Consumer complaint received 2024-07-30 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: NJ

Complaint narrative:
To Whom It May Concern, Subject : Identity Theft and Unauthorized Credit Reporting by XXXX XXXX I am writing to formally report an incident of identity theft involving XXXX XXXX. This company has reported negative items to my credit report without my written consent, constituting identity theft under 15 USC 1681b ( 2 ). The details of the unauthorized credit reporting are as follows : XXXX XXXX Account Number : XXXX Discrepancies : Balance inconsistencies, high credit limit not reported correctly, and lack of 1099-C form for the charge-off. 
XXXX XXXX provided my personal information to credit reporting agencies without obtaining my explicit written permission. As a result, my credit report now contains charge-off negative items that do not belong to me. This unauthorized sharing of my personal information has significantly impacted my credit score and caused undue stress and inconvenience. 

According to 15 USC 1681b ( 2 ), any entity must obtain written consent from an individual before furnishing their information to credit reporting agencies. In this case, my identity was stolen, and these negative items were added to my credit report without my consent, thereby violating my rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ). 

Furthermore, according to 15 USC 1681s-2 ( a ) ( 7 ), creditors are required to issue a Form 1099-C for any canceled debt. The lack of a 1099-C form for the charge-off accounts listed above indicates that the debts may not be valid, and therefore, the information should not be reported on my credit profile. 

According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), Section 609 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ), you are required by federal law to verify, through the physical verification of the original signed consumer contract, any and all accounts that you post on a credit report. Otherwise, anyone paying for your reporting services could fax, mail, or email in a fraudulent account. 

Additionally, under 15 USC 1681b ( 2 ), consumer reporting agencies may only furnish a consumer report with the written instruction of the consumer, which I have never provided. This unauthorized access to my credit report constitutes a violation of my rights. Furthermore, 15 USC 1692 and 18 USC 1028A outline the regulations against identity theft and unauthorized disclosures, emphasizing the severity of these inaccuracies. 

I kindly request the following actions be taken : Removal of all fraudulent and negative items from my credit report that were reported by XXXX XXXX. 
Notification to all relevant credit reporting agencies, including XXXX, XXXX, and Equifax, about the identity theft and unauthorized reporting, ensuring my credit report is corrected and restored. 
I have attached copies of my identity theft report, my FTC Identity Theft Affidavit, and any other relevant documentation to support my claim. 

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. I look forward to your swift resolution to restore my credit

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief