Consumer complaint received 2025-10-21 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report — Account status incorrect
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MI

Complaint narrative:
I opened the loan on XX/XX/XXXX for {$990.00} for a period of 12 months. When I tried to make the first payment in XXXX for {$170.00}, the payment did not come out of my account like it was scheduled to. When I tried to make the payment myself, the system would not allow me to make the payment. I attempted to call them to tell them their system was down and couldn't make a payment and they told me that the payment would be withdrawn when their system was back up. I had the same issue in XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX. By XX/XX/XXXX, I was transferred to an in-house collection agent that threatened my credit due to non-payment. I explained the issues I was having and they made me email them my debit card information to process a {$100.00} payment. I told them that I was in the process of purchasing a home an was applying for an FHA loan, and could not have my credit fall into a bad light, and was working with them to set up a better way for payments to get processed. I told them that I would need some time to get a double payment ready for them which would've been around XX/XX/XXXX, only to receive a call from the home lending agent telling me that XXXX  XXXX reported me to collections. I contacted XXXX XXXX and told them that we had an agreement, so why was I in collections, they proceeded to tell me that my only options were to pay the whole loan in increments, or do a settlement. I told them that with the FHA loan, I could only do a settlement, with the pay to delete option, so that I could still meet the guidelines for the home loan. We agreed to {$610.00}, which I paid on XX/XX/XXXX. Instead of deleting it from my credit as agreed, they reported to the credit bureau that I was 120 days late, that I settled my account for less than what was owed, and after writing a dispute letter ( via fax and mail ) to them, and with credit karma, they told me that they would remove it from my credit, and send me in writing that it would be removed via email, as well as, by mail, so that I could give it to the lenders. However, when I contacted them by phone, I was told by XXXX different supervisors, and numerous employees from the loans, collections, and payments departments, that there was nothing that could be done. They stated that they didn't report to the credit bureaus, that once an account was marked as closed, it was out of their hands. My account should never have hit collections to begin with, anytime I tried to make a payment it failed, but miraculously, the payment would process, the minute they got their hands on my debit card. Since then, I've had to get a new debit card issued because that was not a proper way to conduct business and did not make me feel safe. The company makes promises that they do not keep, and they have caused significant damage to my credit because of this. This item on my report could cause my to not qualify for the loan, which could possibly create a homeless situation if it is not handled appropriately.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation