When you request your own file it is a "consumer inquiry" and creditors don't "see" it at all. Those have no effect on your credit score. I have dozens of those on Experian because I pull my creditexpert.com file all the time. Don't worry - they won't hurt you. Only hard inquiries hurt.
I sent them this letter: December 27, 2001 To Glenn King Consumer Relations Equifax, In Aug 2001 I sent in a letter disputing incorrect information contained on my Equifax Credit Report. Among other items being disputed were inquiries. I received a notification back when the investigation was completed some items were deleted some were updated along with an explanation of you policy on inquiries. In your explanation you state â?? inquiries are factual record of file accessâ?. Are other accounts listed on oneâ??s report considered factual reporting of account usage? I would assume and hope so. My Equifax report as contained both adverse and positive account ratings from accounts that were not mine over the years. Could it not be assumed that inquiries can be attributed to oneâ??s credit report belonging to an account that is not their account in the first place? I would think so. If you can misplace and misreport accounts, I believe you could do the same with inquiries. Let me remind you that as a Credit Reporting Agency, Equifax is bounded in the terms set forth in the FCRA. Also let me remind you that under section § 611 of the FCRA that you are required to investigate the completeness or accuracy of any item of information contained in a consumer's file, not just items that Equifax deems fit to investigate. This includes Names, Addresses, Account Numbers, Account Balances, etc, etc, and INQUIRIES. Being that inquiries can have an effect on the FICO statistical model and BEACON score, you are even more obligated to investigate inquiries. Inquiries pose adverse results in consumer scoring by lower scores and extension of credit by grantors who sometimes deem â??too many inquiries with in a certain amount of hypothetical time adverseâ? and as a reason for denial. Again let me remind you § 611 of the FCRA. § 611. Procedure in case of disputed accuracy [15 U.S.C. § 1681i](a) Reinvestigations of disputed information. (1) Reinvestigation required. (A) In general. If the completeness or accuracy of any item of information contained in a consumer's file at a consumer reporting agency is disputed by the consumer and the consumer notifies the agency directly of such dispute, the agency shall reinvestigate free of charge and record the current status of the disputed information, or delete the item from the file in accordance with paragraph (5), before the end of the 30-day period beginning on the date on which the agency receives the notice of the dispute from the consumer. If I have reason to believe that an inquiry was unauthorized I contact the credit-reporting agency, not the creditor. It is not up to me to investigate items on my credit report. Equifax is responsible by choice of being in business as a Credit Reporting Agency to maintain complete and accurate credit files on consumers for its subscribers. Let me also make Equifax aware that if they are claiming â?? inquiries are factual record of file accessâ? then they have not only set up the subscribers for lawsuits for a $1,000 per non-permissible inquiry but also enable a suit to filed against Equifax employees for $5,000 and/or imprisonment for per non-permissible inquiry. (§ 620. Unauthorized disclosures by officers or employees [15 U.S.C. § 1681r] Any officer or employee of a consumer reporting agency who knowingly and willfully provides information concerning an individual from the agency's files to a person not authorized to receive that information shall be fined under title 18, United States Code, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both.) I ask you to investigate these inquiries: 10/26/2001 DTC-Capital One -No Knowledge of inquiry, I have not applied and do not have account with Capitol One. No knowledge of permissible purpose. 10/04/2001 Retailer National Bank- No Knowledge of inquiry, I have not applied and do not have account with Retailer National Bank. No knowledge of permissible purpose. 07/30/2001 Southern California Gas CO- No Knowledge of inquiry. Consent was not give to receive a credit report on me at this time. No knowledge of permissible purpose. 07/17/2001 EU-Info 1 -Lenders Credit One -No Knowledge of inquiry. I have not applied and do not have account with Lenders Credit One. Consent was not give to receive a credit report on me at this time. No knowledge of permissible purpose. 07/05/2001 EU-Choicepoint. I have not applied and do not have account with Choicepoint. Consent was not give to receive a credit report on me at this time. No knowledge of permissible purpose. 06/28/2001 EU-Stand Facts Inc I have not applied and do not have account with Stand Facts Inc. Consent was not give to receive a credit report on me at this time. No knowledge of permissible purpose. 05/04/2001 Capital One- No Knowledge of inquiry, I have not applied and do not have account with Capitol One. No knowledge of permissible purpose. 04/20/2001 Ford Motor Credit No Knowledge of inquiry. Consent was not give to receive a credit report on me at this time. No knowledge of permissible purpose. 03/29/2001 CB&T. No Knowledge of inquiry. Consent was not give to receive a credit report on me at this time. No knowledge of permissible purpose. 03/28/2001 Lending Tree, Inc. No Knowledge of inquiry. Consent was not give to receive a credit report on me at this time. No knowledge of permissible purpose. 03/21/2001 Capital One- No Knowledge of inquiry, I have not applied and do not have account with Capitol One. No knowledge of permissible purpose. 02/19/2001 Capital One Bank (capstone) - No Knowledge of inquiry, I have not applied and do not have account with Capitol One. No knowledge of permissible purpose. 10/17/2000 SAFECO Insurance. No Knowledge of inquiry. Consent was not give to receive a credit report on me at this time. No knowledge of permissible purpose. Let this letter serve notice that failure to investigate these inquiries will result in the filing of a law suite in district court to seek damages from your credit reporting agency for Willful refusal to investigate as per FCRA section 611, Non-permissible Credit Report Disclosures, Negligent Enablement of Identity Fraud, Reporting incorrect unverifiable information. I have documented correspondence with Equifax and many letters where Equifax admits willful refusal to investigate. Also be aware that this letter is also being forwarded to Local Consumer Advocate Groups, The Federal Trade Commission, My State Senators, My Local State Representatives, and other local and national authorities. Thank you in advance for your opportunity to serve me.
I have gotten them removed from EQ and EXP. I put them in w/other disputes. I simply said that I never authorized an inquiry or applied for credit. I disputed one of the removed inquiries w/the creditor at the same time.
Can I cut and paste into here? I can post letters I have sent to the BBB and to the creditor that have worked. cariba
I am by no means an expert - but I do know that when I got my TU report today, it has a section that says "requests viewed only by you" and that is where I found all the requests that I have made for my credit report. I don't think it hurts your score to request your own report.
cariba, by all means you can cut and paste here. By the way, I would LOVE to have an EQ score like yours!
Thank you! Believe me, it has been a long road. This time last year I had scores in the low 600s, high 500s. This board was the real "breakthrough" for me. Just the encouragement to dispute it "one more time". Because recently, that is what has caused my scores to jump--not giving up. I will have to post my story sometime soon, but I am moving on Mon. and will not have access to a computer for a few days until I can get to a friend's house.
