Consumer complaint received 2025-07-05 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Reporting company used your report improperly
Company: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
I am filing this complaint against Experian for including multiple unauthorized and unverified hard inquiries on my credit report. These inquiries were made without my knowledge or consent and I did not initiate any applications with these entities. As per the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), specifically Section 604 ( a ) ( 3 ), no one has the right to access a consumers credit report without a legitimate permissible purpose. These unauthorized inquiries have caused direct harm to my credit score, financial credibility, and mental well-being. I request the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to investigate this matter and compel Experian to remove these inquiries immediately and ensure full compliance with federal law XXXX XXXX XXXX Date of Inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : This inquiry is unauthorized and was made without my consent. I did not apply for any credit, loan, or financing from XXXX XXXX XXXX. I have never done business with this company, and I have no existing accounts or pending applications with them Law : FCRA 604 ( a ) ( 3 ) requires a permissible purpose for pulling a consumer report. FCRA 607 ( a ) obligates Experian to follow reasonable procedures to ensure accuracy. FCRA 611 ( a ) grants me the right to dispute unauthorized information Story : I regularly monitor my credit and I noticed this hard inquiry without any prior notice, communication, or application. This is a clear sign of either negligent data handling or potential identity misuse. It is deeply concerning that Experian allowed this inquiry without verifying authorization. I am seeking immediate deletion and a full investigation into how this was allowed to appear on my credit file XXXX XXXX XXXX Date of Inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : I never gave this company permission to access my credit file. I have no relationship with XXXX XXXX XXXX and did not apply for any vehicle financing or credit involving them Law : FCRA 604 ( a ) ( 3 ) prohibits credit inquiries without permissible purpose. FCRA 607 ( a ) ensures reporting agencies use reasonable care in their procedures. FCRA 611 ( a ) gives consumers the right to dispute any such error Story : This inquiry was never authorized by me and appeared without cause. I fear this may be due to a data-sharing error or even fraud. Experian has an obligation to prevent unauthorized access to personal credit data, and they have failed in this case. I am requesting prompt removal and an explanation of the lack of safeguards that permitted this access XXXX XXXX Date of Inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : This is another unauthorized inquiry on the same date from a related party, making it a duplicate violation. I never applied for financing or credit through XXXX XXXX XXXX : FCRA 604 ( a ) ( 3 ), 607 ( a ), and 611 ( a ) apply here as well. Multiple unauthorized inquiries increase the damage to my credit and reflect poor oversight by Experian Story : This duplicate inquiry without my consent reflects serious mishandling of my credit data. It appears my information may have been used without permission or mistakenly submitted by a dealership or third party. Experian allowed multiple entities to access my credit without verifying any legitimate intent or customer relationship. This is unacceptable and dangerous to my financial health XXXX XXXX  Date of Inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : I have no business connection with XXXX XXXX and did not authorize any credit inquiry from them. I have not interacted with any associated dealerships or financing agents Law : FCRA 604 ( a ) ( 3 ) restricts access to consumer reports. FCRA 607 ( a ) and 611 ( a ) reinforce consumer protections and dispute rights Story : I was shocked to find this inquiry on my credit report. I had no prior dealings with this entity and gave no written or verbal consent. Experians failure to detect and block this unauthorized inquiry shows inadequate compliance with the FCRA and lack of consumer data protection. This inquiry must be removed immediately and Experian should investigate the source of this access XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Date of Inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : This is an unauthorized hard inquiry that I did not request. I never submitted a credit application or authorized this bank to check my credit Law : FCRA 604 ( a ) ( 3 ), 607 ( a ), and 611 ( a ) clearly establish that such inquiries must be based on a consumer-initiated transaction or written consent Story : I did not request any service, credit card, or financial product from XXXX XXXX XXXX around this time. This inquiry was placed without a permissible purpose. It is troubling that such an institution could access my data without verification of my intent. I am highly concerned about the security of my identity and credit profile. I demand this inquiry be removed and request confirmation that my information was not misused XXXX XXXX XXXX Date of Inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : I did not seek any loan, credit, or financing from XXXX. I have never done business with them and did not authorize any inquiry Law : FCRA 604 ( a ) ( 3 ), 607 ( a ), and 611 ( a ) are applicable. This inquiry was reported without any evidence of my consent Story : This unauthorized inquiry was done almost a year ago, and it still appears on my credit report despite multiple attempts to correct it. I have never interacted with this company, and Experian has no proof of permissible purpose. This raises serious concerns about Experian 's internal controls and their lack of responsibility in protecting consumer data. I am requesting the CFPB to intervene and ensure this inquiry is removed permanently XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Date of Inquiry : XX/XX/XXXX Issue : I never applied for any loan or financing involving XXXX XXXX I did not authorize any dealership or third-party service to pull my credit in their name Law : Under FCRA 604 ( a ) ( 3 ), Experian must ensure that any inquiry is conducted only after the consumers consent is obtained. FCRA 607 ( a ) requires Experian to maintain strict verification procedures. FCRA 611 ( a ) gives me the right to dispute false or inaccurate information Story : This inquiry was made without my knowledge or approval. I had no car purchase, loan request, or financial interaction involving XXXX XXXX. I suspect my information was used improperly or bundled by an auto dealer without my permission. Experians failure to validate the legitimacy of this inquiry has caused damage to my credit file. I request this inquiry be deleted immediately and Experian held accountable for this failure Experian has failed to comply with the FCRA by reporting inquiries that were not authorized and failing to validate the presence of permissible purpose. I am requesting the CFPB to take immediate enforcement action, compel Experian to delete these unauthorized inquiries, and ensure that better procedures are in place to prevent recurrence. These actions have caused financial harm and distress and violated my rights as a consumer under federal law

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation