Consumer complaint received 2026-04-28 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was result of identity theft
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: NJ

Complaint narrative:
First, I want to emphasize that the signature appearing on that contract is not mine. Second, the account from which those alleged payments were made is not mine either. Third, how does a third-party collection agency possess information that is supposedly confidential between the bank and the client? I have been battling an identity theft issue for several years now ; this is not the first time this has happened, and it is a result of banks disclosing personal information to third parties without the owner 's consent. I had already explained to XXXX XXXX that I was not the owner of that account and that it was a case of identity theft. If they are so concerned about this matter, why don't they simply recover the items listed as collateral in the alleged contract they submitted to the CFPB? They are violating my rights, and they are violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act. That account is definitely not mine. According to the information held by the third partywhich was provided by the bank where my personal details were allegedly used without my permissionmy information has been exposed in violation of fair credit laws. First and foremost, that account does not belong to me. I need the CFPB to assist me in getting this company to stop these annoying and frustrating collection attempts. They possess nothing more than a fraudulent invoice ; they do not have my ID or my signature. I simply do not understand why they continue to violate the law with such impunity. Dear Credit Reporting Agency, If the account is reported as a " charge-off '' or " collection, '' why have I not been issued a Form 1099-C? According to the law, when an account is reported as a charge-off, it is understood that it has been reported to the IRS as a loss. Therefore, I have fraudulent accountscontaining erroneous information and conflicting account opening dateslisted on my credit report. I am writing to formally dispute inaccurate information that appears on my credit report. The account listed below is reported as a charge-off Collection however, this account does not belong to me. Account Information : XXXX Account Number : XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Under FCRA 15 USC 1601 , FCRA 609 ( a ), FCRA 15 USC 1692 , FCRA 611, And If they dont delete negative items off my credit report after this notice I will owe you {$1000.00} per item which is 15 USC 1681N which is civil liability I have reviewed my records carefully and can confirm that I have never opened, owned, or been financially responsible for this account. Therefore, the reporting of this account on my credit file is inaccurate and violates the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), which requires credit reporting agencies to report only accurate and verifiable information. I am requesting that you conduct an investigation into this matter and remove this account from my credit report immediately if it can not be verified as belonging to me. Please find enclosed copies of my identification and proof of address to assist with verification. Kindly provide written confirmation once this inaccurate information has been removed. POSTDATA : A data breach at XXXX And Equifax exposed the personal information, including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, of over millions individuals via a third-party application. XXXX has confirmed the breach and is notifying affected individuals by mail, offering two years of free credit monitoring and proactive fraud assistance. Affected individuals should secure their accounts by setting up credit freezes, monitoring credit reports for suspicious activity, and being vigilant against phishing attempts. I am writing to report that I have been a victim of identity theft. I recently discovered that someone has used my personal information without my permission to open fraudulent accounts make unauthorized charges commit other acts Remove this account I take this matter very seriously and appreciate your immediate attention.i was identity theft victim Please contact me by email or regular mail with any questions or updates.. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation