Consumer complaint received 2025-11-28 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
As I reviewed my credit reports, I found a sequence of events that did not match anything I personallyrequested or approved. The story began earlier this year when unexpected alerts appeared showing several companies accessing my credit file. On XX/XX/XXXX, companies such as XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX all initiated hard inquiries without any application or written permission from me. Shortly before that, an inquiry from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX ) appeared, despite the fact that I have never contacted this company or applied for anything with them. I also noticed inquiries from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX dated XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX, even though I have never held an account or applied for credit with this institution. Under FCRA 604 ( a ) ( 3 ), a credit report may only be accessed with a permissible purpose, such as a consumer-initiated credit application, which did not occur with any of these companies. These inquiries therefore did not meet the legal standard required for accessing my credit file. 
Looking further back, I recalled browsing an online auto site in early XXXX simply to compare vehicle prices. I never submitted an application, never supplied my Social Security number, and never agreed to a credit evaluation. Yet on XX/XX/XXXX, a large number of inquiries appeared from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX These lenders pulled my credit as if I had applied with each of them individually, although I did not initiate any credit transaction. Shortly after, additional inquiries appeared from XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX ) and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XX/XX/XXXX ). Under FCRA 607 ( b ), the credit bureaus must ensure the maximum possible accuracy of the information they report. These inquiries do not reflect my actions, intentions, or authorization, and therefore they do not meet the accuracy standard required by federal law. Additionally, FCRA 609 ( a ) ( 1 ) grants me the right to know the exact purpose and basis used by each company to access my file, which I am now requesting from the bureaus as part of this dispute. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX As I continued reviewing my reports, I noticed a cluster of hard inquiries from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, and XX/XX/XXXX. I have never applied for membership, a loan, or any financial service with this credit union. Their repeated access to my report does not align with any request I have ever made. Under FCRA 602 ( a ), credit reporting must be fair and must reflect the actual behavior of the consumer ; these inquiries do not represent my behavior or any credit-seeking activity. Additionally, FCRA 611 ( a ) requires the credit bureaus to reinvestigate disputed information and delete any item that can not be verified as accurate or supported by a permissible purpose. Since I did not initiate any transaction with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, these inquiries lack the legal basis required under the FCRA to appear on my credit report.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation