Consumer complaint received 2024-11-30 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: CA

Complaint narrative:
Dear CFPB, I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to formally request an investigation into the procedures employed by the major credit reporting agenciesTransUnion, Equifax, and Experianregarding the accuracy of information reported on my credit file. I am concerned about certain inaccuracies that I have identified and the subsequent failure of these agencies to provide adequate responses and documentation, which I believe constitutes a violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ). 

Background Recently, I submitted complaints to XXXX, Equifax, and XXXX regarding incorrect information reported on my credit reports. Despite my efforts to address these inaccuracies, I have not received satisfactory responses or valid proof of the claims made by these agencies. Most importantly, I have repeatedly requested to review the " Procedures of Accuracy '' that these agencies claim to use to verify the information in my reports. Thus far, I have not received any meaningful information or documentation in response to my requests. 

Violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) The FCRA outlines specific responsibilities for credit reporting agencies, including the requirement to ensure maximum possible accuracy of the information they report. Below are specific violations of the FCRA that I believe warrant your investigation : 1. Section 607 ( b ) - Reasonable Procedures : Credit reporting agencies are required to follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy of the information they report. I have doubts that XXXX, Equifax, and XXXX have adhered to this requirement in my case, as the inaccuracies I reported have not been corrected nor explained. 

2. Section 611 - Procedure in Case of Disputed Accuracy : Upon receiving my dispute, these agencies are mandated to conduct a reasonable investigation of my claims within 30 days. I submitted my dispute to all three agencies, but they have failed to provide the required investigation results or documentation supporting the accuracy of the reported information. Their lack of response is a clear violation of this section. 

XXXX. Failure to Validate Debts : When I identified the inaccuracies, I requested that the agencies provide validation of the debts and the procedures they used to verify the informations accuracy. Under the FCRA, they are obligated to provide this information and their failure to do so represents another violation of my consumer rights. 

4. Section 623 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) - Duty of Furnishers of Information : Any entity that provides information to consumer reporting agencies must ensure the accuracy of that information. If the information provided is found to be inaccurate, the furnishers have a duty to correct it. I am concerned that the agencies are not holding these furnishers accountable for the inaccurate reporting.

5. Lack of Adequate Consumer Responses : The agencies have not provided timely or useful responses to my inquiries, which I believe underlines a broader failure to protect consumer rights as mandated by the FCRA. 

Request for Action Given the collective issues I have faced, I respectfully ask the CFPB to conduct a thorough investigation into the practices of XXXX, Equifax, and XXXX regarding how they handle inaccuracies and disputes. Furthermore, I urge your office to compel these agencies to provide their " Procedures of Accuracy '' and ensure they are compliant with the FCRA requirements.

As a consumer, I have the right to accurate credit reporting, and the current situation jeopardizes my financial health and fundamental rights. I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your timely response. 
I am writing to formally submit a complaint against XXXX, Equifax, and XXXX for multiple violations of federal laws governing credit reporting and consumer privacy. Specifically, I believe these credit reporting agencies have violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), 15 U.S.C. 1681a ( i ) and 1681i, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act ( GLBA ), 15 U.S.C. 6801-6805, the Fair Credit Billing Act ( FCBA ), 15 U.S.C. 1666b, and the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a. 

1. Violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) : The FCRA mandates that credit reporting agencies maintain accurate and complete information in consumer reports. Section 15 U.S.C. 1681i places a requirement on these agencies to conduct a reasonable investigation when a dispute is raised by a consumer. Despite my numerous attempts to dispute inaccurate information on my credit reports, I have received no effective responses or resolutions. The inaccurate entries include : - [ Specify inaccuracies e.g., incorrect account balances, erroneous public records, etc. ] - [ Provide details on unauthorized inquiries dated, as applicable ] These inaccuracies jeopardize the integrity of my credit report and have impacted my creditworthiness adversely. 

2. Violations of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act ( GLBA ) : The GLBA, specifically 15 U.S.C. 6801-6805, mandates that financial institutions protect consumer privacy. I have discovered unauthorized inquiries on my credit report for which I did not provide consent. This represents a clear violation of my right to control access to my personal financial information.

3. Violations of the Fair Credit Billing Act ( FCBA ) : I believe the actions of these credit bureaus also infringe upon my rights under 15 U.S.C. 1666b, as they have failed to provide proper procedures for disputing billing errors. My written requests and disputes have gone unanswered, violating my rights under this act.

4. Violations of the Privacy Act of 1974 : Under the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a, I have the right to know what personal information is being collected about me and to whom it is being disclosed. I have been unsuccessful in obtaining this information, especially concerning unauthorized inquiries. 

5. Section 1681a ( 2 ) ( I ) : Section 15 U.S.C. 1681a ( 2 ) ( I ) concerns the transactions and experiences commonly used in credit reports. The inaccuracies reported suggest a failure in this area, further undermining my trust in the credit reporting process. 

I expect these agencies to adhere strictly to the provisions of the FCRA and other relevant laws, ensuring they provide accurate, complete, and timely information to consumers. I ask the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to investigate these matters thoroughly and hold these credit bureaus accountable for their actions. 

Thank you for your attention to this significant issue. I look forward to your prompt action in resolving my complaints and restoring the accuracy and integrity of my credit reports. 


XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Equifax XXXX XXXX Equifax Account # XXXX XXXX XXXX High Balance {$400.00} {$400.00} {$0.00} Last Verified XX/XX/XXXX -- -- Date of Last Activity XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Date Reported XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Date Opened XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Balance Owed {$0.00} {$0.00} {$0.00} Closed Date -- -- -- Account Rating Open Open Open Account Description Individual Individual Individual Dispute Status Account not disputed Account not disputed Account not disputed Creditor Type Furniture and Home/Office Funishings Stores Complete Department Stores - Clothing Complete Department Stores - Clothing Account Status Open Open Open Payment Status Current Current Current Creditor Remarks -- -- Charge Amount in H/C column is credit limit Original Creditor -- -- -- Payment Amount {$0.00} {$0.00} {$0.00} Last Payment XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Term Length -- -- -- Past Due Amount {$0.00} {$0.00} {$0.00} Account Type Charge account Charge account Charge account Payment Frequency Credit Limit {$540.00} {$540.00} {$540.00} DISCOVERBANK Filters XXXX XXXX Equifax XXXX XXXX Equifax Account XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX {$7800.00} {$0.00} {$7800.00} Last Verified XX/XX/XXXX -- -- Date of Last Activity XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Date Reported XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Date Opened XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Balance Owed {$7800.00} {$7800.00} {$7800.00} Closed Date XX/XX/XXXX -- -- Account Rating Derogatory Derogatory Derogatory Account Description Individual Individual Individual Dispute Status Account not disputed Account not disputed Account not disputed Creditor Type Bank Credit Cards Bank Credit Cards All Banks Account Status Closed Closed Closed Payment Status Collection/Chargeoff Collection/Chargeoff Collection/Chargeoff Creditor Remarks Charged off as bad debt Dispute resolved ; reported by grantor Account was in dispute - now resolved - reported by subscriber. 
Unpaid balance reported as a loss by the credit grantor. 
Charged off account Credit card Original Creditor -- -- -- Payment Amount {$0.00} {$0.00} {$0.00} Last Payment XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Term Length -- -- -- Past Due Amount {$7800.00} {$7800.00} {$7800.00} Account Type Credit Card Credit Card Credit Card XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX {$6600.00} {$6600.00} {$0.00} XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Equifax XXXX XXXX Equifax Account # XXXX XXXX XXXX High Balance {$15000.00} {$15000.00} {$16000.00} Last Verified XX/XX/XXXX -- -- Date of Last Activity XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Date Reported XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Date Opened XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Balance Owed {$16000.00} {$16000.00} {$16000.00} Closed Date -- -- -- Account Rating Derogatory Derogatory Derogatory Account Description Individual Individual Individual Dispute Status Account not disputed Account not disputed Account disputed Creditor Type Installment Loans Installment Loans All Banks Account Status Open Closed Closed Payment Status Collection/Chargeoff Collection/Chargeoff Collection/Chargeoff Creditor Remarks Charged off as bad debt Dispute resolved ; reported by grantor Account was in dispute - now resolved - reported by subscriber.

Unpaid balance reported as a loss by the credit grantor. 
Consumer disputes this account information Account previously in dispute - now resolved by data furnisher Original Creditor -- -- -- Payment Amount {$0.00} {$0.00} {$0.00} Last Payment XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Term Length 60 Month ( s ) 60 Month ( s ) -- Past Due Amount {$14000.00} {$14000.00} {$14000.00} Account Type Unsecured loan Unsecured loan Payment Frequency Monthly ( every month ) Credit Limit {$0.00} {$0.00} {$0.00} XXXX XXXX Equifax Equifax Account # XXXX High Balance {$16000.00} Last Verified -- Date of Last Activity XX/XX/XXXX Date Reported XX/XX/XXXX Date Opened XX/XX/XXXX Balance Owed {$16000.00} Closed Date -- Account Rating Derogatory Account Description Individual Dispute Status Account disputed Creditor Type Factoring Companies Account Status Open Payment Status Late 120 Days Creditor Remarks Consumer disputes this account information Collection account Original Creditor -- Payment Amount {$0.00} Last Payment XX/XX/XXXX Term Length -- Past Due Amount {$16000.00} Account Type Collection Payment Frequency Credit Limit {$0.00}

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation