Consumer complaint received 2026-01-15 00:00:00
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Loan
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: ALLY FINANCIAL INC.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
In XX/XX/XXXXXX/XX/XXXXXX/XX/XXXX I purchased a used vehicle through a dealership. During the transaction, dealership staff informed me that financing had already been approved before I had any knowledge that my credit had been accessed or that a credit application had been submitted. 

I did not complete or sign a credit application, nor did I authorize Ally Financial ( or any lender ) to obtain my consumer credit report. All documents were presented for electronic signature on a tablet, without the ability to view or review the full documents. No printed paperwork was provided until after electronic signatures were completed, keys were issued, and the vehicle was delivered. I did not review the printed documents until later that evening. 

My credit report later showed that Ally Financial accessed my creditXX/XX/XXXX on the same day in connection with this transaction. I did not authorize either inquiry and was never informed that my credit would be accessed more than once. Each inquiry constitutes a separate act requiring a permissible purpose and valid consumer authorization under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ). 

After I was told financing had already been approved, I was instructed by dealership staff to confirm an income amount by phone with an Ally representative. This call occurred after my credit had already been accessed and approval had already been communicated. This interaction did not constitute authorization for either credit inquiry and did not include any disclosure that my credit had already been accessed. 

Automated emails indicating that a credit application had been submitted were sent to my email address during the transaction, without my awareness at the time. These system-generated emails were not reviewed until later and do not reflect consumer-initiated or consumer-authorized action. 

I later requested from Ally Financial copies of the signed credit application and the written authorization relied upon to access my consumer report. Ally did not provide these documents and instead directed me back to the dealership. As the lender that accessed my creditXX/XX/XXXX, funded the loan, and reported the account, Ally Financial is responsible for maintaining documentation supporting permissible purpose for each inquiry. 

The credit inquiries associated with this transaction did not appear on my credit report at or near the time of purchase and instead appeared months later, causing sudden credit score drops. My XX/XX/XXXXFICO Score decreased by approximately XXXX points in XX/XX/XXXX and an additional XXXX points in XX/XX/XXXX, despite positive credit activity during the same period. This delayed appearance raises concerns regarding improper inquiry timing, transmission, or post-transaction reporting without a permissible purpose. 

Although approximately {$1100.00} in financed charges was later reallocated internally within the loan balance, this accounting adjustment did not result in any cash refund to me, did not return my {$2000.00} down payment or my XXXX loan payments of {$370.00}, and did not remedy the interest charged, credit damage, or harm caused by underwriting based on unauthorized credit access. 

I am requesting that the CFPB investigate Ally Financials unauthorized access and use of my consumer report, require production of the written authorization relied upon for each inquiry, require certification of permissible purpose, evaluate inquiry timing, correct and remove unauthorized credit reporting, prohibit any further access to my consumer report without new express authorization, and require appropriate financial remediation to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation