Consumer complaint received 2025-03-25 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: FL

Complaint narrative:
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, FL XXXX XXXX Date : XX/XX/year> DEPT OF EDUCATION/XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX Phone Number ( XXXX ) XXXX Subject : Dispute of Student Loan Account XXXX Due to FERPA Violation Dear DEPT OF EDUCATION/XXXX, I am writing to formally dispute the reporting and validity of my student loan account XXXX listed on my credit report and to request its immediate removal from my credit file, as well as the full forgiveness of the associated debt. I believe this account is being inaccurately maintained and reported due to a violation of my rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ( FERPA ), 20 U.S.C. 1232g, which protects the privacy of my educational records, including financial aid and loan information.

Specifically, I have reason to believe that my personally identifiable information ( PII ), including details related to this student loan, was improperly accessed, disclosed, or mishandled by, the U.S. Department of Education, or a third party such as the Department of Government Efficiency ( DOGE ) without my consent or proper authorization, in violation of FERPA regulations ( 34 CFR Part 99 ). This unauthorized action undermines the integrity of my loan records and constitutes a breach of the privacy protections I am entitled to under federal law.

MY loan data has been compromised, rendering the current reporting of this account on my credit report inaccurate and the loan itself unenforceable. 
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), 15 U.S.C. 1681i, you are required to investigate and correct inaccurate or unverifiable information reported to credit bureaus within 30 days. Furthermore, given the potential FERPA violation, I assert that this breach invalidates the enforceability of the debt, as my educational and financial records were not safeguarded as required by law. I therefore request the following actions : 1. Immediate deletion of this student loan account from my credit reports with Equifax, XXXX, and XXXX. 
2. Full forgiveness of the outstanding balance of {$26000.00}, as the mishandling of my data constitutes a material breach of federal privacy standards.

3. Written confirmation of the investigation results and the actions taken to resolve this matter. 
If you determine that the information reported is accurate despite the FERPA violation, I request a detailed written explanation of your findings, including evidence of proper authorization for any data disclosures related to this loan. Please note that I am also submitting a complaint to the U.S. Department of Educations Family Policy Compliance Office to investigate this potential FERPA violation separately.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this serious matter. I expect a response within 30 days as required by law. Please direct all correspondence to me at the address listed above or via email at XXXX. 
Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief