Consumer complaint received 2024-07-31 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Other personal consumer report
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing issue — Difficulty submitting a dispute or getting information about a dispute over the phone
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: WA

Complaint narrative:
on XX/XX/XXXX i submitted all the required and approved and authorized documentation needed for a dispute case regarding the Debt bondage restore act /DBRA to XXXX, and Equifax XXXX I submitted the same documentation to XXXX just hours later, possibly up to 24 hours, later. 
From what i read on the many sites regarding protocol for the subject, the consumer reporting agencies ( CRA ) have 4 days to notify of acceptance of the claim from me, on the fourth day to block the requested items i attached in my claim, and 5 days to notify if required docs are needed to complete the process and 25 days to approve or deny, I received an email from Equifax 2 days later stating that they needed an alternate victim determination document and to call for more info. I called and spoke with a gentleman for a while trying to figure out what more was needed, as they replied with, I needed to go elsewhere to other non-profits or approved companies for the approval signature to myself attestation letter. I asked them why, I already had one, they said they have lawyers that call and verify the legitimacy of my claim. I already know why that happened, and that is bc the company I used does not under any circumstance validate any info request regarding anyone 's name, that is a place of safety and protection. As it could be a former spouse or abuser in disguise calling to validate info and really have intentions of trying to locate me. 
I asked them what about the documentation i included regarding the XXXX XXXX  i had from court that was amended to a trafficking violation protection act ( TVPA ) or in another words, dropped due to human trafficking, they said i still needed more documentation and i needed to look for alternate companies or methods to verify. 
To be clear, in order for me to get this doc signed by an approved org, i have to fish in the sea of companies bc no one specifically advertises that they do such, and none of the CRA 's have an approved list of qualified companies. ( I've asked them, they apologetically replied they do not have a list ). then I need to tell them what I'm looking for and they usually say they can help then they ask me to explain my story t them, then they put me on hold or transfer me and i have to do it all again only to be told they aren't sure they can help bc they don't know what the DBRA is and can't attest to any validation of being an authorized company to do so. So, i start the process over and over and over, each time ripping open the trauma and horrible events i endured, not to mention the exhausting time it takes to search validate and explain what it is i need. I have taken the city bus all over town trying to locate these approved companies that don't even exist or have unheard of hours or want me to cooperate with law enforcement and or be in current in trafficking situation. My survivor story starts with only just this year was i able to finally free myself of him and his grasp. Now I'm forced to lie awake in bed every night fearful that somehow, he's going to know I'm seeking help and he's going to control me again. all because I've told my story and too much of it to too many strangers who will take my name down and phone and get back to me to see if they can help me acquire this XXXX. I worked tirelessly to acquire this documentation and it's only by faith and power in prayer that i happened to have a conversation with a woman who volunteered at a XXXX company called XXXX XXXX  so she signed my XXXX XXXX  and i just so happened to have court documentation printed by attorneys from a child custody case i had back in XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and i was able to use those documents from my attrny as proof of a court case proving I was a victim. Considering the case documents aren't even accessible any more online, i felt this was a feat i its own,, All of these items are approved on the list of options needed to validate my claim. I even went further and provided two docs to validate my claim. 
When i read the public information regarding how this DBRA law was passed and approved and how they went about determining what was needed to validate etc. they were adamant in the submissions I read, that CRA are not to validate by calling and requesting more information or even to validate the date or anything, they are required to validate that its an approved item on the list of acceptable docs and that it suffices. Thats it. 
Then on XX/XX/XXXX i received a determination letter of denial to my claim that i submitted to Equifax. The letter of denial states that they tried to reach me twice to collect more info from me, and that they are closing and denying my claim. They did not contact me twice, to be clear, i have been very very diligent with all the process and following up on my emails for this topic as it's the most crucial part of my life right ow, i know they didn't contact m twice, it had only been a day since i contacted them, and to add insult to injury they denied my claim a whole 20-27 days before they are required to approve or deny by. i wasn't even given a chance to resubmit my claim with alternate documents. 

This whole process from my perspective has been done wrong on their end considering they are asking me to seek out more approved letters or documentation even after i informed them that this was creating more trauma for me and is causing me to move backwards into XXXX, they called and verified or did some back door research into a company that not only was approved and authorized but a company that doesn't validate over the phone what so ever any request for information regarding anyone 's info, for security purposes and for security of the victim, as the perp could call and ask if I'm an attendee to this location in effort to find me. 
That was what was not supposed to happen for my sake, so who knows what is going to happen to my safety. and they denied my claim without following the proper time allowed for me resubmit my documentation.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation