Consumer complaint received 2023-10-15
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: CA
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report
Sub-issue: Credit inquiries on your report that you don't recognize

Complaint:
I am writing to officially report multiple unauthorized credit inquiries that appear on my credit report from the credit reporting agencies XXXX and XXXX. I did not authorize any of these inquiries, and I believe that they might have been conducted without my consent or knowledge. 

The unauthorized credit inquiries are as follows : XXXX. XXXX XXXX, XXXX  XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/2023 from XXXX XXXX. XXXXXXXX XXXX  XXXX, XXXX  XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/2023 from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX on XX/XX/2023 from XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/2023 from XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/2023 from XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/2023 from XXXX To reiterate, none of these inquiries were authorized by me, and I never submitted any application or request that would have warranted these hard pulls on my credit report. Such inquiries not only impact my credit score but also make me concerned about the potential misuse of my personal information or identity theft. 

I have taken the proactive step of reaching out to each of the above-listed companies and institutions to clarify the situation and understand the basis of these unauthorized inquiries. However, as I await their respective responses, I believe it's imperative to notify the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) to ensure the integrity of my credit report and to prevent potential fraudulent activities in the future. 
Given the above, I respectfully request the CFPB to undertake the following actions : 1. **Investigation : ** Please conduct a thorough investigation into the unauthorized inquiries listed above. I am keen to understand how and why these inquiries were made without my explicit consent.

2. **Removal of Inquiries : ** Once the investigation confirms that these inquiries were unauthorized, I urge the CFPB to facilitate their removal from my credit report promptly. Such unauthorized inquiries can adversely affect my credit score, which can have broader ramifications for my financial well-being.

3. **Identity Theft Safeguards : ** I would appreciate guidance from the CFPB regarding additional steps I can take to protect myself from potential identity theft or any other fraudulent activities that may arise from this situation.

4. **Notification to Credit Reporting Agencies : ** I kindly request the CFPB to notify the relevant credit reporting agencies ( XXXX and XXXX XXXX about this matter, urging them to rectify any inaccuracies resulting from these unauthorized inquiries. 

In conclusion, while I understand that credit inquiries are a standard part of financial processes, it is deeply unsettling to find unauthorized ones on my credit report. I trust the CFPB 's commitment to safeguarding consumers ' rights and ensuring the accuracy and integrity of credit reports. Your immediate attention to this matter will be highly appreciated.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief