Consumer complaint received 2020-05-22
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: NY
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:
I had a lease from XXXX XXXX XXXX that was not ending until XX/XX/XXXX. In XXXX of XXXX, they called and asked if I was interested in a new lease, I said no, I like my car and my lease wasn't up until XX/XX/XXXX. The sales person kept calling and pressuring me so I eventually went to dealership. I explained to them that I knew my credit score was low, but I was told that because I was an existing customer and this was my 2nd car with them, that I was guaranteed approval. I filled out their credit application and after waiting for several hours I was eventually told I had to make downpayment of {$3000.00} to get a new vehicle. I of course was not prepared for this so I declined and left. 

I checked my credit report a couple weeks later and saw that were 14 new inquiries added to my credit report. I was shocked and upset. XXXX XXXX XXXX never told me they would run my credit with 14 different banks. They had told me that because I already had a lease and I had a good payment history with them, I was guaranteed a new vehicle regardless of my credit score. They lied. 

I have attached the inquiries which all have the same date of XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. 

In XX/XX/XXXX I was once again contacted by XXXX XXXX XXXX by a sales associate by the name of XXXX who once again was promising to get me into a new lease. I explained to her what had happened before and that I was not interested in having 14 new inquiries added to my report again like they did last time and that I did not have {$3000.00} to make down payment either. 

XXXX from XXXX XXXX XXXX assured me that my credit will only be run with 1 bank and that I would not have to make any downpayment. She sent me a link by text and asked me to fill out credit application before I even came into the dealership. I filled out application was told by XXXX I could come and pick up car on Saturday. 

I have attached the copy of the text. 

So I went to dealership and upon walking in I was approached by at least 3 XXXX staff members who told me I could not speak with XXXX and tried to usher me into a room. While they are doing this I can see XXXX hiding in the background trying to avoid making eye contact with me. This was very weird and I asked why? They told me that XXXX was stealing other sales teams accounts and I had to speak to my original salesperson. This was very disturbing and very unprofessional to me as I had spoken to her several times and had shared my personal information with her, my social security number, financials, etc. 

So after sitting there for hours I was told by this different salesperson that I had to pay down {$2000.00} for new lease because of my credit score. I was very upset because I was told to come in to pick up a vehicle that was already approved by credit application I submitted with XXXX by text earlier. He told me that was a lie because she had never even ran the application and doesnt know why she would tell me that knowing it was not guaranteed. 

So they lied to me a second time. 

A couple weeks pass and I go to check my credit report and AGAIN they have added another 14 new inquiries to my credit report. All dated XX/XX/XXXX. I was infuriated as I was promised by XXXX XXXX XXXX that this would not happen again. I have a total of 28 inquiries on my credit report because of them pressuring me to get into a new lease that I never asked for. 

I have attached inquires. 

When I called XXXX XXXX XXXX to complain about the matter I was told that XXXX was fired and no longer works there and they would not provide me with any more information. I suspect that she has ruined many peoples credit working there and they must have known she was doing this and they are now trying to disassociate themselves from her when she worked for their company and was authorized to do this by them. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX took advantage of me. They harassed me by calling me constantly to pressure me into getting a new lease even though I still had 6-8 months left on my existing lease and was happy with my current vehicle. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX decided to play XXXX roulette with my credit score by submitting these credit applications over and over to all these different 14 banks hoping that one of them would hit and they could get me into a new car lease for their benefit. Even when I told them my credit score was low, they didnt care they still ran my credit. Even when I told them the 2nd time I didnt want all these inquiries I was lied to and told it would only be 1 bank.

I am now suffering from having these 28 inquiries on my report and it makes me look like a bad and risky consumer. They lied and took advantage of me and I would like these inquiries removed.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation