Matthew M.’s Fight for Fair Credit Reporting

For over a year and a half, Matthew M. has been living in a nightmare created by a simple but devastating mistake—a $570 collection account falsely added to his credit report. What began as a routine issue quickly spiraled into a chain of events that has turned his life upside down, straining his relationships, threatening his financial security, and taking an emotional toll that no one should have to endure.

A Mother’s Request

In May 2022, Matthew’s mother helped him secure a car loan by co-signing for it from a dealer near their home in upstate New York. Like many parents, she wanted to give her son a leg up in life. But in early 2023, she found herself in a tight spot. Her building was being sold, and she needed to find a new apartment for herself and her family, including five people she supported. The car loan she’d co-signed for Matthew dragged down her debt-to-income ratio, preventing her from securing a new place to live. To help his mother, Matthew agreed to refinance the loan under his own name, removing her from the obligation.

However, when Matthew applied to refinance, he was blindsided by an unexpected rejection. A collection account for $570 appeared on his credit report—a debt that wasn’t his and of which he was completely unaware. The debt was tied to his father, but because of a mistake known as a “mixed file,” Equifax, a massive credit reporting agency, improperly (and negligently) merged Matthew’s and his father’s credit information.

The Domino Effect Begins

That $570 mistake hit Matthew’s life like a wrecking ball. The dealer denied his loan application, so Matthew was unable to refinance the car loan and help his mom. With the loan still on her credit, she was rejected from one apartment after another. The stress began to eat away at their relationship. Tensions mounted, and eventually, the strain became too much. Matthew had to move out, essentially becoming homeless. He spent weeks sleeping on his father’s couch while his life seemingly spiraled out of control.

“I’ve been living at my boyfriend’s mom’s house, not knowing if I’ll have a place to sleep in a month,” Matthew said. “I’ve been trapped in a cage for 1.5 years now.”

Credit reports are often treated as the ultimate decider of your fate. Landlords, lenders, and even some employers look at them to decide if you’re trustworthy, and unfortunately, one simple mistake can label you as financially unreliable. In Matthew’s case, this mistake didn’t just harm him—it impacted everyone around him. His mother’s chance to find a stable home, his relationship with his boyfriend, and even his ability to care for his dog.

A Dog in Danger

As if losing his home and facing financial stress wasn’t enough, the mixed-up credit report also led to an awful situation with Matthew’s dog. After his dog was attacked and seriously injured, Matthew rushed to find a way to pay for emergency surgery. Desperate, he contacted the emergency vet’s office to see if he could finance the surgery. However, after explaining his situation and his damaged credit, he was told they wouldn’t accept him. With nowhere to turn, Matthew had to borrow money from his boyfriend’s mom just to get his dog the surgery it needed—a surgery that ended up costing $1,800, adding another layer of debt and stress to his life.

“I have more than enough evidence to prove the debt is not mine,” Matthew said. “But yet, I’m still suffering.”

The Fight for Justice

Matthew didn’t sit back and let this injustice happen. He spent countless hours trying to fix the error by contacting Equifax. He disputed the account, provided evidence, and even gave them his identification to prove who he was. But every time he reached out, the response was the same: the collection account was verified as accurate. They weren't listening. It was like screaming into a void.

This wasn’t just a $570 mistake—it was a life-changing error that impacted Matthew’s ability to move forward with his life. He couldn’t get an apartment, couldn’t take out loans to go to college, and, worst of all, the stress was tearing apart his relationships.

“I argue with my boyfriend about it because part of him doesn’t believe me,” Matthew said. “This has put a toll on our relationship. We’ve wanted to get married for a long time now, but because of this, those plans are out the window anytime soon.”

Legal Action: A Glimmer of Hope

He realized he couldn’t fight this battle alone, so Matthew turned to Consumer Attorneys for help. On his behalf, they filed a lawsuit in federal court against Equifax and Caine & Weiner Company, Inc., the debt collection agency reporting the $570 debt. The complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, alleges multiple violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), a federal law designed to protect consumers like Matthew from exactly this kind of injustice.

One of Matthew’s case’s core issues is a “mixed file.” A mixed file happens when one person's credit report gets combined with another—often due to similar names, social security numbers, or addresses. Despite knowing about the problem for decades, credit reporting agencies like Equifax have done little to fix it. They continue to allow these errors to occur, leaving innocent consumers like Matthew to deal with the fallout.

In the lawsuit against Equifax, we argue that the credit reporting giant failed to follow reasonable procedures to ensure the maximum possible accuracy of Matthew’s credit file, as the FCRA requires. Furthermore, we allege that Equifax failed to properly reinvestigate the dispute and correct the errors promptly. The complaint also targets Caine & Weiner, alleging that the company failed to properly investigate the dispute when Matthew provided clear evidence that the debt wasn’t his.

Essentially, we argue, as we frequently do, that if you’re going to put someone’s life in the hands of a credit report, you should at least ensure that the credit report is accurate.

The Human Cost of Inaccurate Credit Reporting

Matthew’s story is a heartbreaking example of how easily the credit reporting system can go wrong—and how devastating the consequences can be. This isn’t just a story about a number on a credit report; it’s about a young man whose life has been derailed by a system that’s supposed to work for him but has failed him at every turn.

He’s not asking for a handout—he’s asking for fairness. He’s asking for his good name back, his life to get back on track, and the chance to live without the constant shadow of a mistake that wasn’t even his.

“I can’t go to college because I can’t get loans because of this,” Matthew said. “My life has been on hold over a $570 collection.”

Now, through legal action, Matthew is fighting to clear his name and move forward with his life. He deserves to be heard, believed, and treated fairly by the credit reporting system. No one should have to go through what he’s endured. Hopefully, his fight for justice will clear his name and bring attention to the more significant issue of credit reporting errors that affect millions of Americans each year.