Consumer complaint received 2025-07-17 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: IL

Complaint narrative:
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Illinois, XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX To : TransUnion XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, PA XXXX Subject : Formal Demand to Delete Unlawful Hard Inquiries from Consumer Report RE : FCRA Violations Unauthorized Access of My Consumer File To Whom It May Concern : I am formally disputing several unauthorized and injurious hard inquiries appearing on my consumer report, which were accessed without my consent, without a permissible purpose, and are not linked to any open account or approved credit application.

Pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), 15 U.S.C. 1681b and 1681e ( b ), I demand the immediate removal of the inquiries listed below. These inquiries were either : Initiated without my knowledge or consent, Not tied to any approved credit account, XXXX performed under a false pretense of legitimate business need. 

Your agency has an obligation to ensure that every hard inquiry listed on my report meets the definition of a permissible purpose under 15 U.S.C. 1681b ( a ) and that all reported data is accurate and verifiable under 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ). 

Hard Inquiries to Be Deleted Immediately : Creditor / Company Name Date of Inquiry Reason for Dispute XXXX XXXX Inquired XX/XX/XXXX No credit application submitted XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XX/XX/XXXX No account opened or approved XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX permissible purpose ; no prior relationship XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX Inquiry was unauthorized and injurious XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX No permissible purpose ; no prior relations XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Inquiry was unauthorized and injurious XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX No account opened or approved Legal Basis for This Demand XXXX XXXX. XXXX ( f ) prohibits the acquisition of a consumer report unless the user is certified to have a permissible purpose. When an inquiry is not tied to an actual, initiated, or authorized transaction, it becomes a violation of federal law. 

In Federal Trade Commission XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX ( XXXX XXXX. XXXX ), the court held that consumer reports obtained without a valid permissible purpose violate the FCRA. Similarly, TransUnion XXXX v. FTC, XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX. XXXX ) affirms that inclusion of any data in a consumer report without a permissible useeven if derived from public or third-party sourcesconstitutes a reporting violation. 

You also have a continuing obligation under 15 U.S.C. 1681e ( b ) to assure maximum possible accuracy. Allowing unverified or unauthorized inquiries to remain on my credit file not only diminishes my credit score but creates an inaccurate, misleading profile that harms my access to housing, employment, and financial opportunities. 

Demand for XXXX XXXX Accordingly, I demand that you : Immediately delete each hard inquiry listed above. 

Provide written confirmation of removal. 

Disclose the name, address, and certification of each entity that requested my report. 

XXXX all documentation showing how each inquiry was verified and justified. 

Failure to comply will result in regulatory complaints filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ), the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ), and potential civil action for : Willful noncompliance under 15 U.S.C. 1681n, and Negligent noncompliance under 15 U.S.C. 1681o, seeking actual, statutory, and punitive damages, plus legal fees. 

You are hereby given XXXX calendar days to respond and correct this issue. 

Govern yourselves accordingly. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX [ Last XXXX Digits of XXXX : XXXX ] [ Date of Birth : XX/XX/XXXX ]

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation