reporting.Law : FCRA 611.Story : I have always made every effort to pay my obligations responsibly, yet this account is falsely reporting me as late. Because of this inaccurate mark, I was rejected for a credit increase that I needed to cover emergency expenses. I had to borrow money from friends and family to make up for being denied by creditors, which caused shame and emotional distress. This item makes me look unreliable to lenders, when in reality I was not late and have no proof presented against me. 
XXXX  XXXX XXXX High Credit : {$0.00} | Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : Charge-off reported despite {$0.00} balance.Law : FCRA 1681e ( b ) .Story : This is a blatant contradiction. How can an account with a {$0.00} balance be charged off? This shows pure inaccuracy and negligence in reporting. This account has made me look like I defaulted on a debt when there is no debt at all. Because of this error, I was denied a store credit card and treated unfairly as if I had an unpaid debt. The reporting of a charge-off where nothing is owed is damaging, humiliating, and completely unjust. 
XXXX XXXX Chargeoff High Credit : {$21000.00} | Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : Charge-off reporting without validation.Law : FDCPA 809 ( b ) .Story : This is one of the most damaging errors on my report. A charge-off of this size makes me look financially irresponsible, when in reality I have no connection to this debt. No contract, signed agreement, or proper validation has ever been provided. Because of this, I have been denied credit, treated unfairly by lenders, and even subjected to embarrassment in front of family members who co-signed applications with me. This false account continues to create severe hardship, XXXX, and financial loss. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX Chargeoff High Credit : {$1000.00} | Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : Charge-off without proper validation.Law : FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( B ) .Story : This charge-off is harming me daily. Because of it, I was denied approval for an auto refinance that would have lowered my monthly payments. Instead, I am stuck paying higher interest because of this negative and unverifiable mark. This has created financial strain, stress, and constant frustration. It is unfair that I should continue to suffer when no valid proof has been provided. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX Chargeoff High Credit : {$650.00} | Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : False charge-off reporting.Law : FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ) .Story : This account shows as a charge-off without any validation. This makes me appear to lenders as if I can not handle even a small balance, which is extremely damaging to my reputation. Because of this false charge-off, I have been denied credit cards, lost opportunities for better financial products, and suffered emotional stress. I have spent countless hours disputing and explaining myself to lenders who view me unfairly because of this reporting error. 
XXXX XXXX Late Payment High Credit : {$530.00} | Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : Inaccurate late payment reporting.Law : FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) Story : I have consistently made timely payments on this account. Being reported as late has lowered my credit score and caused lenders to perceive me as unreliable. Because of this, I was denied a personal loan I urgently needed, forced to pay higher interest rates, and subjected to questions about my financial reliability. This inaccurate reporting has caused ongoing stress, embarrassment in front of family and co-signers, and financial strain as I had to cover emergency needs with personal funds. 
XXXX XXXX  XXXX Collection High Credit : {$410.00} | Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : Improper collection reporting.Law : FDCPA 809 ( b ) Story : I dispute this collection because I never received proper notice or validation. Reporting it as a collection has led to multiple credit denials, rejection for rental applications, and created undue stress. The account falsely portrays me as delinquent, affecting my financial reputation and causing emotional hardship, worry, and sleepless nights. 
XXXX XXXX Collection High Credit : {$590.00} | Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : Invalid collection reporting.Law : FDCPA 809 ( b ) Story : I have never been properly notified about this debt, and no documentation has been provided. Yet it appears on my credit report as a collection. This has caused my credit score to drop, created embarrassment with lenders, forced me to explain repeatedly, and delayed approvals for essential loans. The stress and XXXX  caused by this unverifiable item are significant and ongoing. 
XXXX XXXXXXXX Collection High Credit : {$850.00} | Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : Improper collection reporting.Law : FDCPA 809 ( b ) Story : I never received any proper validation or notice of this debt. Reporting this collection has caused me to be rejected for rental applications and personal loans. The negative effect on my credit and reputation is ongoing, creating stress, XXXX, and financial inconvenience. I am being penalized for a debt that is unverifiable and likely not mine. 
XXXX XXXX Collection High Credit : {$2900.00} | Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : Unverified collection.Law : FDCPA 809 ( b ) Story : I dispute this collection because it is reported without proper validation or documentation. It has caused serious financial harm including credit denial for urgent needs, higher interest rates, and reputational damage. The stress and frustration caused by being falsely reported for this debt is substantial, affecting my ability to maintain financial stability. 
XXXX  XXXX Chargeoff High Credit : {$4700.00} | Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : Charge-off without validation.Law : FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( B ) Story : This charge-off is inaccurately reported. No documentation or proof has been provided, yet it continues to lower my credit score and prevent me from obtaining essential loans. This has created real financial hardship, forced me to pay higher interest rates, caused stress and XXXX, and led to repeated explanations to lenders questioning my financial reliability. 
Hard Inquiries Unauthorized or Unverifiable XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Issue : Unauthorized or unverifiable hard inquiries.Law : FCRA 604 ( a ) ( 3 ) Story : These inquiries were made without my authorization or permissible purpose in multiple cases. Each inquiry lowers my credit score, causes repeated denials for loans, credit cards, and mortgages, and misrepresents my financial activity. Multiple occurrences suggest negligent reporting. These inquiries have caused emotional stress, financial losses, and unfair damage to my credit reputation. Any inquiry that can not be validated must be removed immediately. 
DEMAND FOR RELIEF I request the CFPB to intervene and ensure : 1. Each account and collection is fully verified. If verification can not be provided, remove it permanently.

2. All unauthorized or unverifiable hard inquiries are deleted.

3. My credit report is corrected immediately to reflect accurate, verified information.

4. Remedies for damages caused by negligent, inaccurate, or unlawful reporting.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief