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us Money & financial emergencies unauthorized hard inquiry • hard credit inquiry not mine • credit report new inquiry • unknown creditor pulled credit • identity theft credit check • someone applied for credit • suspicious credit inquiry • credit bureau dispute inquiry • hard inquiry fraud alert • credit freeze after inquiry • credit report inquiry error • lender inquiry i didnt authorize • new credit pull appeared • credit file suspicious inquiry • fraud credit application • unauthorized credit pull • inquiry from unknown bank • credit report accuracy dispute

What to do if…
your credit report shows a new hard inquiry you did not authorise

Short answer

Assume an unfamiliar hard inquiry could be an attempted credit application. First, place a free credit freeze with each of the three major bureaus (or at least a fraud alert), then dispute the inquiry with the bureaus and the company that pulled your credit.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t call numbers or click links shown next to the inquiry unless you verify them independently.
  • Don’t apply for more credit “to see what happens.”
  • Don’t pay anyone who promises to “instantly remove” inquiries.
  • Don’t assume disputing with one bureau covers the others.
  • Don’t confuse a free credit freeze with a paid credit lock product.

What to do now

  1. Save the evidence from your credit report immediately.
    Note the company name, date of the hard inquiry, and which bureau report you saw it on. Save a screenshot/PDF.

  2. Put a free credit freeze in place with each bureau (fastest way to stop new accounts).
    You must freeze separately with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. A freeze blocks most new credit from being opened until you lift it.

  3. If you can’t freeze right now, place a fraud alert as a minimum.
    You can place an initial fraud alert by contacting any one of the three bureaus — that bureau must notify the other two. (Fraud alerts are free and time-limited.)

  4. Contact the company that pulled your credit and stop any application.
    Use the company’s official website to find their fraud department. Tell them:

    • you did not authorize the credit pull
    • you did not apply for credit
    • you want any application in your name closed/cancelled
      Ask for written confirmation and ask what identifying details (address/phone/email) were used.

  5. Dispute the hard inquiry with each credit bureau that shows it.
    File disputes stating the inquiry was unauthorized, naming the company and date. Keep copies of what you submit and any responses you get.

  6. Check for “more than an inquiry” using the official source for reports.
    Pull your reports from AnnualCreditReport.com and look for new accounts, new addresses, or other changes you don’t recognize. Avoid similarly named sites.

  7. If anything suggests an account was opened, create an identity theft report and keep the paperwork.
    Use the FTC’s identity theft reporting process and keep the resulting documents/reference information. Some lenders will ask for this (and sometimes a police report) to close fraudulent accounts.

  8. Secure the accounts that enable credit applications.
    Change the password on your primary email (enable two-factor authentication), and check your phone number for signs of takeover (unexpected loss of service, SIM change notices). These are common “entry points” for credit fraud.

What can wait

  • You do not need to decide today whether to hire a credit repair company, pay for monitoring, or pursue legal action.
  • You do not need to contact every creditor — start with the company listed on the inquiry and the bureaus.
  • You can wait to replace IDs unless you have a specific reason to believe they’re stolen or being actively used.
  • You can wait to apply for new credit until your freeze/alert is in place and disputes are underway.

Important reassurance

An unfamiliar hard inquiry is often caught early — before a new account is fully opened. Fast “blocking” steps (freeze or fraud alert) plus stopping any live application usually does the most to limit fallout.

Scope note

This is first-step guidance for an unauthorized hard inquiry. If you later find new accounts, debt collection contact, or tax/benefit/employment fraud, you’ll likely need a broader identity theft recovery checklist.

Important note

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules and timelines can vary by state and by company. If you believe you’re being threatened, extorted, or stalked in connection with this, contact local law enforcement.

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