Told soft, rec hard

[Anonymous]

I recently cleaned up my credit quite a bit and was feeling good enough to request a CLI from someone.  I specifically asked before I inquired if the hit would be soft or hard, and was told it was a soft inquiry and wouldn't show up on my report.  Alas, it showed up as a hard inquiry.  Is there anything I can do?  I'm in the process of car hunting, so I've had 2 other inquirys this month, with the one in question putting me at 5 total in the last 2 years.  I'm kind of mad because truthfully I didn't even need the CLI, and it wasn't worth adding an inquiry.  Anything I can do about this?

[Scamp]

---

FicoJimmy wrote:
I recently cleaned up my credit quite a bit and was feeling good enough to request a CLI from someone.  I specifically asked before I inquired if the hit would be soft or hard, and was told it was a soft inquiry and wouldn't show up on my report.  Alas, it showed up as a hard inquiry.  Is there anything I can do?  I'm in the process of car hunting, so I've had 2 other inquirys this month, with the one in question putting me at 5 total in the last 2 years.  I'm kind of mad because truthfully I didn't even need the CLI, and it wasn't worth adding an inquiry.  Anything I can do about this?

---

You might be able to get the inq recoded to a soft by the creditor, but that's about your only option.

It might take a few different attempts with various phone numbers and what-not, but I've managed to get a couple of inqs recoded myself, in similar circumstances.

Give the main # on the back of your card a shot, but be prepared to ask for a supervisor, as frontline CSRs usually have no idea what you're talking about, need, etc., and also be prepared for the supervisors at that number not to have a clue either and to have to give up on that # and the people behind it.

Check the Backdoor Numbers thread (link in my signature below) for other numbers to try, as you're likely to have better luck with those in getting hold of someone who has any idea what you're talking about and how to fix it. 

Explain to whomever you speak to what happened, how it's adversely affecting your credit score, that you'd not have gone through with the CLI request if you had known it would generate a hard inq, and that you're hoping they can help you by correcting the coding of this inq to a soft A/R-type inquiry as you were told it would be.

In all of these conversations, be polite, pleasant and patient - take the approach that you're looking for someone to help you rather than the approach that they screwed up, misled you, etc., and that you're mad as heck.  Human beings generally respond well to the notion that they can help someone and generally respond badly to being chewed out by an angry customer.  Honey vs. vinegar, and all that.

Hope this helps, and good luck.

[Jazzzy]

Hi FicoJimmy,

Sorry that happened to you. We've seen it happening more and more. I truly don't think the frontline CSRs know what you are asking them when you talk about inquiries, and...if they do....they don't realize that policies have changed. I think we're seeing more and more of this since the new credit card act went into effect.

Scamp gave you good advice.

[Anonymous]

Thank you both very much.  I'll be hitting the phones first thing tomorrow, and will post any progress I make.

[AndySoCal]

If the CLI is for a credit credit this is not considered a soft pull. A soft pull is for reasons that are considered not the persuit of new credit. Auto loans are treated a little differently auto loan inquiries are treated a one inquiry for thise made in a 30 day period of time.

[RobertEG]

The problem is that the terms "soft" and "hard" credit inquiries have no legal basis under the FCRA,  The FCRA never even mentions these terms.

It is all a coding issue with the creditors when making an inquiry to a CRA.

What the FCRA regulates is how much information a credtior can get when making an inquiry.  The only real restriction is set forth in FCRA 604(c), and relate to inquiries not initiated by the consumer, such as the unsolicited offers for new credit that flood your mailbox.  These inquireies are entitled, under FCRA 604(c)(2), to obtain only your name and address.

Other types of inquiries may usually obtain your full CR.  The CRAs have provided about 7 different codes for the creditors to report their type of inquiry, but their use is at the discredtion of the creditor.

Take your example of a request for a credit line increase.  That is clearly a request intiated by the consumer for the extension of credit, and thus entitles the creditor to obtain a full copy of your CR.  FCRA 604(a)(3)(A).  So it is a permissible pull.  That is as far as the FCRA governs this inquiry.

How the creditor chooses to code it with the CRA is a totally separate busniess decision on their part.  Some will enter their inquiry with a code that FICO wont include in your scoring (a so-called "soft pull"). while others may enter the inquiry under a code that FICO will pick up in scoring (a so-called "hard pull").

It is not up to the CRA to make this determination, it is up to the inquiree as to how they code it.  It is clearly poor business practive for a creditor to intimate coding as one thing, and then do another.  But there is no redress under the FCRA, and disputes to the CRA will do no good.

You need to complain to the party that made the inquiry.

Message Edited by RobertEG on 03-08-2010 07:33 PM