How to Get an Inquiry Removed From Your Credit Report

Credit inquiries appear on your credit report whenever your credit history is accessed. Financial institutions make these inquiries to evaluate your creditworthiness when you apply for new credit products. While their presence on your credit report is standard, understanding them is important for maintaining your financial health.

Identifying Removable Inquiries

Credit inquiries fall into two main categories: soft inquiries and hard inquiries. A soft inquiry occurs when you check your own credit report, or when a lender reviews your credit for pre-approval offers or account monitoring purposes. These soft inquiries are visible on your credit report but do not impact your credit score and are not seen by lenders.

Hard inquiries are generated when you apply for new credit, such as a credit card, mortgage, or auto loan. These inquiries result from a lender checking your credit report as part of their decision-making process. While a single hard inquiry might cause a small, temporary dip in your credit score, multiple hard inquiries in a short period can signal higher risk to lenders.

Legitimate hard inquiries cannot be removed from your credit report. They remain on your report for up to two years, though their impact on your credit score diminishes after about 12 months. However, certain hard inquiries may be eligible for removal if they are inaccurate or unauthorized. This includes inquiries resulting from identity theft, clerical errors by a creditor, or an inquiry from a company with whom you never interacted or applied for credit.

Information Needed to Dispute

Initiating a dispute requires specific information. You will need a copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. These reports can be obtained for free annually. Reviewing each report individually is important, as information may vary between them.

For each inquiry you intend to dispute, note the name of the creditor that made the inquiry and the date it occurred. You will also need to provide personal identification documents, such as a government-issued ID, and proof of your current address, like a utility bill or bank statement, to verify your identity.

Supporting evidence is necessary to substantiate your claim. This could include a police report if you suspect identity theft, an affidavit of fraud, or correspondence with the creditor indicating an error. If the inquiry is due to a clerical error, any documentation that shows you did not apply for credit with that entity, or that the inquiry was mistakenly placed, will strengthen your case.

Disputing with Credit Reporting Agencies

Initiate a dispute directly with the major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Each bureau provides methods for submitting disputes, including online, by mail, or by phone. Online disputes are the quickest way to submit your claim.

When submitting a dispute, state the inquiry you are challenging and why you believe it is inaccurate or unauthorized. Provide the creditor’s name, the date of the inquiry, and any supporting documentation. If sending your dispute by mail, use certified mail with a return receipt for proof of delivery.

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), credit bureaus are required to investigate your dispute within 30 days of receiving it. During the investigation, the bureau will contact the creditor to verify its legitimacy. If the inquiry is found to be unauthorized or inaccurate, it will be removed from your credit report. If the inquiry is verified as legitimate, it will remain on your report.

Disputing with the Original Creditor

You can also contact the original creditor directly. This may resolve the issue more quickly, particularly if the inquiry was an error. You can reach out to the creditor by phone or by sending a written letter.

When contacting the creditor, explain that an unauthorized or erroneous inquiry appears on your credit report. Provide them with the specific details of the inquiry, including the date, and state that you did not authorize it. Request they verify authorization; if they cannot, ask them to notify the credit bureaus to remove it.

Document all communications with the creditor, including dates and conversation summaries. This documentation is valuable if further action is needed or if you dispute the inquiry with credit bureaus. If the creditor agrees the inquiry was an error, they can submit a request to the credit bureaus for its removal.