Consumer complaint received 2025-05-19 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report — Account information incorrect
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: MD

Complaint narrative:
Summary of Issue : On XX/XX/year>, I sent XXXX XXXX  a written request for validation of the account, including a GAAP-compliant ledger, proof of the alleged late payments, and the Cardmember Agreement, as the account was reported as a charge-off with two late payments ( copy attached ). Their response, dated XX/XX/year> ( copy attached ), dismissed my request as untimely under TILAs billing error rule ( 15 U.S.C. 1666 ), which is inapplicable to my demand for debt validation and substantiation of late payments. XXXX XXXX provided no evidence, such as billing statements, delinquency notices, or the Cardmember Agreement, despite my repeated requests. They continue to report the late payments to credit bureaus and threaten collection or debt assignment, despite the zero balance, violating federal and Maryland laws.

Violations : FCRA Violations ( 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ( b ) ) : XXXX XXXX  is reporting two late payments without verifying their accuracy or providing proof, such as statements showing missed payments or notices sent to my address ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  MD XXXX ). Their XX/XX/year> response failed to substantiate the reports, indicating they are unverifiable. Reporting inaccurate or unverified information to credit bureaus violates FCRAs requirement for accurate reporting. The XXXX balance further renders these reports misleading, as they imply delinquency on a paid-off account, harming my creditworthiness.

TILA Violations ( 15 U.S.C. 1637 ( b ) ) : XXXX XXXX has not provided evidence they sent periodic statements or delinquency notices for the alleged late payments, as required by TILA for clear billing disclosures. Without such notification, they can not claim payments were late, and the reports are invalid. Their failure to produce statements in response to my XX/XX/year> request confirms this violation. 

MCDCA Violations ( Md. Code Ann., Com. Law 14-202 ) : As a Maryland resident , I am protected by the MCDCA, which prohibits deceptive practices, including reporting derogatory information without substantiation or proper notification. XXXX XXXX refusal to provide proof of the late payments or the Cardmember Agreement, and their reporting on a XXXXbalance account, is unfair and deceptive, violating Maryland law XXXX 

Improper Collection Threats : XXXX XXXX XX/XX/year> letter threatens collection and potential debt assignment, despite the accounts XXXX balance. Pursuing collection on a paid-off account is deceptive under the MCDCA and, if third-party collectors are involved, may violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), 15 U.S.C. 1692e, by misrepresenting the debts status.

Harm to Financial Privacy and Reputation : The inaccurate late payment reports disseminate false information to third parties, harming my financial privacy and reputation. This causes economic harm ( e.g., potential denial of credit ) and emotional distress, actionable under FCRA ( 15 U.S.C. 1681o ) for negligent non-compliance. XXXX XXXX failure to provide the Cardmember Agreement raises questions about whether they disclosed their intent to report payment history, further exacerbating the harm under Marylands MCDCA.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation