USAA Unathorizied Hard Inquiry

[bichonmom]

I agree with others. You can do what you feel is necessary, but I think you'll be beating a dead horse. Even though you were told it would be soft, legally they have the right do a HP.

I have learned from past experiences so that I just don't believe reps any longer when they say it's soft. My local CU had told me a CLI request would be soft. Then when I called to do it, they told me it would be hard. I asked to speak w/a supervisor, but he said the same thing. "I'm sorry you were told that it would be soft by another rep (even had the date and rep's name!), but there's nothing we can do. It's our policy to do a HP for any applications, including CLIs. We'll take this as a training opportunity for the rep you spoke with." (Don't you just LOVE that one?!)

It's frustrating and wrong (IMO), but I've come to accept that there is nothing that I can do about it. I just ALWAYS ask several different reps (during different phone calls) to see if I consistently get the same answer. I never just trust what one person tells me any more because they are either misinformed or inadequately trained, or both. It's sad, but true.

[gettingstarted]

Just had the same thing happen to me was doing an app and the rep said my CR hadnt been pulled but sure enough checked and the hard pull was there. I did the same thing emailed them and they there was nothing they could do about it

[LS2982]

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@hotpoint wrote:
Hello all, I am a long time USAA member, and recently called to request a credit increase for my CC, was told it would be a soft pull. Today I pulled my Equifax and saw the Hard inquiry. I quickly called and was switched to the executive resolution dept. and was told it it surely a hard pull. I will dispute this and take it as high as possible. I was assured my efforts would be limited. I was told they will "speak with the rep., but no changes will be made to my report" so I have to love with this inquiry for two years because someone made a mistake ... Unfair. Any suggestions? HotPoint

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Their customer service is beyond rude. Its really unbelieveable. I opened a checking account with them and they restricted it a day later and wanted DL, SSN card, Utility bill, 3 recent paystubs faxed to them.

No problem, other than my paystubs. Why do you need my paystubs??

They cannot answer this. 4 different reps. couldn't answer. All kept saying Patriot act. Then I get this ignorant rep. on the phone who says "Have you ever heard of the term "MONEY LAUNDERING"???? Excuse me??? So I open a checking account and deposit $500 into it from my other bank account and i'm money laundering??

Well have you ever heard ofthe term "YOUR FIRED???" Cause thats what youll be after I complain about your total lack of common sense!

[CreditCrusader]

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@BlueHusky wrote:

I say more power to you, hotpoint.

I've had so many people tell me, when I say I'm going to argue something "Don't worry about it, you're wasting your time" but you know...it's not wasting my time for 2 reasons:

1. 9 times out of 10, I do end up making a difference. Maybe other people don't know how to complain in the same way I do, but I tend to get things done.
2. For that remaining 10%, at least I can sleep at night knowing I tried. It makes me feel better knowing I didn't just acquiesce to someone else's will and just accept things. I like standing up for my rights, even when I don't win.

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It's not an issue of "wasting time". It's about pitching a fuss because a lender performed an action that it has every legal right to conduct. Someone correct me here, but don't lenders have the right to review your credit any time they please...without your authorization, knowledge or consent? Asking for a CLI is, in essense, asking for new credit because you are asking to extend the original terms of your credit agreement.

Look, OP has every right to fight this. I'm just not sure it's worth damaging a credit relationship for one inquiry that won't mean jack in 6-12 months.

[ChesterPDexter]

I could be wrong, but I was just informed by my husband (who worked in collections for a while) that it's part of the law that any current creditor has the right to do a hard pull at any time.

Once there was a fraudulent pull made on my EX report by Home Shopping Network.  That was totally fraudulent since I had never applied and someone obviously stole my information to apply.  It took some hoops to jump through, but they removed the inquiry.

An inquiry from a current creditor is different, though.  They could do hard credit pulls every day for reasons of their own if they wanted to - they typically just don't do that.  So I think it does not matter if the CSR told you the wrong thing.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I was told that the law allows current creditors to do a hard pull any time and every time they feel like it.  Tough break - I'd be mad, too.  In fact, I think this sort of thing has happened to me.  Recently I asked a company (not sure which one - Chase, I think?) if an inquiry for a CLI would be soft or hard and I was told, "It could be either one, there's just no way to tell."  ? ! ? ! 

I said, "No thanks, then."

[bichonmom]

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@ChesterPDexter wrote:

I could be wrong, but I was just informed by my husband (who worked in collections for a while) that it's part of the law that any current creditor has the right to do a hard pull at any time.

Once there was a fraudulent pull made on my EX report by Home Shopping Network.  That was totally fraudulent since I had never applied and someone obviously stole my information to apply.  It took some hoops to jump through, but they removed the inquiry.

An inquiry from a current creditor is different, though.  They could do hard credit pulls every day for reasons of their own if they wanted to - they typically just don't do that.  So I think it does not matter if the CSR told you the wrong thing.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I was told that the law allows current creditors to do a hard pull any time and every time they feel like it.  Tough break - I'd be mad, too.  In fact, I think this sort of thing has happened to me.  Recently I asked a company (not sure which one - Chase, I think?) if an inquiry for a CLI would be soft or hard and I was told, "It could be either one, there's just no way to tell."  ? ! ? ! 

I said, "No thanks, then."

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IMO, that's what's so frustrating. Yes, like I said in my post, they have the legal right to do HPs. But I don't think that makes it right for CSRs to give erroneous information to their customers. The law sides with the banks in this area. It's just as unfair for CAs to do HPs because they can -- and it will negatively affect our CR. But we, as consumers, can't really do anything about it.

[hotpoint]

Happy Easter, thanks for your comments.  I appreciate your candor and in some cases your encouragement. 

I completely understand, "I may be beating a dead horse", and I respect the fact that USAA has the right to "pull a Hard Inquiry".  However, that's not what I was told, and I completely disagree that anyone should just make a comment without the consequences.  I do not expect nor do I wish any harm to anyone, but I expect an employee to provide the correct information . . . Therefore, I am not going to just accept "we are sorry" and move on. I am a very reasonable person, and after reading your comments, this one fact occurred to me: if I would have called with the purpose of a CL increase, that phone call and inquiry could suggest and authorize the inquiry.  I get that, but I was told otherwise nor did I make the phone call for a CL increase.  I called for another reason and the CSR suggested the increase and that it would be a soft pull.

USAA is going to make a stand  about their "Service and Process".  The Executive Resolution department said its a service problem, and we did what we were suppose to do with regards to the process . . .Funny!

HotPoint

[drkaje]

@bichon,

I get that it's frustrating but in the same vein, we chose to have a relationship with whoever is doing the credit pull. Voluntarily or by default, we still gave them permission. The CSR not knowing sucks but it was OP who called seeking a CLI. The Citi HP (I mentioned above) was uber-annoying but it's not like they called out of the blue asking if I wanted a CLI.

It's annoying to feel out of control over how your credit report looks. In the end, we're generally responsible for what's there.

[bichonmom]

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@drkaje wrote:

@bichon,

I get that it's frustrating but in the same vein, we chose to have a relationship with whoever is doing the credit pull. Voluntarily or by default, we still gave them permission. The CSR not knowing sucks but it was OP who called seeking a CLI. The Citi HP (I mentioned above) was uber-annoying but it's not like they called out of the blue asking if I wanted a CLI.

It's annoying to feel out of control over how your credit report looks. In the end, we're generally responsible for what's there.

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That's kind of the point. How are *we* responsible if a CSR tells us it's a SP and then does a HP?

[CreditCrusader]

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@hotpoint wrote:

Happy Easter, thanks for your comments.  I appreciate your candor and in some cases your encouragement. 

I completely understand, "I may be beating a dead horse", and I respect the fact that USAA has the right to "pull a Hard Inquiry".  However, that's not what I was told, and I completely disagree that anyone should just make a comment without the consequences.  I do not expect nor do I wish any harm to anyone, but I expect an employee to provide the correct information . . . Therefore, I am not going to just accept "we are sorry" and move on. I am a very reasonable person, and after reading your comments, this one fact occurred to me: if I would have called with the purpose of a CL increase, that phone call and inquiry could suggest and authorize the inquiry.  I get that, but I was told otherwise nor did I make the phone call for a CL increase.  I called for another reason and the CSR suggested the increase and that it would be a soft pull.

USAA is going to make a stand  about their "Service and Process".  The Executive Resolution department said its a service problem, and we did what we were suppose to do with regards to the process . . .Funny!

HotPoint

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Good form, hotpoint. I wish you much success and admire your pluck