Consumer complaint received 2024-11-26 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: SC

Complaint narrative:
RE : Credit Reporting Complaint Against XXXX  XXXX  To Whom It May Concern : I am writing to file a formal complaint against XXXX  XXXX  regarding serious violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), IRS regulations, and CFPB guidelines. There are two primary issues that require immediate investigation and resolution : False Account Attribution I have never held an account with XXXX XXXX, yet they are reporting an account under my name. This violates Section 623 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) of the FCRA [ 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) ], which states : " A person shall not furnish any information relating to a consumer to any consumer reporting agency if the person knows or has reasonable cause to believe that the information is inaccurate. '' Improper Reporting of Canceled Debt XXXX XXXX  has issued me a Form 1099-C, indicating the cancellation of this debt, yet continues to report it as an active collection account with a balance of {$9900.00}. This practice violates multiple regulations : a ) IRS Regulations [ 26 CFR 1.6050P-1 ( a ) ] establish that a 1099-C must be filed when a debt is discharged : " Any applicable entity that discharges an indebtedness of any person during a calendar year must file an information return on Form 1099-C with the Internal Revenue Service. '' b ) The FTC has established that reporting a debt as both canceled and collectible is inherently contradictory and potentially deceptive under Section 5 of the FTC Act [ 15 U.S.C. 45 ].

c ) CFPB Bulletin 2013-09 emphasizes that furnishers must : " Establish and implement reasonable written policies and procedures regarding the accuracy and integrity of the information relating to consumers that it furnishes to consumer reporting agencies. '' I have taken the following steps to resolve this issue : Disputed the account directly with the credit reporting agencies Contacted  XXXX XXXX  directly to dispute the account Maintained records of the 1099-C showing the debt cancellation Despite these efforts, XXXX XXXX  continues to : Report an account I never opened Report a " balance owed '' on a canceled debt Report the account as a " collection '' despite its canceled status Certify inaccurate information to credit reporting agencies This situation violates Section 623 ( a ) ( 3 ) of the FCRA, which requires furnishers to conduct reasonable investigations of disputes and correct inaccurate information. The relevant quote states : " If the completeness or accuracy of any information furnished by any person to any consumer reporting agency is disputed... such person shall conduct an investigation with respect to the disputed information. '' Requested Resolution : Immediate removal of all XXXX XXXX  tradelines from my credit reports Correction of all inaccurate reporting related to this alleged debt Written confirmation that the debt has been canceled as evidenced by the 1099-C Implementation of procedures to prevent future incorrect reporting Under CFPB Regulation V [ 12 CFR 1022.43 ( e ) ], XXXX XXXX  must XXXX " Complete its investigation of the dispute and report the results to the consumer before the expiration of the period under section 611 ( a ) ( 1 ) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. '' I request that the CFPB investigate these violations and ensure XXXX XXXX  complies with all applicable regulations. The simultaneous reporting of a canceled debt as an active collection account while maintaining a balance owed creates significant harm to my credit profile and financial standing. 
Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief