Consumer complaint received 2025-08-31 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
A formal complaint is being filed against the credit reporting bureaus ( Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion ) regarding the repeated and inaccurate reporting of a charged-off account from XXXX. The credit bureaus are in violation of federal consumer protection laws by re-aging, reopening, and closing this account, reporting an incorrect and inflated balance, and refusing to correct the information after disputes were filed.These violations of consumer protection laws regarding the reporting of charge-off accounts on my credit reports. I have encountered multiple instances where collection agencies have placed charge-off accounts on my consumer report without providing validation information, as required by 12 CFR 1006.34 ( b ) ( 5 ). Despite my requests for validation, the collection agencies have failed to provide this information, yet the charge-offs have been reported on my credit reports, negatively impacting my creditworthiness. Furthermore, I have not been given a fair opportunity to dispute these accounts, as mandated by 12 CFR 1006.34 ( c ) ( 4 ) ( i ). The credit bureaus have failed to provide me with the necessary information and procedures to dispute the inaccuracies on my credit reports, depriving me of my rights under federal consumer protection laws. Additionally, the collection agencies have engaged in deceptive practices by using false, misleading, and misrepresented information to report these charge-off accounts on my credit reports. This behavior violates my consumer rights and undermines the integrity of the credit reporting system. It is evident that the collection agencies have furnished accounts to the credit bureaus without providing the required disclosures, as outlined in 12 CFR 1006.34 ( d ) and 15 USC 1681-S2 ( 7 ) ( A ). This clear violation of federal law has resulted in inaccurate and damaging information being reported on my credit reports, with no opportunity for recourse or correction. 
Detailed Account of the Problem : Re-aging and re-reporting : Since XXXX, the credit bureaus have repeatedly reported, closed, and reopened this charged-off account. The Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) requires that the seven-year reporting period for a charged-off account starts from the date of the first delinquency that led to the charge-off. The practice of repeatedly opening and closing the account is an illegal form of " re-aging '' that unfairly extends the period this negative information remains on a credit file. 
Reporting an incorrect balance : The credit bureaus are reporting a higher charged-off balance than the original amount owed to XXXX. This inaccurate balance reporting violates the FCRA, which requires credit bureaus to ensure the maximum possible accuracy of the information they report. 
Failed dispute resolution : The inaccurate information has been disputed previously with both the credit bureaus and XXXX. In each case, the information was " verified as correct, '' and no corrections were made. The bureaus failed to conduct a reasonable and thorough investigation into the dispute, which violates rights under the FCRA. 
Desired Resolution : Demand a thorough and reasonable investigation into this matter. 
Request that all credit bureaus immediately cease re-aging this charged-off XXXX account. 
Demand that the credit bureaus report the correct, original balance of the charged-off debt. 
Request that the charged-off account be removed completely from the credit report due to the history of inaccurate reporting and the failure to investigate disputes properly. 
Copies of credit reports highlighting the inaccurate entries, as well as any correspondence with the credit bureaus and XXXX regarding this issue, are attached. 
Thank you for your attention to this serious matter. A prompt response and assistance in resolving this issue are expected.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief