cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Alarm Company - Unauthorized Hard Pull

tag
IsleSeat
Contributor

Alarm Company - Unauthorized Hard Pull

Yesterday I spoke with a well known Home Security Alarm Co regarding installing an alram and monitor system next week. We walked through the options and pricing. Further, for 'security' reasons the agent asks for the 'last four digits of my SSN', which I gave, but never the full number.

Lo and behold, Score Alert gives me an EQ hard inquiry and my score sank 8 points.

 

I never authorized the Alarm Company to do a hard pull, further it is a mystery to me how they obtained my complete SSN number to run my credit (for a lousey $ 44 Dollars/month)

 

Would I have been made aware that the conversation led into a hard pull, I would have rejected the offer.

 

What option do I have as I clearly feel that I NEVER authorized anyone there to run my EQ credit report?

TU and EX = 820 EQ = 821
I came straight out of Hell
Message 1 of 7
6 REPLIES 6
-Wade-
Valued Contributor

Re: Alarm Company - Unauthorized Hard Pull


@IsleSeat wrote:

Yesterday I spoke with a well known Home Security Alarm Co regarding installing an alram and monitor system next week. We walked through the options and pricing. Further, for 'security' reasons the agent asks for the 'last four digits of my SSN', which I gave, but never the full number.

Lo and behold, Score Alert gives me an EQ hard inquiry and my score sank 8 points.

 

I never authorized the Alarm Company to do a hard pull, further it is a mystery to me how they obtained my complete SSN number to run my credit (for a lousey $ 44 Dollars/month)

 

Would I have been made aware that the conversation led into a hard pull, I would have rejected the offer.

 

What option do I have as I clearly feel that I NEVER authorized anyone there to run my EQ credit report?


When you gave them the last 4 of your SS # that's all they needed to do the pull alone with your name and addy .... Sorry it happen to you 

Edit: it's nothing you can do you called them

"Garden Club Member " Old user name newportguy*** Current Score: myFico EQ - 830 (07/16/2015) Discover TU Fico - 833 (09/03/2016) EX Fico - 839 ( 09/01/2016 ) ******* Amex - BCP 11.5K * Discover - IT 43.5 K * U.S. Bank Cash + Visa Signature 15.3 K * PenFed - Cash Rewards 15K *PenFed Power Cash 19K ** Amex - GDSM 10K ******FICO 800 Club Member ******* EQ 830 *** TU 833 *** EX 839 ***
****** Last HP & New TL was March 6th 2014 *** GOAL: No HP's or New TL's for 2 + years and 840's Scores ******
Message 2 of 7
RobertEG
Legendary Contributor

Re: Alarm Company - Unauthorized Hard Pull

Yes, business transactions inititated by a consumer can provide permissible purpose for them to pull your credit report without your specifid approval.

However, that does NOT extend to any and all business transactions intitiated by a consumer

If they can show a permissible purpose under any provision of FCRA 604, that precludes need for your express authorization.

.

The additional stipulation under FCRA 604(a)(3)(f) is that the business transaction must also have an associated "legitimate business need for the information."

If any of the options and pricing involved monthly terms upon which you might have chance of becoming delinquent, that is normally suffcient basis for their need to review your credit.

 

However, if you were simply purchasing equipment from them, paying cash, and they had no subsequent involvement in, for example, montoring alarms from the system, there would be no legitimate need to review your credit in connection with the transaction.

 

I would guess that they had permissible purpose.  Advising you that they were going to pull your credit report may be a good business preactice, but is not required.

 

If you feel there practice is a bad business practice, you could file a complaint with the BBB, and hope they remove the inquiry so as not to harm their business reputation.

Message 3 of 7
Shogun
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Alarm Company - Unauthorized Hard Pull

I don't know what well known Home Security Alarm Co you were dealing with, but I had my fair share run in with Vivint.  A guy showed up on my door step and tried to sell me their service.  That was when we were mortgage shopping for our new house in the next town.  I told him I was not interested, didn't even tell him my name.  Next thing I knew there was an Inq to my CR from them.  When I called them about it, they said they do that to see if I was qualified for their services.  

 

We will just say it got ugly for a bit after that. Smiley Wink

Starting Score: 504
July 2013 score:
EQ FICO 819, TU08 778, EX "806 lender pull 07/26/2013
Goal Score: All Scores 760+, Newest goal 800+
Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge

Current scores after adding $81K in CLs and 2 new cars since July 2013
EQ:809 TU 777 EX 790 Now it's just garden time!

June 2017 update: All scores over 820, just pure gardening now.
Message 4 of 7
ArCpa
Contributor

Re: Alarm Company - Unauthorized Hard Pull

Be carefull about ADT, last month I was looking for a different security company. Went to their website entered just my name,address and phone # for them to call me. The next day I had an alert stating an inquiry was made. I called the number on the alert and it got removed. . I am just curious how they pulled my credit without giving them any info, beside my name and address and phone.The lady i spoke too said it happens from time to time. They pulled EX for me.  I decided to go with Protect America, the rep told me numerous times it would be a soft pull. Of couse it was a hard pull. That inquiry is in the process of being removed, they sent me a letter stating they pull your credit after you sign the application. But in my case they pulled it before hand. I fought with them and they are resending it. They should since they have me in a contract for the next 3 yrs.

CC: Amex Green ( NPSL) Amex BCE ( 38.1 K ) US Bank Sig Cash ( 20K ) Pen Fed (42K) Chase Freedom ( 7.5K) Discover More (22K ) Cap 1 QSilver (10K) Barclays Rewards (9K) Care Credit (5.5k) Sears (12K) JC Pennys (6K) Dell (15K) Key Bank (19k ) Key Bank (16K) FFO (7.5 K) Shell ( 600) OCCU ( 20K ) City TY (10.5K) CSP (17.5k) Regions ( 18K )Simmons (15K) Regions BLOC (125K) Fuel Rewards MC(10K )Amex Hilton ( 23k)

TU ( MFICO 5/11/14) 812
EQ ( MFICO 5/11/14) 790
EX ( MFICO 5/11/14) 805

Message 5 of 7
pizzadude
Credit Mentor

Re: Alarm Company - Unauthorized Hard Pull

 

Creditors do not need a SSN to pull your CRs ~ they can do it with just name & address.

March2010 FICO® ~ 695 TU, 653 EQ, 697 EX
Message 6 of 7
RobertEG
Legendary Contributor

Re: Alarm Company - Unauthorized Hard Pull

Small claims court, small claims court.....

 

In order to obtain a comsumer credit report, a party must file with the CRA a statement of their permissible purpose. FCRA 607(a) and 604(f).

If a consumer wishes a copy of their statement of permissible purpose provided to the CRA, they can obtain it under the provisions of FCRA 609(a)(1).

 

A party who obtains a consumer report "under false pretenses or knowingly without a permissible purpose" is specifically subject to both actual and punitive damages under FCRA 616(a). 

 

Having obtained a copy of their required statement of permissile purpose, which must be of record in your file if the CRA filled the request, then supporting a legal action would not be difficult if clearly false.

 

 

 

 

Message 7 of 7
Advertiser Disclosure: The offers that appear on this site are from third party advertisers from whom FICO receives compensation.