Hard Inquiry Removal · Credit Freedom Society

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18d • Q&A Credit Repair

Hard Inquiry Removal

📉 Did Your Score Drop from a Hard Inquiry? Here's When You Can Legally Remove It 👇

Hard inquiries can drop your score by 5–20 points in seconds.

But did you know:

✅ Not all inquiries are legal

✅ Many are added without your consent

✅ You can dispute and remove them (the right way)

Let’s break it down so you don’t waste time disputing things you can’t remove — and get the illegal ones off fast.

🔍 What Is a Hard Inquiry?

A hard inquiry shows up when:

You apply for credit (loan, credit card, car, etc.)

You authorize a lender to pull your report

It can affect your score for 12 months (even though it reports for 2 years)

📌 A soft inquiry (preapproval, checking your own credit) has no impact.

❌ When You Can’t Remove a Hard Inquiry:

You knowingly applied for credit

You signed an application or gave permission

You were rate-shopping for a car or mortgage (multiple pulls in 30 days are counted as one)

✅ When You CAN Dispute a Hard Inquiry:

🚫 You didn’t authorize it

🚫 You were identity-thefted or tricked

🚫 A business or collector pulled your report without valid reason

🚫 You never applied for credit with that lender

📌 These violate FCRA Section 604(a) — which says only permissible purpose inquiries are legal.

🛠️ Hard Inquiry Removal Workflow

STEP 1️⃣: Pull Your Credit Report

👉 https://www.annualcreditreport.com

Look under the Inquiries section on each report.

STEP 2️⃣: Identify Suspicious Pulls

Questions to ask:

Did I apply for this?

Did I consent in writing or online?

Was this done by a debt collector or company I’ve never heard of?

Flag any you don’t recognize.

STEP 3️⃣: Send a Certified Letter to Each Bureau

🧾 Use the template below to demand removal of unauthorized inquiries under FCRA law.

📬 Send it certified mail with:

Copy of your ID

Proof of address

Highlighted copy of the credit report

✍️ Hard Inquiry Dispute Letter (Copy & Paste)

[Your Name]

[Your Address]

[City, State ZIP]

[Phone Number]

[Date]

[Credit Bureau Name]

[Address]

Subject: Dispute of Unauthorized Hard Inquiry – FCRA Section 604(a)

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to dispute the following hard inquiry that appears on my credit report:

❖ Company Name: [Insert Name]

❖ Date of Inquiry: [Insert Date]

I did not authorize this credit inquiry, nor did I apply for credit with this company. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, only inquiries made with a consumer’s written or electronic consent for a legitimate credit transaction are permissible.

I am formally requesting that this unauthorized inquiry be removed immediately from my credit file. Please provide written confirmation of the deletion within the 30-day investigation period.

Enclosed:

- A copy of my government-issued ID

- Proof of current address

- Highlighted copy of my credit report

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Last 4 of SSN]

[Date of Birth]

🔁 What If the Bureau “Verifies” It?

If they respond saying the inquiry was valid:

Ask for proof of consent (they rarely have it)

File a complaint with the CFPB if they fail to investigate