Consumer complaint received 2025-09-14 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: OH

Complaint narrative:
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX, OH XXXX XXXX XXXX Social ( Last XXXX ) : XXXX Date of Birth : XX/XX/XXXX Date : XX/XX/XXXX TransUnion Consumer Solutions XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, PA XXXX Experian XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, TX XXXX Equifax Information Services LLC XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, GA XXXX Re : FAILURE TO RESPOND WITHIN 30 DAYS Identity Theft Dispute Sent XX/XX/XXXX CFPB Complaint Reference : FTC Identity Theft Report No. XXXX To Whom It May Concern : On XX/XX/XXXX, I submitted an identity theft dispute via the CFPB.gov portal to all three credit bureaus, attaching a valid FTC Identity Theft Report ( Report No. XXXX ) and all required supporting documents. 

This dispute explicitly requested the immediate blocking and removal of the following fraudulent inquiries and accounts : - XXXX XXXX TransUnion XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Experian XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Experian on XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and Equifax XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 
As of today, XXXX XXXX  XX/XX/XXXX, none of the three CRAs have provided any results, written findings, or deletions. * * -- - SECTION I FCRA REQUIREMENTS AND NONCOMPLIANCE * * 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) * * Reinvestigation Duties- A CRA must conduct a reasonable reinvestigation to determine whether the disputed information is inaccurate and complete the reinvestigation within 30 days of receiving the dispute. 

* * 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ) * * Deletion of Unverifiable Information - If disputed information is found to be inaccurate or incomplete or can not be verified, the information shall be promptly deleted from the file of the consumer. 

* * 15 U.S.C. 1681c-2 ( FCRA 605B ) * * Blocking of Identity Theft Information - Requires CRAs to block identity theft-related information within * * 4 business days * * after receiving : ( 1 ) proof of identity, ( 2 ) a copy of an identity theft report, and ( 3 ) identification of the fraudulent information.

* * 15 U.S.C. 1681b ( c ) * * Prohibition on Unauthorized Inquiries - A CRA may not furnish a consumer report for any purpose without the consumers consent. 

* * Noncompliance : * * - More than * * 30 days have passed * * since receipt, and no investigation results have been provided. 
- Therefore, under 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ), these items are now legally deemed * * unverified * * and must be * * deleted * *. 
- It is * * too late to update, fix, or cure * * these items because the 30-day deadline has expired. 

-- - SECTION II DIRECT DISPUTES VIA CFPB.GOV * * 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ( a ) ( 8 ) * * and * * 12 C.F.R. 1022.43 * * - Disputes submitted via the CFPB portal constitute * * direct disputes * * under the FCRA and must be investigated with the same force and obligations as disputes sent by mail or online portals. 
- Bureaus can not diminish or delay their obligations because a dispute was submitted via CFPB.gov. 

* * CFPB Circular XXXX * * - Reinforces that CRAs must reasonably investigate consumer disputes and not improperly deem them frivolous. 

-- - SECTION XXXX CASE LAW SUPPORTING REMOVAL - * * XXXX XXXX Trans Union, XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX. XXXX ) : * * CRAs can not merely rely on a furnishers word ; they must conduct an independent and reasonable reinvestigation. 
- * * XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX. XXXX ) : * * Willful failure to follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy violates the FCRA. 
- * * XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Failing to remove inaccurate data after a dispute constitutes actionable harm. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Furnishers must correct information that is materially misleading. 

-- - SECTION IV DEMAND - Because you failed to respond within 30 days, and have provided no reinvestigation results as required by law, these fraudulent inquiries and accounts are now * * time-barred from further verification * *. 
- You are legally obligated to * * delete them in full * * and provide me an updated credit report showing their removal. 
- It is * * too late to attempt to update, fix, or cure these items. * * They must be * * permanently deleted * * from my consumer file. 

-- - SECTION V DEADLINES & PRESERVATION OF RIGHTS - I expect written confirmation of deletion within 15 days of receiving this notice. 
- This notice places you on formal notice of continued FCRA violations. 
- I reserve all rights and remedies, including civil litigation seeking actual, statutory, and punitive damages under * * 15 U.S.C. 1681n and 1681o * * for negligent or willful noncompliance. 

-- - Enclosures : Original Dispute Sent XX/XX/XXXX FTC Identity Theft Report No. XXXX Proof of Identity ( State ID ) and Proof of Address ( Deed ) Paystub ( Last Four Of Social ) Respectfully, XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation