Consumer complaint received 08/13/2017 about Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports (Credit reporting) with EQUIFAX, INC. (MN).
Issue: Improper use of your report
Sub-issue: Credit inquiries on your report that you don't recognize

Complaint: I would like to make a formal complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that XXXX performed an authorized credit inquiry on my behalf and I would like this fraudulent act investigated. Here is a summary of events : I am in the process on buying a house. On XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX pulled my credit report with my permission because I wanted to know my loan options ( e.g. loan rate, amount available to borrow. etc. ). My credit score was XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX pulled my credit report again, also with my permission, because I had found a house I wanted to buy and requested to proceed with a mortgage application. To my surprise and dismay, my credit score dropped 3 points to XXXX. I was surprised because for the last 18 months I have been steadily paying down my credit card balance and my credit score had been consistently going up ( I track it via XXXX  XXXX and most of my credit cards offer FICO score as a free service ). I was dismayed because I was now under the credit threshold of XXXX and therefore my mortgage application was in jeopardy of being declined. While reviewing this most recent credit report, I noticed an unfamiliar inquiry from XXXX on my credit report. After some research, I discovered XXXX  stands for XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and according to my recent credit report I applied for a XXXX credit card on XX/XX/XXXX. This is incorrect. The XXXX credit inquiry on XX/XX/XXXX is an unauthorized credit inquiry on my credit report. I did not apply for a XXXX credit. Upon more research, I discovered that I am not the only individual that this has happened to. When I XXXX XXXX unauthorized credit pull I found a plethora of forums and community boards with post from people who are experiencing this same issueXXXX preforming unauthorized credit inquires on people who did not request a XXXX credit card. I called XXXX and their customer service representative told me I must have accidently applied for a XXXX credit card. This is false. I did not accidently apply for a XXXX credit card. People do not accidently apply for credit cards. The representative told me she could not do anything to assist me. I then read her a response from one of the online forums which said, Call XXXX at XXXX XXXX XXXX and tell them you would like the hard inquiry removed from your credit report. They will then give you this fax number XXXX to send the following info : PLEASE REMOVE ALL INQUIRIES RELATED TO XXXX AND XXXX XXXX FROM MY CREDIT REPORT. Include ( 1 ) Date of inquiry reported on credit report, ( 2 ) Full Name, ( 3 ) Phone number, ( 4 ) Last 4 of social, ( 5 ) Email address, ( 6 ) Physical address, and ( 7 ) DOB. I asked the XXXX representative if this information was correct. She responded and said Yes, thats correct. This indicates to me that XXXX is aware of these unauthorized credit inquiries and instead of resolving the problem XXXX is misleading consumers into thinking they accidently applied for a XXXX credit card. I have faxed XXXX documentation stating I did not make or authorize any XXXX credit card applications ( uploaded as an attachment ). I would like to make a formal complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that XXXX performed an authorized credit inquiry on my behalf and I would like this fraudulent act investigated. Thank you,

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation