Consumer complaint received 2018-08-28
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: AZ
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, 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:
On Wednesday,XX/XX/2018 I visited XXXX XXXX in XXXX, Az and looked at a used vehicle.

I spoke with a Salesman named XXXX. I NEVER game them my social security number. I let them know if I purchased the car, I would be a cash customer, as I had financing already arranged by my credit union.

I never gave them my complete address either, just the street I live on, City, State and zip code.

We came to a tentative agreement on the used car purchase. I spoke with finance guy XXXX. He told me they did not do a credit app on me because I was a cash pay, and would not be pulling my credit. He told me also that they had ways to pull my credit without my social, but not to worry, they were not going to pull my credit.

He said I had to sign a 'backup application ' for the car, but it was NOT a credit app and would not pull my credit. I'd have to come back to the dealership if my bank did not finance the car and finance with them, and then do a complete application. They did take a copy of my drivers license.

On Friday the XX/XX/XXXX, I checked my credit report and saw that XXXX XXXX   had run my credit through the three bureaus on Wednesday the XXXX, Thursday the XXXX  and Friday the XXXX.

This was without my approval, the complete opposite of what they had told me when I had been in there on the XXXX.

I went back into the Dealership on Saturday the XXXX and spoke with Sales Manager XXXX XXXX  Finance guy XXXX and Acting GM XXXX.

XXXX in Finance first starting out telling me they did not run my credit, because they did not have my social security number and I had not agreed to it. He then changed the story to 'well, we had to run an OFAC check ' and that the reporting on my credit report was not a hard pull but a soft pull.

I called Equifax there from the dealership and asked about this. He said this was a credit pull from the dealership. He said the dealership could file a dispute and have the credit inquires removed from my credit report, as a accidental check. HE said the process would be faster if they were to do it, they had contact avenutes to the CRA to do that.

I relayed this to XXXX XXXX, sales manager. I told him I would not leave the dealership until I had a letter saying they would do that, so if it wasn't done in 30 days I could then file a complaint.

He told me ok, they'd do it, apologize and said I had to get that letter from XXXX in Finance.

I spoke with XXXX in Finance and recorded the audio of the conversation. He ended up telling me that they HAD indeed run my credit report, he had a copy of my credit report before I even got into his office on Wednesday evening. Before ANY paperwork had been signed. He even said I never gave my social but they ran my credit report on Wednesday.

He kept saying they pulled my 'OFAC ' report and then stated, 'Oh we pulled an OFAC report and your credit report. ' He then said he was just a paper pusher and 'we 're not going to write a letter. ' I then was directed to speak with XXXX, who I was told was the acting General Manager.

In a brief four minute conversation, I was told they ran my credit, they did not need permission to run it. Also told me they had no means to contact the credit reporting agencies and would not be writing me a letter. 'If you're not buying a car, I don't owe you anything. '

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation