Pennsylvania Complaint Against Trans Union and Equifax for Reporting Inaccurate Judgment on Consumer’s Credit Report
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA
John Doe
Plaintiff, Civil Action No.
vs.
TRANS UNION, LLC
and
EQUIFAX INFORMATION
SERVICES, LLC
Defendants.
COMPLAINT
I. Preliminary Statement
1. This is an action for damages brought by an individual consumer against the Defendants for violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (hereafter the “FCRA”), 15 U.S.C. §1681 et seq., as amended.
II. Jurisdiction and Venue
2. Jurisdiction of this Court arises under 15 U.S.C. § 1681p, 28 U.S.C. §1331, 1337, and supplemental jurisdiction exists for the state law claims pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §1367.
- Venue lies properly in this district pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §1391(b).
III. Parties
4. Plaintiff is an adult individual and citizen of the State of Oregon;
5. Defendant Trans Union, LLC (hereafter Trans Union) is a business entity that regularly conducts business in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania and which has a principal place of business located at 1510 Chester Pike, Crum Lynne, PA 19022
6. Defendant Equifax Information Services, LLC (hereafter Equifax) is a business entity that regularly conducts business in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania and which has a principal place of business located at 6 Clementon Road, East, Suite A2, Gibbsboro, New Jersey 08026.
IV. Factual Allegations
7. Defendants have been reporting derogatory and inaccurate statements and information relating to Plaintiff and Plaintiff’s credit history to third parties (hereafter the “inaccurate information”).
8. The inaccurate information includes, but is not limited to a judgment, an account with First USA Bank, and personal identifying information.
9. The inaccurate information negatively reflects upon the Plaintiff, Plaintiff’s credit repayment history, Plaintiff’s financial responsibility as a debtor and Plaintiff’s credit worthiness. The inaccurate information consists of accounts and/or tradelines that do not belong to the Plaintiff, or which misrepresent the payment history and/or status of accounts that do belong to the Plaintiff as well as incorrect personal identifying information.
10. Defendants have been reporting the inaccurate information through the issuance of false and inaccurate credit information and consumer credit reports that they have disseminated to various persons and credit grantors, both known and unknown.
11. Plaintiff has applied for and has been denied various loans and extensions of consumer credit on many different occasions, and Plaintiff has been informed that the basis for these denials was the inaccurate information that appears on Plaintiff’s credit reports and that the inaccurate information was a substantial factor for those denials.
12. Plaintiff’s credit reports and file have been obtained from Defendants and have been reviewed many times by prospective and existing credit grantors and extenders of credit, and the inaccurate information has been a substantial factor in precluding Plaintiff from receiving many different credit offers and opportunities, known and unknown, and from receiving the most favorable terms in financing and interest rates for credit offers that were ultimately made.
13. As a result of Defendants’ conduct, Plaintiff has suffered actual damages in the form of credit denial or loss of credit opportunity, credit defamation and emotional distress, including anxiety, frustration, embarrassment and, humiliation.
14. At all times pertinent hereto, Defendants were acting by and through their agents, servants and/or employees who were acting within the course and scope of their agency or employment, and under the direct supervision and control of the Defendants herein.
15. At all times pertinent hereto, the conduct of the Defendants, as well as that of their agents, servants and/or employees, was malicious, intentional, willful, reckless, and in grossly negligent disregard for federal and state laws and the rights of the Plaintiff herein.
V. CLAIMS
COUNT ONE – FCRA
(Plaintiff v. Trans Union and Equifax)
16. Plaintiff incorporates the foregoing paragraphs as though the same were set forth at length herein.
17. At all times pertinent hereto, Defendants were “persons” and “consumer reporting agency” as those terms are defined by 15 U.S.C. § 1681a(b) and (f).
18. At all times pertinent hereto, Plaintiff was a “consumer” as that term is defined by 15 U.S.C. § 1681a(c).
19. At all times pertinent hereto, the above-mentioned credit reports were “consumer reports” as that term is defined by 15 U.S.C. § 1681a(d).
20. Pursuant to 15 U.S.C. §1681n and 15 U.S.C. §1681o, Trans Union and Equifax are liable to the Plaintiff for willfully and negligently failing to comply with the requirements imposed on a consumer reporting agency of information pursuant to 15 U.S.C. §§ 1681e.
21. The conduct of Trans Union and Equifax was a direct and proximate cause, as well as a substantial factor, in bringing about the serious injuries, actual damages and harm to Plaintiff that are outlined more fully above and, as a result Trans Union and Equifax are liable to Plaintiff for the full amount of statutory, actual and punitive damages, along with the attorneys’ fees and the costs of litigation, as well as such further relief, as may be permitted by law.
VI. JURY TRIAL DEMAND
22. Plaintiff demands trial by jury on all issues so triable.
VII. PRAYER FOR RELIEF
WHEREFORE, Plaintiff seeks judgment in Plaintiff’s favor and damages against the Defendants, based on the following requested relief:
(a) Actual damages;
(b) Statutory damages;
(c) Punitive damages;
(d) Costs and reasonable attorney’s fees pursuant to 15 U.S.C. §§1681n and 1681o;
(e) An order directing that Defendants immediately delete all of the inaccurate information from Plaintiff’s credit reports and files and cease reporting the inaccurate information to any and all persons and entities to whom they report consumer credit information;
(f) An order directing that Defendants send to all persons and entities to
whom they have reported Plaintiff’s inaccurate information within the last three years Plaintiff’s updated and corrected credit report information; and
(g) Such other and further relief as may be necessary, just and proper.
Respectfully submitted,
FRANCIS & MAILMAN, P.C.
BY: _/s/ Mark D. Mailman___________________
MARK D. MAILMAN, ESQUIRE
JOHN SOUMILAS, ESQUIRE
GEOFFREY H. BASKERVILLE, ESQUIRE
Land Title Building, 19th Floor
100 South Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19110
(215) 735-8600