I've been trying to get some inquires off our TU reports - a few of them were from companies with which our accounts have been closed for years (store cards, Exxon, etc.). If our account with them was closed for 3 plus years, why would they need or have a permissable purpose to pull a hard copy our report? We owe them no money, accounts were in good standing when closed, etc. So I write TU. I get 2 letters back regarding inquiry removal. The highlights of the letters are as follows: Letter 1: "A credit grantor does not have to have written authorization from the consumer in order to pull a credit file, only a permissable purpose is needed. If you feel that the companies who inquireds into your credit file did not have permissable purpose as outlined in the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Section 604, you may wish to contact them directly concerning their reason for accessing your file. If they find their inquiry is incorrect, they may provide us with written authorization requesting the removal of the inquiry. Letter 2: "Under law, we are required to keep a record of inquiries for a minimum of 2 years if related to employment and for 1 year if not employment related. It is TU's policy to keep a record of all inquires for a period of 2 years. ----- So I'm confused. In my letter, I explained that my accounts were closed - I did not authorize or ask them to pull my report since I was not doing business with them. Doesn't my writing them kind of imply that I didn't authorize these inquiries? Have I missed the boat here or what? I feel like a dog chasing my tail and not getting anywhere..... I did call the creditors and they said they didn't know why our reports would have been pulled either. I also indicated this in my letters to them. Anyone have any words of wisdom in dealing with these inquries? I'm not just trying to get them off my report for the sake of getting them off my report, they truly were not necessary and I know it's only a few points, if that, but my gosh, now it's the principal of the thing. Ozzy.
The CRA's are bound by the FCRA, and I can't even believe they were dumb enough to give you the sect. # (well yes I can believe they are dumb enough). Anyway I would write back and say that the creditors say contact the CRA and vice versa. Its the CRA's job to investigate any claims you have unless its frivolous (sp?). Tell them if they refuse I believe they are breaking sect. 616 and 617 of the FCRA (willful noncompliance, dont quote me) and you might just sue. Of course this is MY opinion. I'm actually gonna try this with EQU tomorrow. Another $4 down the drain on EQU. It feels like Cheers when I go into the post office everyone knows my name...lol KHM
