Consumer complaint received 12-01-2017 about Vehicle loan or lease (Loan) with Home Loan Center, Inc. (NJ).
Issue: Getting a loan or lease
Sub-issue: Confusing or misleading advertising or marketing

Complaint: I was researching for the potential purchase of a used vehicle on XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. On a dealer 's website, I was referred to XXXX XXXX for potential pre-qualification for an auto loan. XXXX XXXX 's website discloses a soft pull is done for their loans. I proceed through the process and at the end, press the " I '' button for information prior to submitting my request and I was provided the following disclosure : " When you provide the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number you are applying for credit with lenders matched to you on our network. XXXX will perform a soft pull of credit from one or more of thre three major credit bureaus, verify your identity, and then pass the information provided and your full Social Security Number to up to 5 partners. '' I then pressed " View Free Offers '' and the process continued to see if I was pre-qualified. The use of " free offers '' and disclosing a soft pull will be performed is misleading, as a hard pull was done from XXXX that same day by XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ). I found out via an alert from my credit monitoring service. Mostly anyone that is excited to potentially get a loan for a new vehicle may fall victim to these " disclosures '' and " free offers '', as evidenced by my situation. 

I called XXXX today, XXXX/XXXX/XXXX, and explained the situation. They advised they do a hard or soft pull depending on how XXXX sends the information to them. I explained their disclosure shows a soft pull only, which is the only reason I moved forward with the inquiry. They said there is nothing they can do and I have to go dispute with XXXX. I had spoken with someone named XXXX at XXXX. I then called XXXX at XXXX and spoke with XXXX. She said the website disclosures soft pulls, but for auto loans a hard pull is done. 

This goes against what I read on the disclosure. She told me it shows it at the last page where I submitted the information before clicking " view free offers ''. I navigated through the website with her on the phone and she guided me all the way to the bottom of the page, where it reads at the end of the page " These partners may perform a hard pull of your credit profile to provide you with firm offers of credit. '' She was no longer interested in the conversation and moved quickly to end the call. Showed no concern for the situation or how I was affected by the misleading disclosures. 

I am frustrated, hurt, and appalled that financial institutions are allowed to prey on consumers this way. XXXX clearly states there is a soft pull done in the difficult-to-miss disclosure right next to the " View Free Offers '' button. It is clever marketing designed to work against consumers. The disclosure the representative from XXXX guided me to simply states " to provide you with firm offers of credit '' at the end of the disclosure. This can be interpreted as a hard pull can be completed on the consumer 's credit once you receive the offers from the soft pull that is being done. Again, it continues to be misleading. I hope that you are able to help me have this resolved and this unauthorized, hard pull removed from my credit report. These are deceptive business practices that should not be allowed. Thank you.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation