Anyone know how to dispute a credit inquiry?

[House2021]

How do I dispute a credit inquiry? Long story short, I paid cash for a car. They presented me with a credit application which I refused but then they told me that it's a requirement I provide my social on there because all car sales have to be reported to the government as a post 9/11 antiterrorism measure but that my credit report would not be ran, it was only for post 9/11 government compliance. Sure enough, they ran my credit. I got them to write a letter on their letterhead asking for the inquiry to be removed and stating that they ran it in error. I went online to Experian and it says I can't file a dispute online for credit inquiries How do I file a dispute for an inquiry? 

[CreditCuriosity]

You cannot dispute an inquiry.  Only way to is ask lender who pulled it to have them call CRA and ask for it to be recoded to SP.  Otherwise they are factual

[Linnaea]

There is a way.   I seen a video on you tube actually a few.   I had a inquiry that I didn't request and had no clue about it.   It is a 2 parter the 1st part is reporting it to Consumer Protection Finance Bureau aka CPFB ... file there and print out and send to the Credit Bureaus reporting the inquiry.   Google how and good luck.  Again I had one and this worked.  Let us know it's fairly done on apx 2 weeks time.  

[CH-7-Mission-Accomplished]

---

@CreditCuriosity wrote:

You cannot dispute an inquiry.  Only way to is ask lender who pulled it to have them call CRA and ask for it to be recoded to SP.  Otherwise they are factual

---

OP has a letter from the car dealer saying it was a mistake.   Just send the letter along with a credit letter and ask that it be removed.   

BTW, it is complete BS that they need to run your credit to comply with the Patriot Act.   It is a ploy so they can shotgun your credit and make a profit on the kickback they can from the lender.

[coldfusion]

---

@CreditCuriosity wrote:

You cannot dispute an inquiry.  Only way to is ask lender who pulled it to have them call CRA and ask for it to be recoded to SP.  Otherwise they are factual

---

It's a multi-part process but the entity who made the inquiry can have it withdrawn and not just recoded although they don't always know beforehand the correct procedure to follow to do it (**cough** US Alliance **cough**)

If one were dealing with a FDIC or NCUA member institution the complaint would be filed with the FDIC/NCUA as appropriate, but since this is an auto dealer that made the inquiry the starting point probably should be a CFPB complaint as your refusal to authoirze the inquiry meant that there was no permissible purpose, and that would be the basis of your complaint.  If the CFPB decides this isn't within their scope of authority they will follow up and point you in the right direction.

[MeredithLepore]

If you can't file the dispute online, you should be able to by phone or mail and the credit bureau should list this information on their site. If they don't, give them a call and ask to be connected to the right department or for the address to send your documentation.

[Min_from_SoCal]

You can not dispute it online, but you can mail it in.

Your reason is you never authorized credit pull. 
include letter copy. 

CRA need to respond with result. ( deleted, or they are keeping it) 

If mail dispute with CRA fails, file a complaint with CFPB.