Consumer complaint received 2019-07-05
Company: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: MD
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:
RE : Experian hindering/obstructing investigation of illegal Hard Inquiry on Credit Report Dear Sir or Madam : In XX/XX/2019, I received a copy of my FICO Score from XXXX XXXX which showed that my score had dropped to XXXX from a lower XXXX range. As you know XXXX is the highest FICO score. I was most curious about this, as I had not opened any new accounts nor made any major purchases. 

I contacted Experian and found to my surprise that there was a Hard Inquiry on my credit report, from a firm called XXXX , XXXX at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, # XXXX, XXXX NC XXXX. Their inquiry was on XX/XX/2019. I have had no dealings with such a firm and would like to know how they acquired my name and address and why they were curious about my credit. See attachment, XXXX XXXX NC inquiry. 

The sentence above their address says when applying for credit or financing as a result of a collection this Hard Inquiry will appear on your credit report. I have never had any collection proceedings in my life and I knew immediately that someone had accessed my credit report illegally. If I had a collection, I would not have a FICO score in the XXXX range which I have had for years. The Fair Credit Reporting Act prohibits accessing someones credit report without their permission and it is a federal offense punishable by fines. Normally only an employer or a landlord would do this, and I have neither. I need to find out who did this. 

In speaking with Experian, they said I had to contact XXXX, to find out why they did this. I wrote to XXXX, XXXX in XXXX NC ( letter attached ) and also called them two or three times but they never responded to the letter or the phone calls. It makes me think their location is an empty office with a phone. 

I then contacted XXXX XXXX XXXX of the XXXX Law Firm in XXXX MD to see if he could make any headway finding out who put this hard inquiry on my credit report. He has also found Experian to be most uncooperative in helping us find the name of a person at XXXX who put this inquiry on my credit account. ( See letter from XXXX XXXX at Experian ). We are just going around in circles with them. There are no judgements against me now, nor have there ever been, nor collections against me. XXXX XXXX just referred us back to XXXX and they do not respond. 

Experian has to have some document or documentation from XXXX, XXXX or the name of the person at XXXX and their personal contact number who submitted this hard inquiry for my credit report. I can not believe they just would accept a credit inquiry anonymously or without some proof of the need of such a credit inquiry. If this were so, anyone could do this to someone else. Their failure to assist us in this investigation of a Federal offense is alarming. XXXX XXXX has also tried to speak with XXXX XXXX by phone but she did not return his call.

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