Consumer complaint received 2025-12-04 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: MO

Complaint narrative:
I am opening a new complaint because my previous case, XXXX, was closed without a full or complete resolution. In that case, the company involvedExperianresponded to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau stating that there may be potential fraud involved in the information reported on my credit file. This response from Experian suggests that the derogatory information, specifically the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy listed as Ref : XXXX, may not be fully accurate, verified, or legitimately connected to my personal file. Because the company determined that fraud may be involved, this triggers a different and much higher level of legal responsibility under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) and requires Experian to take corrective action, including blocking, suppressing, or deleting any information that can not be validated. 

I am therefore reopening the matter in a new complaint, because despite Experians statement acknowledging potential fraud, the negative public recordthe Chapter 7 Bankruptcyremains on my report. This is contradictory to federal law, contradicts Experians own fraud assessment, and continues to harm me as a consumer. The fair and lawful remedy, based on Experians own findings, is deletion of the bankruptcy from my credit report.

In the prior case, Experian did not provide any certified documents, original court filings, verification logs, or chain-of-custody records to prove that the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy was verified correctly. Instead, Experian issued a response indicating that there may be fraud associated with the reporting. Once a credit reporting agency acknowledges that fraud may be involved, they are requiredwithout delayto take heightened action under FCRA 605B ( Identity Theft Blocking ), FCRA 602A ( Accuracy Requirements ), FCRA 607 ( b ) ( Maximum Possible Accuracy ), and FCRA 611 ( a ) ( Reinvestigation Requirements ).

However, despite this acknowledgement, no fraud-block was applied, no deletion occurred, no updated investigation was performed, and no further documentation was provided. Instead, the case was closed without resolution, leaving the fraudulent or unverifiable public record on my credit file. This is why I am reopening the case under a new complaint : the issue remains unresolved, and Experian has failed to take legally required corrective actions.

Experians own statement that there may be potential fraud involved is extremely significant. Fraud-related findings require immediate blocking or suppression of the disputed information. That means Experian is required to prevent any potentially fraudulent or unverifiable data from being published in my credit file. Yet the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy ( Ref : XXXX ) continues to appear. This means Experian is knowingly reporting an item they themselves can not confirm as accurate. Under the FCRA, this is not allowed. 

Because the company has admitted that fraud may be involved, the FCRA requires more than a standard reinvestigation. It requires : A full identity theft review Blocking or deleting disputed information within four business days of receiving proper notification A detailed investigation into the nature of the fraud Removal of unverifiable or unsubstantiated information Notification to furnishers that the information may involve identity theft Suppression of the item pending full resolution None of these steps were taken in the previous case.

The issue is that Experian did not provide any clarity about what part of the information may be fraudulent. If the bankruptcy itself is tied to potential fraud, then the bureau has no legal authority to continue reporting it. If any portion of the data tied to the bankruptcy can not be verified, the correct legal outcome is permanent deletion. The company can not simultaneously acknowledge potential fraud and continue publishing the questionable information.

The FCRA makes clear that any information that can not be verified or that is associated with possible identity theft must be removed. This includes public records. Bankruptcy records are highly sensitive and require strict verification using original certified court documents, not automated public-record scraping or third-party summaries. Experian did not provide certified records and did not demonstrate lawful verification procedures. Instead, they acknowledged potential fraud within the file.

Because of this, the outcome of my previous complaint is insufficient and incomplete. A new complaint is required to ensure compliance with federal law, ensure accurate reporting, and request full deletion of the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy record. The bankruptcy is the only derogatory item on my credit report, and its presence continues to negatively impact my creditworthiness, lending opportunities, insurance decisions, employment screenings, and overall consumer standing.

A major reason this new case is necessary is that the previous dispute process did not meet the requirements of FCRA 611 ( a ). Experian did not provide a meaningful reinvestigation, did not identify what verification methods were used, did not explain how the information was validated, did not provide a method of verification, and did not explain why the bankruptcy remains on file if fraud was suspected.

The law does not permit Experian to ignore or minimize its own fraud finding. If Experian believes fraud may have occurred, they are obligated to investigate and block the information. They can not report it while claiming fraud may exist. This is contradictory and harmful to the consumer.

Additionally, I am requesting deletion of the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy because Experian did not produce : The certified bankruptcy petition The certified discharge order The certified docket sheet Any court-issued documentation Full chain-of-custody logs Vendor sourcing information Verification timestamps System or manual review logs Communication logs with the bankruptcy court Without these, Experian can not legally continue to report the bankruptcy. Experian instead relied on incomplete, automated public-record systems, which they themselves acknowledged may have false or fraudulent information. This is precisely why the bankruptcy record is invalid and must be removed.

The potential fraud finding is highly important because it suggests that Experian does not have confidence in the accuracy or legitimacy of the reported bankruptcy. Fraud in public record reporting can occur when vendors misattribute bankruptcy records, when personal identifying information is mismatched, or when automated scraping tools incorrectly tag court filings to consumer files. Without manual verification or certified records, Experian can not ensure accuracy. 

Because Experian did not cure the issue in XXXX XXXX, and because their own investigation suggested fraud may exist, I am forced to escalate the matter again. This time, I am requesting that the CFPB require Experian to provide a full explanation of why the record was not deleted after potential fraud was identified, and why the legally required identity-theft blocking procedures were not immediately initiated. 

The continuing presence of the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy on my credit report after a fraud finding constitutes ongoing harm. Every day this unverified and potentially fraudulent information remains on my credit file, it causes damage to my credit profile. This includes unfair negative scoring impact, increased loan costs, denied applications, and negative assumptions by lenders. Fraudulent or unverified public records should not be allowed to remain on a consumers file, especially when the credit bureau has acknowledged potential fraud.

Therefore, in this new complaint, I am formally requesting : Permanent deletion of the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy ( Ref : XXXX ) from my Experian credit report A full explanation from Experian regarding why the bankruptcy was not removed immediately upon their own fraud finding A complete identity-theft review Blocking of any item tied to potential fraud under FCRA 605B A detailed description of the verification methods used Production of all records related to Experians fraud assessment Removal of any unverifiable or unsubstantiated information Documentation proving whether the bankruptcy was misreported Assurance that no fraudulent data remains on my file Written confirmation that the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy will not be reinserted without full compliance The primary purpose of this new complaint is to secure deletion of the bankruptcy due to Experians finding of potential fraud. The law is clear : fraudulent or unverifiable information must be removed immediately.

I am requesting CFPB assistance because Experian has not taken the required steps to correct the issue, despite acknowledging potential fraud. I am asking for regulatory intervention so that Experian complies with the FCRA and restores the accuracy of my credit report.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation