Consumer complaint received 2024-01-02 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: GA

Complaint narrative:
Dear Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( 15 USC 1681, Section 602a ), it is emphasized that consumer reporting agencies, such as Equifax, XXXX, and XXXX must carry out their responsibilities with fairness, impartiality, and respect for the consumer 's right to privacy. As a consumer, I am entitled to ensure the protection of my private information, as supported by 15 USC 6801, which states It is the policy of the Congress that each financial institution has an affirmative and continuing obligation to respect the privacy of its customers and to protect the security and confidentiality of those customers nonpublic personal information. '' The entity providing information to credit agencies, commonly known as the 'Furnisher of information, ' qualifies as a financial institution under this title. According to 15 USC 1681, Section 604 a ( 2 ), a consumer reporting agency may only furnish a consumer report in accordance with the written instructions of the relevant consumer. In this case, both the financial institution ( Furnisher of information ) and the consumer reporting agencies, Equifax, XXXX, and XXXX lack my consent and, specifically, my written consent to furnish this information. 

Referring to 15 USC 6802 ( b ) ( c ), which states that A financial institution may not disclose nonpublic personal information to a nonaffiliated third party unless the consumer is given an explanation of how the consumer can exercise that nondisclosure option. Unfortunately, the furnisher of information did not inform me of my right to exercise this option.

Furthermore, 15 USC 1681C ( a ) ( 5 ) explicitly states Except as authorized under subsection ( b ), no consumer reporting agency may make any consumer report containing any of the following items of information : Any other adverse item of information, other than records of convictions of crimes which antedates the report by more than seven years. Therefore, reporting this adverse item without my permission is a violation of the law.

According to 15 U.S. Code 1681s2 ( A ) ( 1 ) A, A person shall not furnish any information relating to a consumer to any consumer reporting agency if the person knows or has reasonable cause to believe that the information is inaccurate. Additionally, 15 U.S. Code 1681e mandates that every consumer reporting agency must maintain reasonable procedures to avoid violations of section 1681c and limit the furnishing of consumer reports to the purposes listed under section 1681b. 

Equifax, XXXX, and XXXX appear to be failing in maintaining these reasonable procedures. Furthermore, as per 12 CFR 1016.7, Equifax, XXXX and XXXX have failed to comply with all the laws mentioned above. 

I, the consumer, am rescinding any previous authorization given to XXXX XXXX, whether it was written, unwritten, verbal, or nonverbal, to report ANY of my transaction history to ANY credit bureau. Not only am I opting out of all or any authorization, but I am also requesting that XXXX XXXX cease and desist immediately from all illegal activities. 

Finally, the CFPB is required to contact the consumer reporting agencies to update my consumer credit profile accordingly, specially for any transactions that XXXX XXXX has reported or any other transaction history or experiences I have with XXXX XXXX please have them fix these violations by deleting these transactions from my consumer report. 

Best regards,

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief