Consumer complaint received 2015-05-20
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: FL
Product: Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of my credit report
Sub-issue: Report improperly shared by CRC

Complaint:
On Tuesday XXXX XXXX 2015 at XXXX I went into a XXXX, Fl XXXX Office and worked with XXXX XXXX. I asked XXXX does XXXX pull credit as a hard or soft inquiry. She responded that it would be a soft. I told her I only agree to a credit pull if it was a soft pull, NOT A HARD. She then assured me it was a soft pull that XXXX is not a bank they are a nonprofit organization that helps you get approved for a mortgage loan from an actual bank. I signed any and all paperwork under false pretenses from her indication this company was going to do a soft pull and they would not be able to do a hard pull on my credit. I filed a dispute with Equifax on XXXX/XXXX/2015. I continued to follow up with Equifax for XXXX days they then stated XXXX response to my dispute was " this pull was an authorized inquiry '', which indeed it was NOT. I 've been contacting this company about this issue since XXXX/XXXX/15 exactly one day after this incident occurred. I spoke with XXXX in the North Carolina office on XXXX/XXXX/15 she stated their regional office will contact me via email. I never heard from the company. I then called XXXX again on XXXX/XXXX/15 and spoke with XXXX in the North Carolina office and she stated she will file another complaint with their regional office and someone should give me a call back. I received a call back that same day ( XXXX/XXXX/15 ) from XXXX. XXXX stated XXXX told me the wrong information and there is nothing they can do about it. I 've ask the company to review their cameras in XXXX 's XXXX, Fl office on XXXX/XXXX/15. Therefore they can see the footage where clearly you will see me ask XXXX was this a hard or soft inquiry and her advising me it was a soft inquiry. I called XXXX multiple times on XXXX/XXXX/15 because XXXX reflected as a hard inquiry on my credit not a soft like she stated to me. I told XXXX I did n't authorize this hard pull, she agreed that I indeed asked was it hard or soft pull and that the company should not reflect as a hard inquiry only as a soft. After asking for her assistance to remove the hard inquiry she then stated " well I 've been working here for years and you 're the only person to say we show up as a hard inquiry on their credit. There is nothing we can do about it and this is n't the company for you. '' I told her to cancel my membership with this program because I do not want to be a part of it. The documents I signed were under false pretenses therefore this company needs to remove this hard inquiry off of my credit. After speaking with Equifax 's manager XXXX and researching similar cases I decided to contact XXXX legal department. I called their legal department on XXXX/XXXX/2015 and spoke with XXXX. He explained to me he never handled something like this so he would have someone call me back. I received a call back from XXXX in the executive office on XXXX/XXXX/15 he stated he would have to see if there is anything he could do and he would give me a call back within XXXX hours. I never received a call back from him. I called XXXX and left a voice mail on XXXX/XXXX/15. XXXX never contacted me. I then called him again on XXXX/XXXX/15 and left a voice mail and called me back that same day ( XXXX/XXXX/2015 ). XXXX stated " XXXX is not willing to admit they are at fault. I would have to pursue a lawsuit and or do a complaint with the credit bureaus. However if I decided to do those things XXXX will not admit to any wrong doing. '' He also stated I did n't call XXXX back until two days later to ask if it was a hard or soft pull, which indeed is a lie! ( I have my phone records to prove I called XXXX at the XXXX, Fl office on XXXX/XXXX/15 several times to get this off of my credit report because she told me in her office on XXXX/XXXX/15 they only do soft pulls. ) I was told the wrong information from a manager within this company. This company needs to remove this hard inquiry off of my credit.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation