Consumer complaint received 2025-04-05 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: MD

Complaint narrative:
XXXX XXXX XXXX of XXXX U.S. Department of Education XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, MO XXXX Re : Unauthorized Disclosure of Personally Identifiable Information and Demand for Immediate Forgiveness of Federal Student Loans Dear Secretary XXXX and XXXX XXXX : I. Introduction I am XXXX XXXX, a federal student loan borrower whose rights under federal and state laws have been egregiously violated due to unauthorized access and disclosure of their personally identifiable information ( PII ) by the U.S. Department of Education ( the " Department '' ) and the XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( " XXXX '' ). Despite prior complaints and requests for resolution, these violations persist, necessitating immediate legal action. 

II. Factual Background In XXXX, it came to my attention that the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  ( " XXXX '' ), an unofficial government entity led by XXXX XXXX, to access sensitive student loan information without obtaining my client 's explicit consent. This unauthorized access included, but was not limited to, Social Security numbers, addresses, phone numbers, and financial records. Such actions have been widely reported and are currently the subject of multiple lawsuits and public scrutiny. 
I am writing this letter as my second formal attempt within the past 60 days to address and rectify the unauthorized disclosure of my personally identifiable information ( PII ) and breach of my educational and consumer rights by the XXXX Department of Education ( the " Department '' ) and XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ). 

Previously, I reported that the Department improperly allowed the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  ), an unofficial governmental XXXX XXXX, unauthorized access to my sensitive student loan information, including my Social Security number, residential addresses, phone numbers, and financial details, without my explicit consent. This unauthorized disclosure directly violated multiple federal statutes and protections. In response, XXXX deferred my client 's loans but failed to take substantive action to resolve the matter or provide assurances against further unauthorized disclosures. 

Upon receiving my initial complaint, XXXX acknowledged the seriousness of my claims by placing my student loans into forbearance and subsequently proposed XX/XX/XXXX, as the new payment date. However, neither XXXX nor the Department provided the necessary resolution of complete forgiveness, nor rectified the unauthorized access to my PII. 

Given the substantial violations committed, I assert that my contractual obligations regarding these federal student loans are null and void. Specifically, the unauthorized and unlawful disclosure of my personal and financial information by the Department and XXXX constitutes a material breach of contract, negating my legal responsibility to repay these loans. 

III. Legal Violations The unauthorized access and disclosure of my client 's PII constitute clear violations of multiple federal and state statutes, including : Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ( FERPA ), 20 U.S.C. 1232g ; 34 CFR Part 99 : FERPA mandates that educational agencies and institutions protect the privacy of student education records and prohibits the non-consensual disclosure of PII. The Department 's actions directly contravene these provisions. 

Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a : This Act restricts federal agencies from disclosing records containing PII without the individual 's consent, subject to specific exceptions. The unauthorized sharing of my client 's data with DOGE violates this statute.

Higher Education Act ( HEA ) of 1965, 20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq. : The HEA requires institutions to implement safeguards to protect student information. The Department 's failure to prevent unauthorized access breaches this obligation.

Federal Trade Commission Act ( FTC Act ), 15 U.S.C. 45 ( a ) : Prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce. The mishandling of sensitive borrower information constitutes an unfair practice under this Act.

Maryland Personal Information Protection Act ( PIPA ), Md. Code Ann., Com. Law 14-3501 et seq. : Requires businesses that collect personal information of Maryland residents to implement reasonable security procedures and notify individuals of data breaches. The failure to secure my client 's data and provide timely notification violates this statute. 

IV. Harm Suffered As a direct result of these violations, my client has suffered significant harm, including : Invasion of Privacy : Unauthorized access to and dissemination of sensitive personal and financial information.

Emotional Distress : Anxiety and distress stemming from the knowledge that their personal information has been compromised.

Risk of Identity Theft : Increased susceptibility to identity theft and financial fraud due to the exposure of PII. 

V. Demand for Relief In light of the foregoing, I hereby demand the following actions : Immediate Forgiveness of All Federal Student Loans : Given the Department 's breach of fiduciary duty and violation of statutory obligations, my client is entitled to full discharge of their federal student loan obligations. 

Cessation of Unauthorized Data Sharing : The Department and XXXX must immediately cease any unauthorized sharing of borrower information and implement robust safeguards to prevent future breaches. 

Formal Apology and Corrective Measures : A written apology to my client, outlining the steps taken to rectify the breach and prevent recurrence. 

Compensation for Damages : Appropriate compensation for the emotional distress and potential financial harm suffered as a result of these violations. 

VI. Conclusion The Department 's and XXXX 's actions represent a blatant disregard for federal and state laws designed to protect student borrowers. If the aforementioned demands are not met within thirty ( 30 ) days of receipt of this letter, I will have no choice but to pursue all available legal remedies, including filing a lawsuit to seek full relief on behalf of my client. 

Please direct all correspondence and responses to my attention at the address provided above. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief