Consumer complaint received 2025-09-22 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: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this complaint because my credit reports are showing multiple items that are false, unauthorized, and materially damaging to my financial profile. The problems fall into two categories : unauthorized hard inquiries and inaccurate personal identifiers. 

Unauthorized Hard Inquiries My credit reports show a XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX hard inquiry dated XX/XX/year> on TransUnion, and two XXXX XXXX hard inquiries dated XX/XX/year> and XX/XX/year> on Experian. These inquiries are unauthorized. I did not apply for any new credit with XXXX  XXXX XXXX or XXXX XXXX on or near those dates, and there is no new tradeline or account connected to these inquiries. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, specifically 15 USC 1681b, a consumer reporting agency may not furnish or report a consumer report without a permissible purpose. That means they must be able to prove that I authorized a credit application or that there was a legitimate business transaction requiring access to my report. No such proof has been provided. 

By allowing these inquiries to remain, the credit bureaus are in violation of 15 USC 1681e ( b ), which requires them to maintain maximum possible accuracy, and 15 USC 1681i, which requires them to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation when a consumer disputes information. A reasonable reinvestigation means producing actual documentary evidence, not simply relying on automated responses from the furnisher. Additionally, Metro2 standards require that an inquiry be linked to a tradeline to establish permissible purpose. These inquiries have no such linkage, making them patently inaccurate.

The impact of these hard inquiries is serious. Hard inquiries lower my FICO score and create the false impression that I am actively seeking new credit, which I am not. This harms my creditworthiness, increases the cost of borrowing, and can affect employment, housing, and insurance decisions that rely on credit reports. 

Inaccurate Personal Identifiers My credit reports also show multiple false personal identifiers. These include the addresses XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX FL and XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX FL, and the name variations XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX. These identifiers are inaccurate and do not represent my true residence or legal name. Their presence is misleading and creates the risk of file mixing, where another consumers accounts could be merged into my report, or where identity theft could be more easily facilitated because of incorrect identifiers. 

Under the FCRA 15 USC 1681e ( b ), the credit bureaus are required to ensure that consumer identifying information is accurate and up to date. Allowing incorrect names and addresses to remain is a violation of this standard. Metro2 compliance guidelines also require accurate consumer identification fields. Inaccurate identifiers like these compromise the integrity of my credit file and create confusion in underwriting, which directly harms my financial profile. 

Pattern of Non-Compliance These unauthorized inquiries and inaccurate identifiers are not minor mistakes. They represent systemic failures in compliance with both FCRA and Metro2 standards. They demonstrate that the bureaus are not following reasonable procedures to assure accuracy, are not conducting proper reinvestigations, and are reporting data without proof of permissible purpose.

Material Harm The result of these violations is measurable harm to me as a consumer. My FICO score is lowered, my creditworthiness is diminished, and I am exposed to greater risks of denial, higher interest rates, and unfavorable financial terms. Inaccurate identifiers also expose me to risks of fraud and misattribution of accounts.

Conclusion I am demanding that these unauthorized hard inquiries and false personal identifiers be permanently deleted from all of my credit reports. Marking them as disputed is not an acceptable solution, as that does not remove the harm or correct the inaccuracy. If these items are not deleted within the statutory timeframe, I will escalate through further CFPB action, FTC complaints, state Attorney General involvement, and private legal remedies for damages under 15 USC 1681n and 1681o.

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