Consumer complaint received 2025-06-03 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: LA

Complaint narrative:
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/year> Equifax Information Services LLC XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Subject : Formal Dispute and Demand for Correction Excessive Soft Inquiries and Credit Reporting Violations ( FCRA ) Dear Equifax, I am writing to formally dispute the excessive number of soft inquiries, totaling XXXX, and potential inaccurate reporting related to my credit file, including three additional soft inquiries on XX/XX/year>. These issues are part of a broader pattern of unauthorized activity following an identity theft incident I reported on XX/XX/year>, and they violate the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ). I demand an immediate investigation and correction within 30 days of receipt of this letter, as required under 15 U.S.C. 1681i. Failure to comply will result in complaints to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ), the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ), and potential litigation for statutory damages, actual damages, punitive damages, and attorney fees, as permitted under 15 U.S.C. 1681n and 15 U.S.C. 1681o.

Background Context Identity Theft and Unauthorized Activity On XX/XX/year>, I reported an identity theft incident to XXXX XXXX, prompting a suspension of my account from XX/XX/year>, to XX/XX/year>. XXXX required a unique code for reinstatement, which they never provided, leaving me unable to access my funds, including money for essential purchases like XXXX  for my XXXX XXXX. On XX/XX/year>, I received an email stating my XXXX account was closed, despite a prior email indicating a new debit card was on the way. When I contacted XXXX, they could not provide specific reasons for the closure, leaving me uncertain about my XXXX  payment. This sequence of events, combined with the excessive soft inquiries on my Equifax credit report, suggests a vulnerability in my credit file that may have contributed to or been exacerbated by the identity theft incident.

Disputed Issues 1. Excessive Soft Inquiries ( Totaling XXXX ) Issue : My credit report indicates a total of XXXX soft inquiries, a number that far exceeds any reasonable level of legitimate activity. While soft inquiries do not typically impact credit scores, this unprecedented volume suggests a systemic failure to protect my credit file from unauthorized access, violating 15 U.S.C. 1681e, which requires reasonable procedures to ensure maximum possible accuracy and security. Per the Metro 2 Credit Reporting Resource Guide ( CRRG ) guidelines ( Section 2.0 ), Equifax must ensure all reported data is accurate and verifiable ; the accumulation of XXXX inquiries lacks such verification and may indicate a breach or error in your systems. This excessive activity, especially in the context of my reported identity theft, raises concerns about the integrity of my credit file.

Demand : Conduct a comprehensive review of all XXXX soft inquiries, identify their sources and purposes, and permanently remove any that can not be substantiated with documented proof of a permissible purpose, as required by 15 U.S.C. 1681i and Metro 2 CRRG standards.

2. Recent Soft Inquiries ( XX/XX/year> ) Issue : My credit report shows three additional soft inquiries by Equifax on XX/XX/year>, from XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, GA XXXX. I did not authorize these accesses, nor have I been notified of any legitimate purpose justifying them. Given the timingimmediately following the closure of my XXXX account on the same datethis suggests a potential link to unauthorized activity related to the identity theft incident reported on XX/XX/year>. This violates 15 U.S.C. 1681b ( permissible purpose ) and 1681e ( reasonable procedures ). Per Metro 2 CRRG, these inquiries must be verifiable, which they currently are not.

Demand : Permanently remove these three inquiries unless Equifax can provide documented proof of a permissible purpose for each access.

3. Potential Negative Reporting Related to XXXX Account Issue : The suspension ( XX/XX/year>, to XX/XX/year> ) and closure ( XX/XX/year> ) of my XXXX account may have been reported to Equifax as a negative item ( e.g., account closure due to fraud ). If this information is inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable, it violates 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ), which requires Equifax to follow reasonable procedures to ensure maximum possible accuracy. Metro 2 CRRG guidelines ( Section 3.0 ) mandate that credit bureaus investigate consumer disputes and remove unverifiable data. Given the unauthorized nature of XXXX  actions, any negative reporting is likely inaccurate. 
Demand : Investigate and permanently remove any negative reporting related to my XXXX account unless XXXX provides verifiable documentation supporting the reported information, as required by 15 U.S.C. 1681i and Metro 2 CRRG.

4. Additional Unauthorized Inquiries Issue : In addition to the recent and excessive soft inquiries, my credit report includes other unauthorized accesses, such as : EQUIFAX - XXXX ( XX/XX/year> ) : I did not authorize a Data Integrity Team review, nor was I notified of a legitimate purpose. 
XXXX, XXXX ( XX/XX/year> ) : I have no relationship with XXXX, XXXX, suggesting this may be tied to fraudulent activity.

EQUIFAX - XXXX ( XX/XX/year> ) : I did not authorize an employment verification, and the timing suggests a link to the identity theft.

EQUIFAX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX ( XX/XX/year>, XX/XX/year>, and others ) : These systemic inquiries lack a permissible purpose. 
EQUIFAXXXXX ( XX/XX/year> ) : The purpose of this inquiry is unclear and incomplete, violating 15 U.S.C. 1681i.These inquiries lack a permissible purpose under 15 U.S.C. 1681b and fail Metro 2 CRRG verifiability standards.

Demand : Investigate and permanently remove each of these inquiries unless Equifax can provide documented proof of a permissible purpose for each access.

5. Duplicate Inquiry ( XX/XX/year> ) Issue : My credit report lists two Equifax inquiries on XX/XX/year>, indicating a reporting error. This violates 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ), which requires Equifax to ensure maximum possible accuracy, and Metro 2 CRRG guidelines ( Section 2.0 ) for accurate data reporting.

Demand : Permanently remove the duplicate entry and ensure such errors do not recur in future reporting.

Legal Obligations and Consequences Equifaxs excessive soft inquiries ( XXXX total ), recent unauthorized accesses ( XX/XX/year> ), potential inaccurate reporting, and failure to ensure accuracy violate FCRA. Under 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 1 ), Equifax must conduct a thorough reinvestigation of disputed information within 30 days and remove any unverifiable or inaccurate items. Failure to comply may result in willful or negligent non-compliance, entitling me to statutory damages ( up to {$1000.00} per violation ), actual damages ( including the hardship caused by the identity theft and its impact on my financial stability ), punitive damages, and attorney fees, as permitted under 15 U.S.C. 1681n and 15 U.S.C. 1681o. If any inquiries ( e.g., XXXX, XXXX ) were made by a debt collector without proper notification, this may also violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA, 15 U.S.C. 1692e ), further entitling me to damages.

Required Actions 1. Conduct a thorough reinvestigation of the disputed items within 30 days of receipt of this letter, including : sources and purposes. The three soft inquiries on XX/XX/year>. The additional unauthorized inquiries ( EQUIFAX - XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, EQUIFAX - XXXX, EQUIFAX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX, EQUIFAXXXXX ) .The duplicate inquiry on XX/XX/year>. Any XXXX-related negative reporting. 2. Permanently remove any inquiry or negative reporting that can not be verified with documented proof of a permissible purpose or accuracy, as required by 15 U.S.C. 1681i and Metro 2 CRRG guidelines. 
3. Correct the duplicate inquiry error for XX/XX/year>, ensuring such inaccuracies do not recur. 
4. Provide an updated credit report reflecting these corrections, along with a detailed description of the reinvestigation process and findings, as required by 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 6 ).

I am sending this letter via certified mail with a return receipt requested to ensure proper delivery and tracking. I will monitor your response closely and will not hesitate to escalate this matter to the CFPB, FTC, or through legal action if necessary. Please respond no later than XX/XX/year>, as required by federal law. 
Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation