Consumer complaint received 2025-02-19 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: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
I am filing this complaint to report serious issues with my credit report and to highlight what I believe are retaliatory actions by Equifax following my previous reports to the CFPB. These actions have caused significant harm to my credit score and have violated my rights under multiple consumer protection laws and regulations. 

1. **Manipulation of Charge-Off Reporting** : Equifax is improperly reporting my XXXX XXXX account as a charge-off **every month**, which violates the **Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) **, particularly **Section 605**. Accounts that are charged off should only be reported once as a charge-off, not repeatedly. This manipulation makes it appear as though I am consistently missing payments, inflating my reported charge-offs and missed payments. Under the **Metro 2 Format** ( the industry standard for credit reporting ), Equifax is required to follow accurate and consistent reporting procedures, including correctly reporting the status of charge-offs. 

2. **Negative Impact from Repeated Charge-Off Reporting** : By reporting the charge-off repeatedly, Equifax is violating **FCRA Section 607 ( b ) **, which mandates that all information reported must be accurate, complete, and timely. This repeated reporting creates an inaccurate history of missed payments, which unduly harms my credit score. **Metro 2** guidelines also require that data furnishers report accurately and consistently, which Equifax is not doing in this case. 

3. **Charge-Off and Collection Account Listed as Open** : Despite having disputed the inaccuracies multiple times, Equifax continues to report XXXX XXXX XXXX  account as a **charge-off and collection account with an open status**. This is misleading and violates **FCRA Section 605 ( a ) **, which mandates that once a debt is charged off, it must reflect the correct status ( such as " charged-off, '' " closed, '' or " settled '' ) and not open. The failure to correct the status after multiple disputes violates my rights under **FCRA Section 611**, which gives consumers the right to have inaccurate information corrected. This ongoing issue also violates the **Metro 2** guidelines, which require accurate reporting of account statuses. 

4. **Retaliatory Actions After Reporting** : These actions, which began after I filed complaints with the CFPB about inaccuracies with Equifax, appear to be retaliatory. Shortly after my initial complaints, Equifax increased the credit limit on the charge-off account and began reporting it as open, thereby manipulating my **credit utilization rate** and further damaging my credit score. The **FCRA Section 623** prohibits credit bureaus from engaging in retaliatory actions after a consumer files a complaint or disputes inaccuracies in their credit report. 

5. **Unauthorized Dispute on XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Equifax opened a dispute on my XXXX XXXX  credit card without my authorization. This violates **FCRA Section 611**, which requires that disputes must be initiated by the consumer, not by the credit reporting agency . Additionally, under the **Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) **, such unauthorized disputes can be seen as an unfair practice, further damaging my credit. 

These actions have caused significant harm to my credit score, distorted my credit history, and are a clear violation of both the **Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) ** and **Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) **. Equifaxs ongoing manipulation of reporting data, along with retaliatory actions, appears to be an attempt to harm my credit standing unjustly and goes against industry standards like the **Metro 2** format that requires accurate and complete reporting. 

Accounts with these issues even after disputed repeatedly : Credit Collection - account status - open XXXX XXXX XXXX - account status - open XXXX XXXX XXXX - account status - open XXXX XXXX - account status - open - credit utilization percentage went up on an allegedly charged off account XXXX XXXX - account status - open - went from charge off to open account repeatedly These accounts also are reporting CO every month as PAYMENT history, so it reflects on your credit report as EXTREME missed payments and EXTREME charges offs. 

Disputing does fix issues or remove them the credit bureaus allow companies to manipulate data every dispute thats still incorrect. 

Equifax has also blocked me from accessing my credit report again.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief