Consumer complaint received 2025-05-18 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: IL

Complaint narrative:
To Whom It May Concern, Subject : Formal Dispute of XXXX Account Reporting FCRA and Regulation F Violations I am writing to formally dispute the information being reported on my credit file regarding a XXXX account that is currently listed as a collection. Upon reviewing my credit report, I have identified multiple inaccuracies and potential violations of both the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) and Regulation F under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ). 

Disputed Account Information : Creditor : XXXX Date Reported : [ XX/XX/XXXX ] Equifax [ XX/XX/XXXX ] Other credit agencies Basis for Dispute : XXXX. Incomplete Payment History The tradeline is reporting a balance due with a status of Closed, yet no payment history is included. This is misleading and inconsistent with standard credit reporting practices. 
XXXX. Incorrect Account Status The account is listed as Closed with a remaining balance. If the account is closed, there should be a {$0.00} balance. Reporting a balance on a closed account without further explanation creates confusion and misrepresents my creditworthiness. 
XXXX. No Late Payments Reported The account shows XXXX for XXXX, XXXX, and 90 days late, which contradicts the purpose of a collection account. A collection implies prior delinquency, so the absence of this data raises questions about the accuracy of the reported information. 
XXXX. Incorrect Closing Date The reported closing date appears to be inaccurate. Please provide supporting documentation to verify the actual date the account was closed. 
XXXX. Potential Regulation F Violations Under Regulation F, effective XX/XX/XXXX, debt collectors are required to provide complete and accurate validation of the debt, including itemization and a clear statement of consumer rights. I have not received proper validation or notice as required. If you are furnishing data to credit bureaus, you must have first complied with these provisions.

6. FDCPA and Regulation F Violations The collection agency contacted me outside of allowable hours, in direct violation of the FDCPA ( 15 U.S. Code 1692c ). Additionally, they have failed to provide a proper validation notice as required under Regulation F, which mandates itemization of the debt and a clear statement of my consumer rights. Reporting a collection to credit bureaus without first fulfilling these obligations may constitute unlawful credit reporting.

7. Balance Discrepancy A collection agency " XXXX '' is currently attempting to collect on this same debt but is reporting a higher balance than what XXXX originally reported. This inconsistency in the amount owed is a red flag for inaccurate reporting. 

Action Requested : In accordance with the FCRA ( 15 U.S.C. 1681i ), I am requesting that the tradeline be thoroughly investigated. If XXXX or the debt collector can not verify the completeness and accuracy of the account including all required data elements it must be removed from my credit report. 

also I am writing in response to your recent correspondence ( Experian ) regarding my dispute dated [ XXXX XXXX ], in which you failed to adequately investigate or resolve the issues raised, and instead responded with what appear to be stall tactics or an unjustified claim that my dispute was frivolous or previously investigated. 

Let me be clear : this is a formal dispute of specific, inaccurate account information, and under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) 15 U.S.C. 1681i, you are required to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation of the disputed information within 30 days of receipt. You are also required to notify me of the results and provide a description of the procedure used to determine the accuracy and completeness of the information. 

My Concerns : The dispute was not frivolous. I provided sufficient identifying information and specific details about the inaccuracy. 
You failed to provide documentation from the data furnisher validating the accuracy of the reported information. 
Your failure to fully investigate or delete unverifiable data within the required timeframe is a violation of the FCRA. 

Let this letter serve as a second and final notice. I am demanding a full reinvestigation of the disputed item ( XXXX ) and a copy of the procedure used, along with the results. If you can not or will not verify the information with supporting documentation from the furnisher, provide me with the berification method used, who did you interview regarding this alleged debt, what was stated, what time and date did you speak? I need this in writing if this can't he given you are required to remove the item from my credit report. 

If this issue is not resolved within the required timeframe, I will not hesitate to : File a formal complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) Contact my state attorney general Seek legal action under FCRA 1681n and 1681o for willful and negligent noncompliance This is your opportunity to correct this before legal escalation. I've sent many dispites including the one I sent in XXXX Certified mail ( I will attach receipt ) Please complete your investigation and provide written results within XXXX days of receipt of this letter, as required by law. If the item is not corrected or deleted, I request that a description of the procedure/Interview used to verify the accuracy and the contact information of the furnisher be provided.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation