Credit Inquiry Removal

What is the name of your state? WA

I just recently disputed a couple credit inquiries that were on my Equifax credit report. I didn't dispute any specific ones. I just wrote a letter stating that I believed there were incorrect inquiries on my report. I just got a letter back from Equifax showing that they removed one inquiry. I'm not sure if the inquiry was soft, hard, or what, because I don't see it on my credit report or any old credit report I've saved from Equifax.

Does the fact that Equifax removed the inquiry prove that it was unauthorized? Should I write to the company that made the inquiry and demand payment of the penalty for unauthorized inquiries?

Thanks.

[Ladynred]

First, if you're going to dispute anything you need to be specific. A generalized dispute won't get you very far. If they removed a hard inquiry (they rarely remove soft inquiries) then that probably means they were unable to verify it and therefore had to remove it.

Soft inquiries are probably 90% promotional crap, that's how you end up with all those 'you're pre-approved' offers. You can stop most of those by opting out with all 3 CRA's.

If a hard inquiry shows up from some company that you have never had an account or collection with, or applied for credit with, then they had no permissable purpose to pull your report. THAT you can sue for.

[JETX]

"If a hard inquiry shows up from some company that you have never had an account or collection with, or applied for credit with, then they had no permissable purpose to pull your report. THAT you can sue for."
*** That statement isn't really true. There are other permissable purposes that would not be actionable. Before you could consider potential legal action, you would have to determine who and why they did the inquiry. Then, IF it was not a permissable purpose, you can consider taking action. Don't just assume that a 'non-recognizable' inquiry is actionable.

For a list of 'permissable purposes', see the FCRA at:
[url]http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fcra.htm#604[/url]

A really good article on what rights you have and how to exercise them can be found at:
[url]http://www.brennanlaw.com/credit/cd/creditrights.htm[/url]