Credit Inquiry Removal
How To Use The Credit Inquiry Removal Letter
Purpose:
A Credit Inquiry Removal Letter asks a credit bureau (and/or the company that pulled your credit) to remove an unauthorized or improper hard inquiry from your credit report. You are asserting that the company did not have permissible purpose or that the inquiry was made in error. When to Use:
Hard inquiries can slightly lower your credit scores and may raise fraud risks if they weren’t yours. Removing unauthorized inquiries cleans your report and helps protect your identity. (Note: Authorized inquiries generally cannot be removed just because you changed your mind.) How the Process Works:
Keep your request specific and factual: name the inquiry, date, and why it’s unauthorized (no application, no consent, wrong person). Don’t ask to remove legitimate inquiries (e.g., auto/mortgage “rate-shopping” pulls)—they’re typically valid, even if there are several clustered in time. If a bureau denies removal, send your supporting documents again and ask the furnisher to directly notify the bureau of deletion.
A Credit Inquiry Removal Letter asks a credit bureau (and/or the company that pulled your credit) to remove an unauthorized or improper hard inquiry from your credit report. You are asserting that the company did not have permissible purpose or that the inquiry was made in error. When to Use:
- You see a hard inquiry you don’t recognize or did not authorize.
- A company pulled your credit without a valid reason (no application, no written consent).
- An inquiry is a clerical error (wrong person, duplicate tied to no application).
- You’re a victim of identity theft and inquiries were made by fraudsters.
Hard inquiries can slightly lower your credit scores and may raise fraud risks if they weren’t yours. Removing unauthorized inquiries cleans your report and helps protect your identity. (Note: Authorized inquiries generally cannot be removed just because you changed your mind.) How the Process Works:
- Identify the inquiry: Note the company name, date, and bureau(s) reporting it. Verify with all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion).
- Contact the furnisher’s fraud/credit team: Ask them to prove permissible purpose (your signed application/consent). If they cannot, request they instruct the bureaus to delete the inquiry.
- Send a removal letter to the bureau(s): State the inquiry is unauthorized or made in error, request deletion, and include copies of ID (license + utility bill) and any supporting proof (emails, denial letters, FTC identity theft report, police report if applicable).
- If identity theft is suspected: File an FTC Identity Theft Report (IdentityTheft.gov) and consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze. Include the report number with your letter.
- Track the investigation: Bureaus generally respond within 30 days. Keep all correspondence.
- Monitor updates: Confirm the inquiry is removed on all affected bureaus; save final results for your records.
Keep your request specific and factual: name the inquiry, date, and why it’s unauthorized (no application, no consent, wrong person). Don’t ask to remove legitimate inquiries (e.g., auto/mortgage “rate-shopping” pulls)—they’re typically valid, even if there are several clustered in time. If a bureau denies removal, send your supporting documents again and ask the furnisher to directly notify the bureau of deletion.
How To Use Form Generator
See the example of the form generator. Fill in your details on the left panel of the form. Once you have completed, select the Generate Letter button, and your form will appear in the right side panel. Print or Save your form as a PDF.8
