Consumer complaint received 2025-07-17 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Investigation took more than 30 days
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
To Whom It May Concern, I am submitting this complaint to formally raise serious concerns about multiple inaccuracies on my credit report, including wrong addresses, unauthorized hard inquiries, and erroneous account reporting that violate the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), HIPAA, and other federal consumer protection laws. 
I have attempted to resolve these issues directly with the credit bureaus and furnishers but have received no satisfactory response. These inaccuracies have severely affected my financial life, creditworthiness, and emotional well-being. 
Below is a breakdown of each issue along with applicable laws and the impact on me : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX  XXXX Wrong Address Issue : I have never lived at or been associated with this address. Its presence is false and misleading.

Law : FCRA 1681e ( b ) Credit bureaus must ensure maximum possible accuracy.

Story : This address appeared suddenly on my report during a fraud investigation period. I have never received mail, utility bills, or had residency at this location. Having this listed has caused me to be flagged in background checks and denied an apartment lease. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX  XXXX Wrong Address Issue : This address is outside my state and not connected to any past residence. 
Law : FCRA 611 Consumers have a right to dispute inaccurate items.

Story : I have no personal, business, or family ties to this address. I believe this may be the result of identity confusion or mixed files. My auto insurance rate increased due to this incorrect residency record. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX  XXXX Wrong Address Issue : I never lived here and have no ties to the residence.

Law : FCRA 602 Inaccurate reporting undermines consumer confidence.

Story : This address may belong to someone with a similar name. A landlord ran my credit and flagged me for conflicting addresses, which resulted in rejection from a housing application. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX  XXXX Wrong Address Issue : Out-of-state address, never associated with me. 
Law : FCRA 1681i Must correct inaccurate or incomplete information. 
Story : I was alerted by a fraud monitoring service that accounts were being attempted from this address. This raises red flags and severely threatens my financial reputation. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX  XXXX Wrong Address Issue : Completely unknown and not mine.

Law : FCRA 607 ( b ) Users of consumer reports must ensure data is used fairly and accurately.

Story : This entry resulted in my name being flagged during a federal job application. The recruiter stated address inconsistency as a red flag and paused the process. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX  XXXX Wrong Address Issue : I never lived at this address or authorized its usage. 
Law : FCRA 605 Reporting inaccurate information over 7 years old or irrelevant is unlawful.

Story : I suspect this may be linked to a leasing fraud incident. It caused my credit score to drop after being tied to an account I never opened. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX  XXXX Wrong Address Issue : This address is not connected to me in any way.

Law : FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) Inaccuracies must be reinvestigated.

Story : My account was frozen by a bank because this address matched a flagged individual. This has emotionally and financially damaged me and delayed my student loan disbursement. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Charge Off Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance : {$220.00} Issue : Account charged off without validation or full investigation.

Law : FDCPA 809 ( b ) ; FCRA 623 Story : I disputed this balance because I never received final billing. Despite contacting XXXX XXXX multiple times, they failed to provide itemized charges. I was also dealing with financial hardship and temporary homelessness during this period, which worsened my ability to resolve the issue. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Late Payment Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance : {$340.00} Issue : Reported late during COVID-related hardship protections.

Law : CARES Act 4021 ; FCRA 623 Story : I was enrolled in a temporary forbearance program. XXXX XXXX still reported me late, which is not only unethical but also illegal under CARES guidelines. This impacted my auto loan approval. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX * Charge Off Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance : {$12000.00} Issue : This charge off was added without dispute resolution or explanation. 
Law : FDCPA 807 Prohibits deceptive practices ; FCRA 611 Story : I contacted XXXX XXXX multiple times to dispute this balance. I was a victim of academic fraud where a third party signed me up for courses using my information. XXXX XXXX ignored this context and severely damaged my credit. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX  Late Payment Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance : {$720.00} Issue : Account incorrectly marked late without payment history clarification. 
Law : FCRA 1681s-2 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( B ) Furnishers must report accurately.

Story : I made a deferred payment agreement with the lender. Despite agreement, they reported it as delinquent. This reduced my FICO score right before a job-related background check. 
DEPT OF EDUCATIONXXXX XXXX ( Multiple Dates and Balances ) Late Payments Issue : These are duplicate accounts, many during active deferment periods.

Law : HEA 485B ; FCRA 623 Story : The Department of Education placed me in an income-driven repayment plan and several forbearances. However, they reported me as delinquent, leading to denial of federal housing support. It has also emotionally devastated me, as I worked hard to rebuild my academic career. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX Late Payment Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance : {$17000.00} Issue : Late payment was reported during a formal payment pause. 
Law : FCRA 623 ; Equal Credit Opportunity Act ( ECOA ) Story : I had submitted documents showing hardship and XXXX  confirmed processing. However, they still marked me late. I lost an opportunity to refinance due to this false record. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Collection Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance : {$4900.00} Issue : No debt validation was ever sent.

Law : FDCPA 809 ( b ) ; FCRA 611 Story : I was never contacted about this alleged debt until it showed up on my report. It appears to be related to an old apartment dispute that was resolved. Yet, they placed it in collections without any notice or legal process. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Collection Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance : {$1300.00} Issue : No medical services were received by me for this amount.

Law : HIPAA Privacy Rule ; FDCPA 807 Story : I believe this may have been billed under my name mistakenly during an ER visit that wasn't mine. I never received an invoice or breakdown of services. This is both illegal and traumatizing. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Collection Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance : {$1700.00} Issue : No notice, validation, or original creditor information was provided.

Law : FDCPA 809 ( a ) ; FCRA 611 Story : This account was flagged while I was applying for rental assistance. Ive never received any documentation or communication from this collector. It appears fraudulent. 
XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Charge Off Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance : {$210.00} Issue : Account unknown to me ; possible identity theft.

Law : FCRA 605B Blocking of information resulting from ID theft.

Story : I do not have any credit relationship with this credit union. This may have been opened with stolen personal data. I demand an immediate block of this tradeline. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Charge Off Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Balance : {$1500.00} Issue : Charges were disputed, and service was canceled properly.

Law : FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 2 ) ; FDCPA 807 Story : I contacted XXXX several times disputing overbilling. They sent no final bill and never responded to my dispute. Reporting it as charged off is unfair, inaccurate, and illegal. 
Hard Inquiries ( Unauthorized or Without Permissible Purpose ) XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX Issue : I did not authorize or apply for credit with this company.

Law : FCRA 604 ( a ) ( 3 ) Permissible purpose required for inquiry.

Story : This inquiry is hurting my credit profile. Its possible my data was shared without consent or pulled for marketing. 
XXXX XXXX  XX/XX/XXXX Issue : I never applied for a card or service. 
Law : FCRA 604 Story : This seems to be a preapproval error or identity misuse. It must be removed immediately. 
XXXX XXXX  XX/XX/XXXX Issue : Duplicate or improper inquiry without new credit action.

Law : FCRA 604 Story : This inquiry happened during a time I had no activity with XXXX XXXX. They must produce documentation or remove it.

IMPACT & RELIEF REQUESTED These reporting errors have had a devastating effect on my life : Ive been denied for credit cards, auto loans, housing, and employment. 
Ive suffered emotional distress from seeing my identity misrepresented. 
Ive lost thousands in potential savings due to unfair interest rates and fees. 
I am requesting the CFPB to : XXXX. Open a formal investigation into the credit bureaus and data furnishers. 
XXXX. Demand verification and removal of any unverifiable, inaccurate, or duplicate item. 
XXXX. Enforce FCRA and FDCPA compliance. 
XXXX. Provide me with the results of the investigation.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief