Consumer complaint received 2024-11-12 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: IL

Complaint narrative:
Dear CFPB Representatives, I am filing a formal complaint against Equifax, as the agency is in clear violation of its obligations under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ). Equifax has refused to investigate unauthorized inquiries on my credit report and has shifted the verification responsibility directly to the creditors, instead of following the legal procedures required. 
Description of Violations and Facts Equifaxs Refusal to Conduct an Investigation of the Disputed Information : On XX/XX/XXXX, I formally submitted a dispute to Equifax requesting the removal of several unauthorized inquiries on my credit report, which appeared without my consent. To date, Equifax has not conducted the necessary investigations to verify the legitimacy of these inquiries. In its latest credit report, dated XX/XX/XXXX, Equifax stated that I should contact the companies responsible for the inquiries directly, rather than assuming the responsibility for verification. 
Failure to Fulfill Investigation Obligations under the FCRA : The FCRA, under 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ), stipulates that when a consumer files a dispute, the credit agency must conduct a " reasonable investigation '' into the information in question. This investigation includes the requirement to contact the responsible creditors to obtain adequate verification. By not initiating this investigation and shifting the responsibility to the consumer, Equifax is violating its legal obligations.

Obligation to Delete Unverifiable Information : The FCRA, under 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ), requires that any disputed information that can not be verified must be promptly removed from the credit report. Equifax has disregarded this mandate by refusing to investigate and verify the legitimacy of the inquiries. 
Disputed Inquiries The unauthorized inquiries I requested to be investigated, which Equifax has chosen to ignore, are as follows : Creditor : XXXX XXXX Date of Inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Creditor : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Date of Inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Creditor : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Date of Inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Request for Intervention I request that the CFPB intervene to ensure that Equifax : Initiates the investigation of these disputed inquiries and contacts the responsible creditors to obtain verification of authorization. 
Removes the inquiries from my credit report if the creditors do not provide the required verification within the 30-day timeframe, in accordance with 15 U.S.C. 1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ) of the FCRA.

Considers imposing sanctions on Equifax for its continuous negligence in fulfilling its legal obligations. 
I am maintaining a detailed record of all communications related to this matter and am prepared to provide any additional documentation to support this complaint. I appreciate your attention to this matter and trust that you will take the necessary steps to ensure Equifax 's compliance with the FCRA. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation