Consumer complaint received 2025-12-29 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: WA

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this complaint through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to formally document and dispute inaccurate, incomplete, and misleading credit reporting that may appear on my consumer credit file maintained by one or more nationwide consumer reporting agencies, including Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. I am filing this complaint through the CFPB to ensure there is a documented record that each consumer reporting agency has received notice of these issues, regardless of whether the tradeline currently appears on a particular bureau. 

This complaint is submitted strictly for verification and accuracy purposes only. It does not admit or acknowledge liability for any alleged debt, does not waive any rights, and does not restart any statute of limitations. 

Based on my review of my credit reports, including reports dated XX/XX/year>, the same alleged debt may be reported by more than one entity, including but not limited to XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX, with inconsistent balances and unclear ownership or collection authority. The structure of this reporting creates a materially misleading credit profile by suggesting that multiple parties may retain an interest in the same obligation or that more than the original amount is owed.

I previously submitted CFPB complaints regarding this same issue. In one complaint, the company asserted that the complaint does not belong to them, and the CFPB was unable to forward the matter for a company response. That complaint was subsequently referred to the Federal Trade Commission and entered into the XXXX XXXX XXXX. This outcome further demonstrates that ownership, responsibility, and reporting authority for this alleged debt remain unresolved and disputed at the federal agency level. 

If the account was sold or otherwise transferred, federal law requires that this status be reported clearly, accurately, and without ambiguity so that the information is not misleading to third parties who rely on consumer reports. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, consumer reporting agencies must follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy of the information they report, including accurate identification of account ownership, transfer status, and current balance ( 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ) ). Reporting an account in a manner that obscures or misrepresents a sale or transfer, or that suggests multiple parties retain an interest in the same obligation, renders the report materially misleading and therefore inaccurate under the FCRA, even if individual data fields are internally verified. Upon notice of a dispute, a consumer reporting agency must conduct a reasonable reinvestigation and delete or correct any information that can not be verified as accurate and complete ( 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ).

Washington law independently requires consumer reporting agencies to maintain reasonable procedures to ensure maximum possible accuracy and prohibits reporting information in a manner that is incomplete, inaccurate, or misleading. Under RCW 19.182.040 and RCW 19.182.060, a consumer reporting agency must reinvestigate disputed information and correct or delete information that can not be verified as accurate. Reporting the same alleged debt by multiple entities without clearly identifying ownership, transfer status, and accurate balance information violates these requirements and misrepresents the consumers obligations to current and future creditors. 

Inaccurate or unclear reporting of a sold or transferred debt undermines the reliability of my consumer report and may cause current or future creditors, landlords, employers, or other permissible users to misinterpret my actual obligations and risk profile. This is precisely the type of harm the FCRA and Washington law are intended to prevent. 

If any tradeline connected to this alleged debt appears on my credit file, I am disputing the accuracy and completeness of, at minimum, the ownership of the account ; whether the account was sold or assigned ; the effective date of any transfer ; the identity of the lawful owner ; the accuracy of the balance reported by each entity ; any interest or fees added after transfer ; whether such charges were authorized by the original agreement or applicable law ; and whether the reporting results in duplicate or overlapping balances that inflate the amount allegedly owed. 

I am also disputing whether any collection agency reporting this account was properly authorized and licensed to collect and furnish information at the relevant time. Reporting by an entity without legal authority further renders the tradeline inaccurate and misleading. 

I request that each consumer reporting agency conduct a reasonable reinvestigation that goes beyond conclusory furnisher confirmation and requires competent documentation sufficient to establish accuracy and legal reportability, including documentation showing the chain of title or assignment, effective transfer date, contractual basis for the balance claimed, and an itemized accounting of how the current balance was calculated. If such documentation can not be produced or reviewed, the tradeline must be corrected or deleted. 

I further request that each consumer reporting agency search my entire credit file for any tradelines related to this alleged debt, including variations of company names or legacy entries, and ensure that no duplicate or misleading reporting remains. If any disputed tradeline is deleted and later reinserted, I request full compliance with reinsertion notice requirements under federal and Washington law. 

This complaint is submitted in good faith to ensure that my consumer credit file is accurate, complete, and not misleading to current or future creditors and other permissible users. All communication regarding this matter must be in writing.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation