Consumer complaint received 2019-08-12
Company: Paramount GR Holdings, LLC
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: Reporting company used your report improperly

Complaint:
We were seriously considering getting solar power and got an estimate from XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX from XXXX XXXX at ( XXXX ) XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, AZ XXXX AZROC # XXXX ) came out on XX/XX/XXXX. Everything sounded great and he said he would need to do a " soft inquiry '' to see what our credit scores were. I did not want this hitting as a hard inquiry or as a credit check and XXXX GUARANTEED that it was only a soft inquiry because all he used was that last 4 of our social security number and date of birth. Since he assured me that it wouldn't show on our credit and would " only be a soft hit '', we gave him this information, nothing else nor did we sign anything. The next day it was listed under our credit reports as a hard inquiry by " XXXX ''. I immediately reached out to XXXX XXXX from XXXX XXXX and he again said, " no, it's a soft hit .. nothing to worry about ''. I had issues with this response and felt it was incorrect. I continued researching and found it was indeed listed as a " hard inquiry '' and I wanted it removed. On XX/XX/XXXX, i sent an email to XXXX with screen shots proving it was a hard inquiry and asked him to research it and get it removed from our profiles. After no response, I sent another email to XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX after no response to which he responded on XX/XX/XXXX apologizing for never seeing the original email and said he would look into it and get back to me ... I sent another email on XX/XX/XXXX .. another on XX/XX/XXXX with **FINAL EMAIL** in the subject line to which I did receive his response of " this was an oversight on my part ... I dropped the ball .. I have been advised it is a soft inquiry '', etc ... he said he would " have a response from his representative on XX/XX/XXXX '' XXXX no follow up from XXXX ... I sent another email on XX/XX/XXXX and his response was " As I do not work for loan pal of the credit reporting bureaus I have been informed you will need to go to each credit reporting site & challenge the inquiry ''. This was not our mistake and we shouldn't have to do all this foot work to get something removed that was done ILLEGALLY and without our consent nor permission. After receiving an " Adverse Action Notice '' from Loanpal dated XX/XX/XXXX stating we have been " denied credit '' because our " credit score is too low '', I called Loanpal @ ( XXXX ) XXXX on XXXX and was transferred to with XXXX  in Partner Relations at ( XXXX ) XXXX. I explained the situation and he said he would check and get back with me. When I asked when that might be, he said " once I hear something '' .. I could not get a timeframe what so ever from him .. after not hearing anything for several days, I called again on XX/XX/XXXX. I asked if he heard anything and after pulling up my file said " yes, you applied for credit so they ran your credit ''. I was not only furious that he had a response and didn't call me but also that he said we gave permission and they ran our credit .. I explained this is not what we were told and we only gave the last 4 of our ss # and he said that was how they pulled our credit and got our credit scores and maybe they advised us incorrectly. After going back and forth and pleading my case, I said that I want a copy of whatever was submitted because we " were not applying for credit '' and " did not want a hit on our credit ''. He said he would call the underwriters and have an answer in 5 minutes. This was on XX/XX/XXXX and it is now XX/XX/XXXX and he has yet to call me. 

My complaint is against BOTH companies. We have been misled, given incorrect information and lied to. I questioned this from day 1 and presented evidence to XXXX from XXXX XXXX to which he dismissed as a " soft inquiry. XXXX was there every time we needed something and had answers for every question we had but once we said we were not going to go thru with Solar Panels, he was " unavailable '' and " unable to help '' fix HIS error he created and turned this back onto us, the customer, to get removed from our credit files. He was super nice when we were interested and always there for us but this is not how you treat people and horrible customer service from both companies. Very disappointed.

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