You might want to call JCP again just to see whether a different customer service rep tells you the same thing. I note that the CSR did tell you to call "the" credit bureau -- it might be worth confirming that JCP has reported it to all three bureaus. I'd also get confirmation of the dates it has so far reported: e.g. it reported on Sept 16, but did they report it again on Sept 23 and Oct 23?
If you hear the same thing, you may want to pick a CRA and do what they suggest. Give the CRA a call and find out why it has not appeared.
You are in an interesting position, which does come up occasionally for people -- which is that your credit report is incomplete rather than incorrect. In other words there isn't false info on it -- there is true info out there that is NOT on it (namely the AU account). The dispute process is really designed for the correction of false info.
I know this from experience since I had an account that was allegedly being reported by the creditor but was not appearing. It wasn't an AU account but in other respects it was similar to your situation.
Here's my advice.
(1) Create a homework sheet that documents key conversations you have had. The first key conversation is with JCP on Nov 8 in which the rep confirmed that the AU account was reported to the credit bureaus on Sept 16.
(2) If you call JCP a second time, document what is confirmed and the date and time of the conversation (as well as the first name of the rep).
(3) If you call a CRA, document which CRA it was, date and time, first name of rep, and what is discussed and especially what if anything is confirmed.
(4) If you call a 2nd or 3rd CRA, again fully document.
And always be pleasant in every conversation with any CSR. Always feel free to call a group a 2nd time if you feel you may have gotten a CSR who may not have understood you or was otherwise not as helpful as another CSR might have been.
This sounds like a lot of work but it's really not. You'll find that this homework sheet will be important as you have further conversations. Basically you are trying to help the creditor and CRA find the disconnect between why an account that is being reported (allegedly) is not appearing in the CRA database. I was successful in my case but it took a while and this kind of documentation was crucial.
