Consumer complaint received 2025-12-26 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report — Information belongs to someone else
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: LA

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this statement to explain what happened regarding XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, and why the issue remains unresolved despite their claim that they would cease collection activity. Although XXXX XXXX indicated that it would stop collecting on the account, the core issueinaccurate and unauthorized credit reporting of an account I do not ownwas never resolved. Because of this, I am attempting to create a new case to request deletion of the account from my credit reports, but I am unable to do so as the system continues to mark my case as a duplicate. This situation has left me without a proper avenue to fully resolve the dispute, despite my compliance with all legal requirements, including filing an FTC Identity Theft Report.

1. Timeline of Events On XX/XX/year>, I filed a formal dispute and complaint regarding an alleged account being reported and collected by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I disputed the account on the grounds that I do not own this account and that it is the result of identity theft or erroneous attribution. 

As part of my dispute, I informed XXXX XXXX that : The account does not belong to me I never authorized, opened, or benefited from the alleged debt I requested validation and proof of ownership I requested correction or deletion of any credit reporting related to the account After receiving my complaint, XXXX XXXX responded by stating that they would cease all collection activity. While this may appear responsive on its face, ceasing collection alone does not resolve the dispute and does not satisfy their obligations under federal law.

2. Ceasing Collection Is Not Full Resolution XXXX XXXX  decision to stop collection activity does not resolve the issue because : The account continues to appear on my credit reports The account is still being furnished as a derogatory item The reporting continues to harm my credit score and financial standing No deletion request was submitted to the credit bureaus No validation proving I own the account was provided Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), ceasing collection is only one part of compliance. When an account is disputed as not belonging to the consumer, especially where identity theft is alleged, the furnisher and collector must also ensure that inaccurate credit reporting is corrected or removed.

Simply stopping phone calls or letters while allowing false data to remain on a credit report is not a lawful or complete resolution.

3. I Filed an FTC Identity Theft Report Because I do not own this account, I filed an FTC Identity Theft Report, which is a legally recognized document under federal law. Once an FTC identity theft report is filed : The account must be treated as fraudulent unless proven otherwise Collection activity must stop Credit reporting must be blocked or removed The burden of proof shifts to the furnisher or collector Continued reporting without proof constitutes willful noncompliance XXXX XXXX did not address or acknowledge the FTC Identity Theft Report in a meaningful way. There was no explanation of how they verified ownership, no documentation proving the account belonged to me, and no steps taken to delete the account from my credit reports.

4. Continued Credit Reporting Is the Core Harm The primary harm I am experiencing is ongoing derogatory credit reporting for an account that is not mine. This reporting : Negatively affects my credit score Impacts my ability to obtain credit, housing, and employment Misrepresents my financial history Violates the FCRAs requirement for maximum possible accuracy XXXX XXXX agreement to cease collection does nothing to correct this harm. The account remains visible to lenders and continues to be treated as valid, despite the lack of proof and the presence of an identity theft report.

5. Inability to File a New Case or Rebuttal After XXXX XXXX stated they would cease collection, I attempted to create a new case or follow-up complaint to request deletion of the account from my credit reports. However, each attempt has been blocked or marked as a duplicate, preventing me from fully asserting my rights. 

This procedural barrier effectively denies me due process. My request for deletion is not the same issue as my initial dispute about collection activity. The fact that collection has ceased does not resolve the inaccurate reporting. Therefore, blocking my ability to file a new case prevents me from obtaining a complete resolution.

6. Failure to Provide Validation or Proof of Ownership XXXX XXXX has never provided : A signed contract An application bearing my authorization Proof of identity verification at account opening A complete chain of assignment Documentation linking me to the alleged debt Without such proof, XXXX XXXX has no lawful basis to : Report the account Continue furnishing data to credit bureaus Allow the account to remain on my credit file Under FCRA 611 and FDCPA 809, unverifiable accounts must be deleted. Ceasing collection without correcting reporting does not meet these standards.

7. Legal Obligations Under FCRA and FDCPA Federal law is clear : FCRA 602 & 607 require accuracy and fairness in reporting FCRA 611 requires deletion of unverifiable information FCRA 605B requires blocking of identity-theft-related information FDCPA 809 ( b ) requires cessation of collection until validation is provided XXXX XXXX  actions partially addressed FDCPA concerns by ceasing collection, but they failed entirely to meet their FCRA obligations regarding credit reporting.

8. Why Deletion Is the Only Appropriate Resolution Because : I do not own the account Identity theft has been reported No validation has been provided Collection was ceased without proof Credit reporting continues I am blocked from filing a new case The only lawful and fair resolution is complete deletion of the XXXX XXXX account from all credit bureaus. 

Updating, suppressing, or marking the account as disputed is not sufficient. The account must be removed entirely to prevent further harm.

9. Ongoing Harm and Risk of Reinsertion Without deletion : The account may be sold or reassigned The account may reappear after cease collection Another collector may begin reporting The cycle of disputes may repeat Deletion ensures finality and prevents reinsertion without certification, as required under FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 5 ) ( B ).

10. What I Am Requesting Now I am requesting the following : Formal acknowledgment that this issue is unresolved Recognition that I am attempting to file a new case, not a duplicate Deletion of the XXXX XXXX account from all credit reports Written confirmation that deletion has been sent to all bureaus Assurance that the account will not be reinserted Confirmation that my FTC Identity Theft Report has been honored 11. Why CFPB Oversight Is Necessary Because I am unable to submit a new case or rebuttal through normal channels, CFPB oversight is required to ensure : My rights are protected XXXX XXXX complies with federal law The inaccurate reporting is corrected Procedural barriers do not prevent resolution Conclusion In summary, I filed a case with XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/year> disputing an account I do not own. XXXX XXXX stated they would cease collection, but the issue remains unresolved because the account continues to appear on my credit reports. I filed an FTC Identity Theft Report, yet no deletion occurred. I am now unable to create a new case to request deletion due to duplicate-case restrictions, leaving me without an effective remedy. 

Ceasing collection is not sufficient. Federal law requires deletion of unverifiable and identity-theft-related accounts. Until the account is removed from my credit reports, the harm continues. 

I am requesting full corrective action, deletion of the account, and confirmation that this matter is resolved in compliance with the law.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation