Consumer complaint received 2025-02-07 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:
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX Experian XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, TX XXXX Subject : Dispute of XXXX XXXX Account with Balance of {$3300.00} Request for Immediate Removal Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to formally dispute the XXXX XXXX account Account Number : XXXX with a reported balance of {$3300.00}. This account was originally owed to XXXX XXXX, and I am disputing its accuracy and legitimacy for several reasons, including the failure to properly validate the debt and inaccurate reporting of the account. I am demanding the immediate removal of this collection account from my credit reports with Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. 

Account Information : Creditor/Collection Agency Name : XXXX XXXX Original Creditor : XXXX XXXX Account Number : XXXX Balance Reported : {$3300.00} Date Reported : XX/XX/XXXX Status : Collection Account This collection account has caused significant damage to my credit report, and I am requesting its immediate removal based on inaccurate reporting, lack of validation, and failure to comply with legal obligations under federal law. 

Legal Violations and Grounds for Immediate Removal 1. FCRA Violation - Inaccurate Reporting and Failure to Investigate ( 15 U.S. Code 1681i ) Under 15 U.S. Code 1681i ( a ) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), when a consumer disputes an entry on their credit report, the credit reporting agencies must investigate the dispute and remove any inaccurate or incomplete information. 
I have not received proper validation of this debt from XXXX XXXX, and the continued reporting of this debt as a collection is inaccurate. The credit bureaus must immediately investigate and remove this entry if it is found to be unverifiable. 
2. FCRA Violation - Failure to Ensure Accuracy and Correctness ( 15 U.S. Code 1681e ( b ) ) 15 U.S. Code 1681e ( b ) mandates that credit reporting agencies ensure that all information reported is accurate and complete. Since I have not received proper debt validation or any proof that this debt is mine, and because it has not been consistently reported across all credit bureaus, this entry must be removed to comply with FCRA standards. 
3. FCRA Section 1681s-2 ( b ) - Duties of Furnishers of Information Under 15 U.S. Code 1681s-2 ( b ), furnishers of information, such as XXXX XXXX, are required to investigate disputes and correct any inaccuracies in the information they report. Since XXXX XXXX has failed to provide adequate documentation and proof of this debt, the account must be removed from my credit report. 
4. FDCPA Violation - Failure to Provide Debt Validation ( 15 U.S. Code 1692g ) Under 15 U.S. Code 1692g of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), debt collectors must provide validation of the debt within five days of the initial communication. 
XXXX XXXX has failed to validate this debt despite my dispute, and this constitutes a violation of the FDCPA. I demand immediate removal of this entry from my credit report due to this failure. 
5. FDCPA Violation Misrepresentation of Debt ( 15 U.S. Code 1692e ) According to 15 U.S. Code 1692e of the FDCPA, a debt collector is prohibited from misrepresenting the amount, nature, or legal status of a debt. The continued reporting of this debt as an outstanding collection, without proper debt validation, constitutes a misrepresentation and violates my rights under the FDCPA.

6. Time Limits on Reporting Negative Information ( 15 U.S. Code 1681c ) Under 15 U.S. Code 1681c, negative information such as collections must be removed from a credit report after seven years from the date of the first missed payment or date of debt cancellation.

If this debt is older than seven years, it must be removed immediately, regardless of whether it has been paid or remains in collection. 

Demand for Immediate Removal Based on the clear violations of the FCRA, FDCPA, and failure to validate the debt, I demand immediate removal of this XXXX XXXX account from my credit report with Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. The misreporting of this debt as an outstanding balance is inaccurate, misleading, and damaging to my credit. 

Failure to Act If this dispute is not resolved immediately, I will pursue further legal action for damages caused by this inaccurate reporting and violations of my rights under the FCRA and FDCPA, and I will file formal complaints with the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ), State Attorney General, and pursue civil litigation for damages caused by the misreporting. 

Request for Investigation and Resolution I request that the CFPB immediately initiate an investigation into this matter and ensure that Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian remove this incorrect XXXX XXXX entry from my credit report. I expect a written response within 30 days confirming the removal of this entry from my credit report. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief