Consumer complaint received 2025-08-20 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Credit inquiries on your report that you don't recognize
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: NJ

Complaint narrative:
I am filing this complaint because Equifax continues to report an unauthorized hard inquiry that I never approved, despite my multiple disputes and requests for deletion. The inquiry in question is XXXX XX/XX/year>. 

Lack of Authorization and No Permissible Purpose I never applied for credit with THDCBNA, nor did I authorize them to access my consumer report. There is no credit relationship, no application, no signed authorization, and no tradeline tied to this inquiry either before or after the date of the inquiry. Under FCRA 604 ( a ) ( 3 ), every inquiry must be tied to a permissible purpose such as an application I initiated or express written instructions from me. None of those conditions exist. 

Multiple Disputes Ignored I have disputed this inquiry three separate times with Equifax. On all occasions, Equifax failed to produce a single piece of documentationno application, no signed authorization, and no records that would prove a permissible basis. Instead, Equifax responded with internal system notations and unverifiable data codes. That is not compliance. The law requires a reasonable reinvestigation under FCRA 611 ( a ) and 1681i ( a ), not a rubber-stamp response.

Willful Noncompliance by Equifax and the Furnisher By continuing to report this inquiry after notice and failing to correct or delete unverifiable data, Equifax and the furnisher are in violation of : FCRA 1681e ( b ) : Failing to ensure maximum possible accuracy.

FCRA 611 ( a ) : Failing to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation.

FCRA 1681s-2 ( b ) : Failing to correct or delete information that can not be verified after a dispute. 

Equifaxs repeated refusal to provide documentation shows a pattern of willful indifference to federal law. If proper authorization existed, it would have been provided during one of the multiple dispute cycles I submitted. The fact that it was not proves the inquiry is unauthorized and unverifiable. 

Damages and Harm Suffered This unauthorized inquiry is not harmless. Equifax is reporting it as a negative hard inquiry, which has lowered my credit score and reduced my creditworthiness. I have been placed at a disadvantage in credit applications and have experienced reputational harm because my credit file reflects an inquiry that should never have been there in the first place. 

I have also incurred time, cost, and stress in sending multiple certified disputes, tracking responses, and trying to correct data that should have been accurate from the start. The continued reporting of this inquiry after multiple failed investigations represents willful noncompliance under FCRA 616, exposing Equifax to liability for actual damages, statutory damages, and punitive damages.

Pattern of Systemic Failure This is not an isolated oversight. Equifaxs conduct shows a systemic failure to uphold the standards of the FCRA. Instead of obtaining or reviewing original source documentation, Equifax relies on unverifiable internal codes and furnisher database timestamps. That does not meet the statutory requirement of a reasonable investigation. 

By leaving this unauthorized inquiry on my file after multiple disputes, Equifax has undermined the integrity of my consumer report, misrepresented my credit history, and caused financial harm.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation