Consumer complaint received 2025-07-19 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: M&T BANK CORPORATION
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Complaint Complainant Information Name : XXXX XXXX Business : XXXX XXXX, LLC Date of Incident : July 3-17, 2025 Companies Involved Primary : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX, XXXX, IA XXXX Secondary : LEAF Financial ( syndicate partner ) XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, PA XXXX Contact : XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) ________________________________________ Summary of Complaint I am filing this complaint regarding unauthorized hard credit inquiries, potential retaliation for exercising my rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), and possible violations of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act ( ECOA ). The respondents engaged in deceptive practices and potentially retaliatory lending behavior after I exercised my consumer protection rights. 
________________________________________ Detailed Account of Events Initial Contact and Misrepresentation ( XX/XX/year> ) On XX/XX/year>, I contacted Bright Financial Funding regarding business equipment financing. I was explicitly told by XXXX XXXX that only soft credit pulls would be conducted. This assurance was critical to my decision to proceed, as I maintain excellent credit and specifically avoid unnecessary hard inquiries. 
Based on this representation, I : Provided extensive financial documentation ( 10 attachments including bank statements ) Unfroze my credit reports with all three bureaus Proceeded with the application process Unauthorized Hard Credit Inquiry ( XX/XX/year> ) On XX/XX/year>, I received notification from XXXX XXXX XXXX that a hard credit inquiry had been performed on my credit report. When I immediately contacted XXXX XXXX, she initially denied this, stating they " only did a soft inquiry. '' However, upon providing proof of the hard inquiry notification, XXXX XXXX admitted that XXXX XXXX, a syndicate partner, had performed the unauthorized hard inquiry without my knowledge or consent. 
Initial Loan Approval ( XX/XX/year> ) After discovering the unauthorized inquiry, LEAF provided the following loan terms : Amount : {$97000.00} Down Payment : {$0.00} Term : 60 months Interest Rate : 10.5 % Monthly Payment : {$2000.00} Improved Terms Offered ( XX/XX/year> ) On XX/XX/year>, XXXX XXXX stated : " LEAF has agreed to lower the rate to XXXX on this private party deal. '' FCRA Dispute Filed ( XX/XX/year> ) Due to the unauthorized hard inquiry, I submitted a formal dispute letter under the Fair Credit Reporting Act on XX/XX/year>, demanding immediate remedial action. 
Retaliatory Terms Changes ( XX/XX/year> ) Immediately following my FCRA dispute, LEAF dramatically worsened the loan terms : Original Terms ( XXXX XXXX ) : Amount : {$97000.00} Down Payment : {$0.00} Interest Rate : XXXX % No prepayment penalty mentioned No personal guarantee mentioned Revised Terms ( XX/XX/XXXX ) : Amount Financed : {$77000.00} ( significant reduction ) Required Down Payment : 20 % ( {$19000.00} ) Interest Rate : 10.5 % ( increased from the 9.8 % offer ) Prepayment Penalty : Added Personal Guarantee : Required Retaliatory Statement and Admission Critical Evidence : On XX/XX/year>, XXXX XXXX told my husband via telephone that LEAF Financial had changed the loan terms because they were " mad '' about my dispute letter. This direct admission establishes that the adverse action was taken in retaliation for exercising my rights under federal consumer protection laws.

Questionable Justification Using Stale Information LEAF claimed the revised terms were due to " 2 prior bankruptcies '' discovered during due diligence. However : These bankruptcies are more than 10 years old Under FCRA 605 ( a ), bankruptcies older than 10 years are not legally reportable They do not appear on my current credit reports This information should not have influenced lending decisions ________________________________________ Legal Violations 1. Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) Violations Unauthorized Hard Inquiry : LEAF performed a hard credit pull without my explicit consent Improper Use of Stale Information : Using 10+ year old bankruptcy information that is no longer reportable under FCRA 605 ( a ) 2. Equal Credit Opportunity Act ( ECOA ) Violations Retaliation : Materially adverse changes to loan terms immediately following the exercise of consumer protection rights Discriminatory Practice : Using non-reportable credit information to justify adverse action 3. Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Acts or Practices ( UDAAP ) Deceptive Practice : Misrepresenting that only soft credit pulls would be conducted Abusive Practice : Retaliating against consumer for exercising legal rights Unfair Practice : Substantially changing agreed-upon terms after consumer filed legitimate dispute 4. Truth in Lending Act ( TILA ) Concerns Material changes to credit terms without proper disclosure Failure to provide required disclosures regarding the nature of credit inquiries ________________________________________ Evidence Documentation 1. Email Thread : Complete correspondence from July 3-17, 2025 2. Credit Inquiry Notification : XXXX XXXX XXXX alert dated XX/XX/year> XXXX. Written Loan Offers : Documentation of original terms and subsequent changes 4. FCRA Dispute Letter : Formal dispute submitted XX/XX/year> XXXX. Witness Testimony : My husband 's account of the XX/XX/year> phone conversation where XXXX XXXX admitted terms were changed because LEAF was " mad '' about the dispute available upon request ________________________________________ Requested Resolution 1. Immediate Removal : Complete removal of the unauthorized hard inquiry from all credit reports 2. Investigation : Full investigation into LEAF Financial 's lending practices and potential violations 3. Penalties : Appropriate penalties for violations of FCRA, ECOA, and UDAAP regulations 4. Policy Changes : Requiring clear disclosure of all potential credit inquiry types and syndicate partners 5. Compensation : Damages for the impact on my credit profile and the time spent addressing this matter ________________________________________ Impact Statement This experience has : Resulted in an unauthorized negative impact on my credit report Required significant time and effort to address and document Caused concern about potential future credit applications Demonstrated a concerning pattern of retaliation against consumers who exercise their legal rights The admission that terms were changed because the lender was " mad '' about my legitimate FCRA dispute is particularly troubling and suggests a systemic issue with how this company responds to consumer protection complaints.

________________________________________ Supporting Documentation Attached Complete email correspondence thread Credit inquiry notifications FCRA dispute letter Loan term documentation Evidence of revised terms following dispute Date : XX/XX/year> Signature : XXXX XXXX

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