Consumer complaint received 2025-11-04 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: FL

Complaint narrative:
Subject : Unauthorized Credit Inquiries, Improper Disclosure of Consumer Reports, and Failure to Conduct a Lawful Reinvestigation I am filing this formal complaint against Equifax Information Services LLC, Experian Information Solutions Inc., and TransUnion LLC for their continued violation of my rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) and the XXXX XXXX data furnishing standards. Each bureau has published and maintained unauthorized credit inquiries on my consumer file that I did not initiate, consent to, or authorize. These inquiries were made by entities such as XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX. The presence of these inquiries constitutes a direct violation of FCRA 604 ( a ), which explicitly limits the permissible purposes for accessing a consumers credit report. 

The law states that a consumer reporting agency may furnish a consumer report only under certain conditions, such as a firm offer of credit, employment verification, an insurance application, or a valid court order. None of the inquiries reflected on my credit files fall within those categories, nor have any of the bureaus provided documentation demonstrating that I ever authorized them. Furthermore, I have not received any signed applications, written consent forms, or electronic signatures that would establish a permissible purpose. This lack of documentation means that these inquiries were furnished without lawful authorization, violating FCRA 607 ( a ) and 1681b. 

The inclusion of these inquiries on my consumer report has caused measurable harm to my credit reputation and financial stability. Each unauthorized inquiry lowered my credit score and presented a misleading picture of my credit-seeking behavior. This misinformation directly affects my access to housing, auto financing, and other essential credit opportunities. Under FCRA 607 ( b ), the credit bureaus have a duty to maintain maximum possible accuracy in their reporting. Publishing unverified, non-consensual inquiries constitutes a failure to meet that standard. 

My attached correspondence to the bureaus made it clear that I am not disputing legitimate inquiries. I am disputing those that were conducted without my authorization or permissible purpose. In each case, I requested physical proof of authorization, including my signature or an electronic consent record, as required by law. None of the bureaus have provided such evidence. Instead, they have responded with form letters or failed to provide any response within the timeframe required under FCRA 611 ( a ). These actions represent not only negligence but also willful noncompliance under 616 and 617, exposing the bureaus to civil liability. 

The documents further show that each bureau was warned in advance that delaying or rejecting my dispute based on unfounded assumptions of third-party assistance would constitute an illegal stall tactic. FCRA 1681i requires bureaus to reinvestigate all consumer disputes within XXXX days. It contains no provision that allows a bureau to delay or dismiss a valid dispute simply because the consumer may have received professional help in preparing correspondence. The Notice of Warning for Any Delay in Processing I provided explicitly reminded the bureaus of this legal obligation and made clear that no power of attorney is required for dispute submission. 

Moreover, Experian and Equifaxs continued publication of inquiry data originating from unverified sources directly violates FCRA 604 ( c ) ( 1 ) ( B ) ( i ) ( 3 ), which prohibits furnishing inquiry records connected to transactions not initiated by the consumer. The continued display of these inquiries, despite no permissible purpose being proven, represents reckless disregard for the statutory limits imposed by the FCRA. Each inquiry including those by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX appears across the reports inconsistently, indicating further breakdowns in data integrity and noncompliance with XXXX XXXX accuracy requirements. 

These actions have caused financial and emotional harm. Unauthorized inquiries reduce my creditworthiness in the eyes of potential lenders, insurers, and landlords, all of whom rely on accurate inquiry data to assess credit risk. Each of these unauthorized inquiries also subjects me to increased exposure to fraud, as my personal information was already confirmed as compromised in the Equifax Data Breach Settlement. The presence of suspicious inquiries after my data was breached further indicates a failure by the bureaus to safeguard consumer data in compliance with FCRA 628, which mandates reasonable procedures to prevent unauthorized access or use. 

Despite sending written disputes and proof of identity, none of the bureaus have removed the unauthorized inquiries or demonstrated a verifiable permissible purpose. Instead, they continue to furnish inaccurate data and fail to provide transparency about their verification procedures. This disregard for lawful process undermines the purpose of the FCRA and deprives me of the fair credit reporting protections guaranteed under federal law.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation