Unauthorized Pull. What to do?

[icegeek]

So I signed up with a new Cable TV service yesterday.  They rep on the phone asked me for my drivers license #.  I immediately though they were going to pull credit.  I asked him several times what this was for and that i DO NOT want them to pull my credit.  He assured he several times it was just to verify if I had used their cable service in the past and had any outstanding balances..  Ok

FF to today.  I get a myfico alert of a new inquiry from the cable company.  Dropping my equifax from 820 to 814.  I am floored.  Spoke with the rep and his manager who profusely apologized to my saying yes they pull and the rep should have know to tell me this.  They are going to "see what they can do" on their end but I doubt that will go anywhere.

Any I correct in assuming that with the fair credit act unauthorized credit pulls are illegal and I should be able to dispute this directly with Equifax with little to no problem?

[gdale6]

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@gonzoflick wrote:

So I signed up with a new Cable TV service yesterday.  They rep on the phone asked me for my drivers license #.  I immediately though they were going to pull credit.  I asked him several times what this was for and that i DO NOT want them to pull my credit.  He assured he several times it was just to verify if I had used their cable service in the past and had any outstanding balances..  Ok

FF to today.  I get a myfico alert of a new inquiry from the cable company.  Dropping my equifax from 820 to 814.  I am floored.  Spoke with the rep and his manager who profusely apologized to my saying yes they pull and the rep should have know to tell me this.  They are going to "see what they can do" on their end but I doubt that will go anywhere.

Any I correct in assuming that with the fair credit act unauthorized credit pulls are illegal and I should be able to dispute this directly with Equifax with little to no problem?

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You will not be able to challenge it on PP as you did request the service they only way it can be removed is if they do it for you or recode it to be a SP. Always expect a HP when establishing a new service even utilities, everyone is pulling credit these days.

[VirusCredit13]

Yeah its CSR lack of knowledge, but they themselves don't pull your credit or just don't know that it will happen(the uninformed ones), all they do is submit the app, then the computer pulls your credit as part of the application. They should be trained to know that this happens, even though its all automated and standard. 

[icegeek]

In disagree with not being able to dispute I mean. This was All done over the phone and I specifically asked if they would pull and they said no. Trained or not the CSR and company should still be responsible and I should have grounds for a dispute

[VirusCredit13]

How did they pull with just your Drivers Licence, I thought they needed SSN in order to do that. DL# isn't even on the main 3 credit reports I don't think. If you give you SSN to any company, chances are they are going to check/pull your credit. Even when applying for a job some will do credit pulls along with there background checks.

[icegeek]

This was DL# only. It was a HP from Equifax

[Callandra]

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@gonzoflick wrote:
This was DL# only. It was a HP from Equifax

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I think your DL# is actually based off your SSN -- not sure of the formula but I've heard that. But I'm pretty sure they can HP you with just your name. 

[StartingOver10]

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@Callandra wrote:

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@gonzoflick wrote:
This was DL# only. It was a HP from Equifax

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I think your DL# is actually based off your SSN -- not sure of the formula but I've heard that. But I'm pretty sure they can HP you with just your name. 

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Yep, your name and address will be enough for the utility co (cable) to pull.

OP, I am right there with you.  I had the same thing happen last month when I transfered my existing internet service from one address to another and the CSR pulled my credit (HP) and then lied about it. It is very frustrating. I have decided to let it go - but believe me, I made a few phone calls and AT&Ts position is that they didn't do it even though it shows as a HP on my EQ CR for AT&T Services Inc. for "Utilities and Fuel". The frustrating part is they keep denying it ever happened....

[RobertEG]

The criteria for pulling your credit report is whether or not they have permissible purpose, meaning one or more of the reasons listed under FCRA 604, not whether you have provided them authoriization.

They clearly had permissible purpose.

Once the CRA has filled a credit inquiry by sending the CR, the cat is out of the bag and cannot be undone.

Thus, the CRA is not likely to entertain any requests for deletion, as they have a valid staement of permissible purpose.

I would pursue having the cabe service recode their inquiry as soft rather than hard.

[icegeek]

My reading of Yhe Fair Credit Reporting Act, Section 1681b(c): is that they may not pull unless initiated by me. In this case I specifically asked them not to pull credit and I would not continue the application if they did.