Consumer complaint received 2020-06-25
Company: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: CA
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 Monday XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted Experian at ( XXXX ) XXXX and asked to speak with a fraud specialist after receiving 6 alerts about new inquiries that recently appeared on my credit file from XXXX which is a credit monitoring service that I pay for. My call to Experian was to file disputes about the 6 fraudulent inquiries that appeared on my credit file on XX/XX/XXXX. I was connected to XXXX at Experian. I explained to XXXX that I had a fraud alert on my credit file and I wanted to know how 6 fraudulent inquiries were on my credit file and I also explained to XXXX that I had not recently applied for credit, a loan or any loan for that matter and that the inquiries were submitted fraudulently and that I would like to dispute the fraudulent inquiries. XXXX told me that Experian would not allow me to dispute these fraudulent inquiries in my credit file because I recently lifted a security freeze. I explained to XXXX that I did in fact temporarily lift my security freeze because I was in the process of opening up a new business account with XXXX XXXX  and that in order for XXXX XXXX  to evaluate my credit worthiness, XXXX XXXX  required that I temporarily lift the security freeze so they could check my credit. This security freeze is not to be confused with the existing extended fraud alert that I have on my credit file. The security freeze was an additional layer of protection afforded to me by Experian to protect my credit. Experian offers the option online at https : //www.experian.com/freeze/center.html where consumers can temporarily lift, permanently lift or add a security freeze. I utilized this feature provided by Experian so that I may conduct my business with XXXX XXXX  in regard to opening a new business checking account. Apparently, someone had fraudulent access to my social security number applied for credit in my name during the time the security freeze was momentarily lifted by me. I explained to XXXX that just because I lifted a security freeze temporarily, to conduct financial business this does not mean that I applied for credit 6 different times and that I wished to file a dispute. XXXX continued to tell me that Experian would be unable to dispute any inquiries made while this security freeze was temporarily lifted and that I would not be able to dispute the inquiries. XXXX went on to tell me that I should contact each of the companies that inquired into my credit file. I told XXXX that it was my right as a consumer to dispute any inaccurate or fraudulent information found in my credit file and that Experian has an obligation to investigate my claim of fraud with the companies that were listed in my credit file. Again, XXXX refused to dispute any of the fraudulent inquiries or assist me in anyway. At this point, I asked XXXX to connect me with a supervisor. After a brief hold, XXXX returned to the call and notified me that her supervisor XXXX was unavailable and that she would have her supervisor contact me. After being notified by XXXX that I would be receiving a call from her supervisor XXXX, I ended the call. 

On XX/XX/XXXX after my call to Experian/XXXX, I proceeded to contact several of the banks listed on my credit file to inform them that the hard inquiries conducted were fraudulent and not initiated by me, nor did anyone have any permissible purpose to check my credit for a loan and that I have not applied for a loan ever. I also explained to the representatives that the fraudulent inquiries needed to be removed immediately. I was successful in contacting three of the 6 banks that pulled my credit. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted XXXX XXXX at ( XXXX ) XXXX and I was told by their representative that I would have to write a letter about the fraudulent inquiry and that it would take 45-60 days to have it removed. I was also told by the representative that the application was denied because I had an existing fraud alert. I was also told that the application for credit was submitted by a car dealership, but the representative refused to give me any information about the car dealership or the application and its contents. This fraudulent inquiry remains on my credit. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I contacted XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX at ( XXXX ) XXXX and was told that one of their credit application representatives would reach out to me via phone. On XX/XX/XXXX XXXX from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX called me and I began to explained the fraudulent inquiry to her. XXXX expressed her apology for the hard inquiry and told me that she would contact Experian to remove the inquiry. I asked XXXX about the credit application and its contents and XXXX revealed to me that an application was made in my name by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and that the date of birth on the application did not match my information. She also told me about other discrepancies found in the fraudulent credit application. She told me that the date of birth they had on the application is XX/XX/XXXX and that is not my date of birth. I was relieved to finally get some confirmation about the fraudulent credit application submitted in my name using my social security number and told XXXX that I would be forwarding the information she gave me to Detective XXXX of the XXXX Police Department because there is an on going criminal case, criminal case number XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I contacted XXXX XXXX at ( XXXX ) XXXX and was told that no one was available to handle my issue and that someone would call me back. As of today, XX/XX/XXXX I have not received a call from this financial institution and the fraudulent inquiry remains on my credit. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I contacted XXXX XXXX at ( XXXX ) XXXX and have not obtained any resolution nor have I been able to contact anyone that can assist me with this fraudulent inquiry. This inquiry remains. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I contacted XXXX/XXXX  XXXX at XXXX  different numbers which are ( XXXX ) XXXX, ( XXXX ) XXXX and ( XXXX ) XXXX and have been completely unsuccessful in finding someone at this institution that could assist me. As a matter of fact, the phone number listed with the inquiry of this company on Experian, ( XXXX ) XXXX is not even a working number. I had to use XXXX to locate a phone number and even then, no one is willing to assist me, and I was given the run around. This fraudulent inquiry still exists on my credit file. 

Now that I am a business banking customer with XXXX XXXX, I will be contacting my financial institution ( XXXX XXXX  ) to dispute their fraudulent inquiry made on XX/XX/XXXX. However, I will not continue to chase around companies I know nothing about hoping to get fraudulent credit inquiries removed from my credit file that I never permitted or authorized in the first place. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I again contacted Experian about the fraudulent credit inquiries and requested that they be disputed due to fraud. I was told by Experians fraud specialist XXXX, that Experian would not conduct any investigation into the fraudulent credit inquiries. This fraud specialist went on to tell me that the reason they will not investigate the inquiries is because they were made with a code " permissible purpose '' and that I made my credit available to these creditors. I argued that the inquiries were not permissible and that there is a stark difference in permissible and fraud. I reminded this representative that the inquiries were made fraudulently and that I have never applied for any of these loans. Again, the representative refused to open an investigation or dispute. 

I would like to express my absolute disappointment and frustration with Experian in blocking, denying and refusing to dispute these fraudulent inquiries. On one hand they allowed all six of these financial institutions to pull fraudulent hard inquiries on my credit file allowing both my personal and business reputation to be damaged even though I have an existing extended fraud alert which is supposed to prevent this very thing. On the other hand, Experian refuses to take any action and is also blocking and preventing me as a consumer to dispute fraudulent inquiries on my own personal credit file. Experian 's refusal to conduct an investigation or allow a dispute requested by me is irresponsible and negligent. By allowing these fraudulent hard inquiries and refusing me the right to dispute the fraudulent inquiries is unlawful and has damaged my credit and credit worthiness. According to the FCRA, Experian is obligated to dispute any incorrect or fraudulent information found in a personal credit file. 

As a victim of identity theft and fraud, I have done everything required by Experian to protect myself from fraud by locking my credit file, adding an extended fraud alert that lasts for 7 years, filing an identity theft report with my local police department, filing an identity theft report with the FCC, sending in my identification to Experian to prove my identity, utility bill to prove residence and I even sent in a 50 page XXXX Police report provided to me by Detective XXXX of the XXXX Police Department regarding the identity theft and fraud/case number XXXX. 

In closing my complaint, I would once again like to request that Experian open a dispute into the fraudulent inquiries for credit that were not authorized by me, conducted by me or requested by me nor permitted by me. I have not applied for credit with any of the above listed financial institutions ever, at any point in time, period and all 6 requests for credit were fraudulently obtained. I am highly aware that the date of birth on the fraudulent credit application differs from mine. While I am willing to work with Experian in resolving these issues, I will not allow Experian to continue to cause harm to my credit by allowing fraudulent inquiries to remain on my credit file by blocking a dispute request, nor will I hesitate to seek legal counsel and seek damages in the highest amount possible for Experian 's negligence in making my credit file available for fraudulent access and their refusal to dispute these fraudulent inquiries as obligated by law. Experian has been notified by me that the inquiries are fraudulent and at this point, Experian is ignoring my requests to dispute and has expressed their refusal to do anything about the fraudulent requests for my credit history.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation