Consumer complaint received 2026-03-07 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Auto debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was result of identity theft
Company: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
b'This complaint is submitted to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau regarding inaccurate credit reporting and identity-theft-related information appearing in my consumer file maintained by Experian Information Solutions, Inc.\n\nExperian Information Solutions, Inc. is reporting a fraudulent automobile loan account furnished by Exeter Finance LLC (Account No. 680681XXXXXXXXXX, opened March 2, 2025, charged off October 2025, $12,681 past due as of January 2026) that resulted from identity theft involving my Social Security number.\n\nThis identity theft is documented in FTC Identity Theft Report No. 197226925 and IRS Form 14039 executed January 22, 2026 and February 22, 2026.\n\nMy consumer file was previously corrupted by an erroneous federal deceased indicator in my record maintained by the Social Security Administration. The Social Security Administration formally corrected this error on December 26, 2025 through official Beneficiary Confirmation Notice BNC No. 25D1311H94088.\n\nThe misuse of my Social Security number while my SSA record was incorrectly coded as deceased was also reported to the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, which investigates fraud involving Social Security records and identity misuse affecting federal databases.\n\nDespite this authoritative federal correction, Experian failed to reconcile its records with the corrected federal identity information and continued reporting inaccurate and fraudulent information, as confirmed by my Experian consumer report generated March 2, 2026, which I am attaching as supporting evidence.\n\nOn February 14, 2026, I submitted a dispute to Experian identifying the fraudulent Exeter Finance account and providing:\n\nFTC Identity Theft Report\n\nProof of identity\nDocumentation confirming the SSA correction\n\nDelivery of this dispute was confirmed by USPS Certified Mail at 2:38 PM in Allen, Texas (Tracking No. 9505511778136042379977).\nInstead of complying with the requirements of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, specifically 15 U.S.C. 1681c-2, which requires a consumer reporting agency to block identity-theft-related information within four business days after receiving a valid Identity Theft Report, Experian issued a boilerplate denial on February 23, 2026 falsely accusing me of material misrepresentation and incorrectly asserting that an IdentityTheft.gov FTC report does not qualify as a law-enforcement report under 15 U.S.C. 1681a(q). This statement is legally incorrect.\n\nI then sent a sworn supplemental dispute packet by certified mail on February 22, 2026 (Certified Mail No. 9589 0710 5270 3569 0244 84) containing:\n\na 25-page notarized affidavit FTC Identity Theft Report No. 197226925\nIRS Form 14039\nSSA Correction Notice BNC No. 25D1311H94088\na copy of my U.S. passport\nproof of current address\n\nDespite receiving this documentation, Experian continued reporting the fraudulent Exeter Finance account.\n\nThe comment appearing on my March 2, 2026 Experian credit report stating:\nCompleted investigation of FCRA dispute consumer disagrees\nindicates that Experian relied primarily on automated e-OSCAR furnisher verification rather than conducting a genuine reinvestigation of the extensive evidence I provided.\n\nUpon information and belief, Experian transmitted my dispute to Exeter Finance LLC through the automated e-OSCAR dispute system, thereby triggering Exeter Finance LLCs duty under 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2(b) to conduct a reasonable investigation and review all relevant information provided by the consumer reporting agency.\n\nMy March 2, 2026 Experian credit report further reveals that Experian is simultaneously reporting six separate Department of Education / NELN tradelines sharing the same account number prefix (900000XXXXXXXXX) with overlapping delinquency grids showing payment statuses of 90, 120, 150, and 180 days past due across multiple tradelines.\n\nThis reporting structure strongly indicates duplication, fragmentation, or misattribution of the same underlying loan obligation and requires independent verification under 15 U.S.C. 1681i and 1681e(b).\n\nThe report also contains a material internal contradiction.\n\nThe account summary reports:\nTotal Debt: $0\nOpen Accounts: 0\nwhile simultaneously reporting:\na charged-off automobile loan\n\n$12,681 past due\n\nsevere delinquency indicators.\nThese inconsistencies indicate corrupted or improperly reconciled consumer file data.\n\nAdditionally, the presence of corrupted file header data, including an erroneous name entry appearing in my file, together with:\n\nfragmented Department of Education tradelines\nthe fraudulent Exeter Finance tradeline\ninconsistent account summary data\nstrongly suggests that Experians automated identity-matching system improperly merged or split my consumer file, creating a mixed or split consumer file condition.\n\nThe contradictory account summaries and fragmented tradelines appearing in my Experian report are consistent with what investigators commonly identify as a split consumer file, which can occur when identity-matching systems improperly rebuild a consumer record following correction of a federal death-record indicator.\n\nSuch conditions may also indicate that Experian temporarily maintained two identity headers associated with the same Social Security number during the period in which my SSA death-record indicator was corrected. When multiple identity headers exist simultaneously within a credit bureau database, conflicting tradeline and identity data may be drawn from separate internal records, resulting in inaccurate or corrupted consumer reports.\n\nThe pattern of duplicated tradelines, contradictory account summaries, and identity-header corruption strongly suggests a systemic failure in Experians identity-matching and data reconciliation systems rather than an isolated reporting error.\n\nExperians continued reporting of contradictory data demonstrates a failure to maintain reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy as required under 15 U.S.C. 1681e(b).\n\nThese inaccuracies are being disseminated to third parties and have materially damaged my credit profile.\n\nAs of March 2, 2026, my FICO Score 8 is reported as 551, with seven accounts flagged for serious delinquency and zero accounts currently paid as agreed.\n\nEach time my Experian file is accessed, the inaccurate information continues to be disseminated to third parties, causing ongoing financial and reputational harm.\n\nThe continued reporting of this inaccurate information is causing ongoing financial harm to my household and is preventing me from obtaining credit, housing, and essential financial services needed to support my family, which includes a disabled minor child.\n\nThe inaccurate reporting of the fraudulent automobile loan has also impaired my ability to obtain reliable transportation financing. As a result, my household has experienced transportation instability that directly affects my disabled minor childs ability to attend school, access medical appointments, and receive necessary services.\n\nNotably, my Experian file carried an active fraud victim alert since January 7, 2025, weeks before the fraudulent Exeter Finance account was opened on March 2, 2025.\n\nThis raises serious concerns regarding whether Experian maintained reasonable procedures under 15 U.S.C. 1681c-1 for files carrying active fraud alerts.\n\nUSPS tracking records confirm that the certified mailing containing my supplemental dispute and identity theft documentation (Tracking No. 9589071052703569024484) was delivered to Experians consumer dispute facility in Allen, Texas (ZIP Code 75013) and was picked up by Experian personnel at 2:04 PM on March 3, 2026.\n\nUSPS tracking records further confirm that a separate certified mailing providing direct written notice of the identity theft and disputed automobile loan account to Exeter Finance LLC (Tracking No. 9589071052701953610138) was delivered to the companys mail room in Irving, Texas (ZIP Code 75063) at 12:25 PM on March 4, 2026.\n\nThese delivery confirmations establish that both Experian and Exeter Finance LLC received written notice of the identity theft and disputed account together with supporting documentation, thereby triggering their respective duties under the Fair Credit Reporting Act to investigate, correct, or block inaccurate information.\n\nUnder 15 U.S.C. 1681i, Experian was required to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation of the disputed information within thirty days of receiving my dispute and supporting documentation.\n\nThe Fair Credit Reporting Act further requires a consumer reporting agency to provide written notice of the results of a reinvestigation and the procedures used to determine the accuracy of disputed information.\n\nMy Experian consumer report further confirms that an Identity Theft Victim Alert was active on my credit file beginning January 7, 2025 stating that fraudulent applications may be submitted in my name and instructing creditors not to extend credit without first contacting me personally to verify application information. This alert was active before the fraudulent automobile loan account furnished by Exeter Finance LLC was opened on March 2, 2025. The existence of this alert demonstrates that any creditor accessing my consumer report was on notice of potential identity theft and was required to take additional steps to verify my identity before extending credit.\n\nUpon information and belief, Experian has furnished consumer reports containing this inaccurate information to third parties during the period in which the disputed information remained in my consumer file.\n\nBecause the documentation described above establishes that the disputed account resulted from identity theft and that my federal identity record has already been corrected, Experian must immediately correct my consumer file, eliminate any mixed or split consumer file condition, and remove the inaccurate tradelines and corrupted identity header data described above.\n\nMoreover, the disputed information arises from identity theft involving misuse of my Social Security number during a period in which my federal record was incorrectly coded as deceased, and because the evidence described above indicates the presence of duplicated tradelines, contradictory account summaries, and a potential mixed or split consumer file condition, this complaint raises serious concerns regarding the accuracy and integrity of the consumer reporting systems maintained by Experian Information Solutions, Inc..\n\nThe Fair Credit Reporting Act requires consumer reporting agencies to follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy of the information contained in consumer reports and to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation when disputed information is brought to their attention. Courts have repeatedly recognized that the failure of a consumer reporting agency to properly investigate identity-theft-related disputes or to correct mixed or merged consumer files may constitute a willful or negligent violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.\n\nFor example, courts have held that consumer reporting agencies may be liable when they rely solely on automated dispute verification systems rather than conducting a meaningful reinvestigation of documentary evidence provided by a consumer. See Cushman v. Trans Union Corp., 115 F.3d 220 (3d Cir. 1997) (holding that a consumer reporting agency must go beyond merely parroting information received from furnishers when a consumer presents evidence disputing the accuracy of information). Similarly, courts have recognized liability where a credit reporting agency maintains a mixed or merged consumer file that results in inaccurate reporting. See Guimond v. Trans Union Credit Information Co., 45 F.3d 1329 (9th Cir. 1995).\n\nThe Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has supervisory and enforcement authority over consumer reporting agencies under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Consumer Financial Protection Act. The circumstances described in this complaintincluding identity theft involving a Social Security number, the correction of a federal death-record indicator, the presence of potential mixed or split consumer file conditions, and the continued reporting of inaccurate information after documented disputesraise concerns regarding whether the procedures used by Experian to match identity data, reconcile federal identity corrections, and conduct reinvestigations comply with the requirements of 15 U.S.C. 1681c-2, 1681i, and 1681e(b).\n\nBecause these issues may reflect broader data-integrity risks affecting multiple consumers rather than an isolated reporting error, I respectfully request that this complaint be reviewed not only as an individual dispute but also as a potential consumer reporting system integrity issue requiring supervisory attention.\n\nI further request that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ensure that Experian immediately correct my consumer file, eliminate any mixed or split consumer file condition associated with my Social Security number, remove the fraudulent Exeter Finance LLC tradeline, and ensure that my consumer report accurately reflects the corrected federal identity record maintained by the Social Security Administration.\n\nThe circumstances described above also raise concerns regarding a rare but serious data-integrity condition sometimes identified in consumer reporting investigations as a deceased but credit-active consumer record. This condition may occur when a consumer reporting agencys identity-matching systems fail to properly reconcile corrections to a federal death-record indicator associated with a Social Security number. When this occurs, a credit bureau database may temporarily maintain separate identity headers or profile segments for the same Social Security numberone reflecting a deceased indicator and another continuing to accumulate active credit tradelines.\n\nThe presence in my Experian report of contradictory account summaries, duplicated or fragmented tradelines, corrupted identity header data, and active tradeline reporting following the correction of my federal death-record indicator strongly suggests that Experians database may have temporarily maintained multiple identity records associated with the same Social Security number. When such conditions occur, credit information can be incorrectly attributed between internal consumer file segments, resulting in inaccurate credit reporting and identity-theft-related tradelines being attached to the wrong consumer profile.\n\nFederal courts have recognized that consumer reporting agencies may violate the Fair Credit Reporting Act when they maintain mixed or merged consumer files or otherwise fail to reconcile identity data within their systems. See Guimond v. Trans Union Credit Information Co., 45 F.3d 1329 (9th Cir. 1995); see also Cushman v. Trans Union Corp., 115 F.3d 220 (3d Cir. 1997). These authorities emphasize that consumer reporting agencies must maintain procedures reasonably designed to assure maximum possible accuracy of consumer reports under 15 U.S.C. 1681e(b) and must conduct meaningful reinvestigations of disputed information under 15 U.S.C. 1681i.\n\nIn light of the corrected federal identity record issued by the Social Security Administration, the documented identity-theft reports, the evidence of potential mixed or split consumer file conditions, and the continued reporting of inaccurate tradelines associated with my Social Security number, the reporting described in this complaint demonstrates a potential failure of Experians identity-matching and data-reconciliation procedures. Because these issues may reflect systemic consumer-reporting data-integrity risks rather than an isolated reporting error, I respectfully request that this complaint be reviewed for supervisory and enforcement consideration.\n\nThis complaint is submitted by Finequa Mahone and concerns the integrity of the consumer reporting file maintained by Experian Information Solutions, Inc. in connection with the identity-theft-related tradeline furnished by Exeter Finance LLC.\n\nIn light of the documentation providedincluding the FTC Identity Theft Report, IRS Form 14039 identity-theft affidavit, the Social Security Administrations correction of the erroneous death-record indicator, and certified written disputes delivered to Experian and Exeter Finance LLCthe continued reporting of the disputed tradeline raises serious concerns that the violations described herein may constitute willful noncompliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act within the meaning of 15 U.S.C. 1681n, including conduct undertaken with knowledge of, or reckless disregard for, the statutory duties imposed by 15 U.S.C. 1681c-2, 1681i, and 1681e(b).\n\nUpon information and belief, Experian has furnished consumer reports containing this inaccurate information to third parties during the period in which the disputed information remained in my consumer file.\n\nBecause the issues described above involve documented identity theft, correction of a federal death-record indicator issued by the Social Security Administration, and continued reporting of disputed information after written notice, I request that Experian Information Solutions, Inc. and Exeter Finance LLC preserve all records, account documentation, dispute communications, system logs, and internal investigation materials related to this matter, including records generated through the e-OSCAR dispute system, pending resolution of this complaint.\n\nFuthermore, because the disputed automobile loan account appears to have been opened without my authorization and during a period when my Social Security Administration record was incorrectly coded as deceased, the furnishing and reporting of this account also raises serious concerns regarding whether Exeter Finance LLC had a lawful permissible purpose to obtain and use my consumer report. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, including 15 U.S.C. 1681b, a creditor may obtain a consumer report only in connection with a legitimate credit transaction initiated by the consumer or otherwise authorized by law. If my consumer report was obtained or used without my authorization or without a legitimate credit transaction initiated by me, such conduct may constitute an impermissible access to consumer reporting information and potential identity-theft-related credit fraud. I therefore requested that Exeter Finance LLC provide documentation demonstrating the permissible purpose used to obtain my consumer report and evidence that I personally authorized the alleged credit transaction.\n\nThe documentation provided by Exeter Finance LLC further indicates that the vehicle associated with the disputed account was repossessed and sold and that a deficiency balance was calculated following the repossession process. The continued reporting of a charged-off balance and deficiency associated with a loan account opened through identity theft has further damaged my credit profile and demonstrates the ongoing harm caused by the inaccurate reporting of this fraudulent account. \n\n\nI respectfully request that the inaccurate information described above be corrected immediately and that my consumer file be restored to an accurate status consistent with the corrected identity record maintained by the Social Security Administration.'

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation