Consumer complaint received 2025-09-06 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: IL

Complaint narrative:
To Whom It May Concern, I am filing this formal complaint regarding multiple inaccurate, unverifiable, and damaging accounts that are currently being reported on my credit reports. These accounts are in violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) 15 U.S.C. 1681, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) 15 U.S.C. 1692, and the Consumer Financial Protection Act ( CFPA ). The reporting of these items is misleading, has not been properly verified, and continues to cause me serious financial, professional, and emotional harm. I request that the CFPB investigate and enforce corrections and removals of the following accounts : XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXXHigh Balance : {$580.00} Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Chargeoff This account is being reported as a charge-off which is inaccurate and misleading, I was never provided full validation of the debt as required under FDCPA 15 U.S.C. 1692g and the reporting agencies have failed to ensure maximum possible accuracy under FCRA 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ). The negative reporting is damaging my financial stability and does not reflect accurate account history. Because of this inaccurate charge-off I was denied approval for a small personal loan that I needed for essential expenses, which caused me financial hardship and stress. 
XXXXXX/XX/XXXX High Balance : {$470.00} Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Chargeoff This account is reported as a charge-off which is unfair because I had disputes on this account and the creditor never provided sufficient documentation. Under FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) furnishers of information must not report information they know or should know is inaccurate. Continuing to show this derogatory item without proof is unlawful and harming me. This inaccurate charge-off also lowered my credit score significantly and caused embarrassment when I was denied store credit while shopping for essential household goods. 
XXXXXX/XX/XXXX High Balance : {$440.00} Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Chargeoff This XX/XX/XXXXXXXX XXXX account is being inaccurately reported as charged off, which I strongly dispute. I did not receive proper notices, validation, or any evidence of the balance claimed. The creditor and bureau are both failing to follow FCRA 1681s-2 and FDCPA rules requiring debt validation and accuracy. Because of this inaccurate reporting, I was unable to qualify for a credit card with fair terms and instead was forced into a subprime card with extremely high fees, creating further financial damage. 
XX/XX/XXXX High Balance : {$15000.00} Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Chargeoff This extremely high balance is being reported as a charge-off without supporting records, creating a false and damaging picture of my credit. Under FCRA 1681c ( a ) ( 5 ), obsolete or unverifiable information must not be reported, and under FDCPA creditors can not continue reporting disputed debts without verification. This inaccurate reporting is unlawful and damaging my credit profile. Because of this accounts large reported balance, I have been automatically rejected for housing applications and rental opportunities, putting me and my family in a very stressful situation. 
XXXX XX/XX/XXXX High Balance : {$1000.00} Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Chargeoff This XX/XX/XXXXaccount is also reported as charged off which I dispute as inaccurate. The creditor has not validated the alleged debt and the reporting agency has failed to properly investigate as required by FCRA 1681i. This derogatory mark is misleading and causing me harm in employment and financial opportunities. Recently, an employer who ran a background check questioned me about this account, which caused humiliation and made me fear losing job opportunities unfairly. 
XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX High Balance : {$520.00} Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Late Payment This account is being reported with late payments which are inaccurate. I dispute the reported delinquencies and demand correction under FCRA 1681s-2. Reporting inaccurate payment history misrepresents my true credit behavior and is damaging my profile unfairly. Because of these alleged late payments, my interest rate on a personal loan increased, costing me more money every month and creating unnecessary financial burden. 
XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX High Balance : {$1000.00} Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Late Payment This second XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXXXXXX account is also reporting late payments which are not correct. The furnisher has failed in their duty to maintain accuracy under FCRA 623 and the credit bureaus have failed to properly investigate under FCRA 1681i. This misleading reporting is causing me ongoing financial harm. These errors have made it impossible for me to build a proper credit history despite my efforts to pay my bills on time, leading to frustration and denial of fair credit opportunities. 
XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXXHigh Balance : {$3700.00} Date Opened : XX/XX/XXXX Collection This collection account is being reported inaccurately without validation of the debt. Under FDCPA 809, debt collectors must provide proper written validation before reporting, which has not been done. This violates my consumer rights and under FCRA 1681e ( b ) the bureaus are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of what is being published on my report. Because of this alleged collection account, I was denied an apartment rental, forcing me to look for less desirable housing options, causing extreme stress and hardship.

Because of these inaccurate and unverifiable accounts, I am suffering real harm, including credit denials, higher interest rates, housing denials, loss of job opportunities, and severe emotional distress. These accounts are not being reported in compliance with federal law.

I request that the CFPB immediately investigate, enforce compliance, and order the deletion of these inaccurate and unverifiable accounts from my credit reports within 30 days as required under FCRA 611.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief