I recently checked my CRIF credit report and saw an inquiry from a lender I never applied to! I’m worried—could this be unauthorized access or even identity theft? Has anyone else noticed unknown inquiries on their report? How serious is this, and what’s the best way to get it removed? Should I be concerned about fraud?
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If you see an unauthorized inquiry on your CRIF credit report, it could mean a lender checked your credit without your permission—or worse, someone may have tried to apply for a loan in your name! First, don’t panic. Sometimes banks do pre-approved checks, but if you didn’t request it, it’s best to raise a dispute with CRIF. You can also contact the lender to confirm why they accessed your report. If it’s fraud, consider placing a fraud alert on your credit profile and monitoring your reports regularly to stay safe.
Yeah, seeing an inquiry from a lender you didn’t apply to is a red flag and should not be ignored. It could be a simple error or a sign of identity theft. First, check if someone you know used your details by mistake. If not, raise a dispute with CRIF through their website and mark the inquiry as unauthorized. Also, contact the lender directly and ask why they pulled your report. If they don’t have a valid reason, ask them to notify CRIF to remove it.
Keep an eye on your other credit reports too, like CIBIL or Experian, to spot anything unusual. If more strange activity shows up, consider locking your credit for a while. It might turn out fine, but it’s better to act quickly and stay alert than deal with fraud later.