Consumer complaint received 2025-01-15 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:
I am submitting this formal complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) regarding ongoing violations of federal privacy laws and improper reporting practices by both XXXX and Equifax. These credit reporting agencies are unlawfully reporting charge-offs and other financial information on my credit report, which constitutes a violation of my rights under the Right to Financial Privacy Act, 12 U.S.C. 3401, as well as other federal consumer protection laws. 

It has come to my attention that XXXX and Equifax have been reporting charge-offs and related financial information that effectively disclose my personal income or financial standing without my explicit consent. Reporting such information is not only inaccurate and misleading, but it also violates my privacy rights. 

Under federal law, consumers have the right to control the dissemination of their personal financial information. The following laws are relevant to this complaint : Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), 15 U.S.C. 1681 ( b ) : The FCRA mandates that credit reporting agencies must ensure the accuracy of the information they report and limits the use of consumer reports to permissible purposes only. I have not provided explicit consent for either XXXX or Equifax to report this personal financial information. 
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), 15 U.S.C. 1692c ( b ) : The FDCPA prohibits the unauthorized disclosure of consumer information to third parties. By reporting my financial information without my consent, both XXXX and Equifax are in violation of this provision.

Consumer Financial Protection Act ( CFPA ), 12 U.S.C. 5531 : The CFPA prohibits unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices ( UDAAPs ) by financial institutions. The unauthorized reporting of my personal financial information falls under unfair and abusive practices.

Right to Financial Privacy Act, 12 U.S.C. 3401 : This law protects consumers from the unauthorized disclosure of personal financial information. The actions of XXXX and Equifax violate this statute by reporting charge-offs that effectively disclose my financial status without my consent.

Details of My Complaint Both XXXX and Equifax have reported charge-offs and other financial data on my credit reports that disclose information about my personal financial standing. These entries are harmful to my credit profile, and I have never provided consent for this information to be collected or shared with third parties. This unauthorized reporting has negatively impacted my ability to obtain credit, employment, and housing. 

I have formally disputed these inaccurate items with both XXXX and Equifax, but they have failed to properly investigate and remove the disputed information. Instead, they continue to report this data, in violation of federal law. 

My Request to the CFPB I am requesting that the CFPB take immediate action to investigate the following violations by XXXX and Equifax : Improper reporting of charge-offs and financial information without consumer consent. 

Failure to conduct proper investigations of disputed items, as required by the FCRA. 
Violation of privacy rights under the Right to Financial Privacy Act. 

Furthermore, I request that the CFPB ensure that both XXXX and Equifax : Permanently remove any unauthorized or inaccurate financial information from my credit reports. 

Cease reporting charge-offs and other financial information that effectively disclose my personal income or financial status without my explicit consent. 

Provide me with a corrected credit report that reflects the removal of all unauthorized items.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief