The quick answer? That's a firm no.
Your credit report is a summary of your financial and borrowing history. It lists your outstanding loans and open credit accounts, and it gives lenders a sense of how risky or trustworthy you are as a borrower. If you're applying for a loan, whether it's a mortgage, auto loan, or personal loan, the lender you work with may need to check your credit report before agreeing to loan you money.
But lenders can't just access your credit report without your permission. And it's important that you understand your rights.
A credit report inquiry could have consequences
When a lender pulls your credit report in conjunction with a loan application, it counts as a hard inquiry. A single hard inquiry won't do much damage to your credit score -- but it could result in a five- to 10-point drop.
Meanwhile, multiple hard inquiries in short order could have more of a negative impact on your credit score. And that's why it's important to limit those hard inquiries.
Now, the good news is that lenders can't just access your credit report without your consent. The Fair Credit Reporting Act states that only businesses with a legitimate reason to check your credit report can do so, and generally, you have to consent in writing to having your credit report pulled. This holds true even if you're in the process of applying for a loan -- you'll still need to expressly grant your lender permission to do a check on your credit.
In some cases, a business or entity may be able to pull your credit report without asking you, and without you agreeing to it, such as to see if you're pre-approved for a specific financial offer. But in that scenario, you'll be looking at a soft inquiry on your credit report, not a hard one. A soft inquiry won't impact your credit score, so there's less to worry about there. (Incidentally, when you check your own credit report, that counts as a soft inquiry, too.)
How to know if your credit report was checked
You're entitled to a free copy of your credit report every year from each of the major reporting bureaus -- Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. On your credit report, there's an area where you can look up recent credit checks, so you'll be able to see exactly who's been looking at that information.
If you notice a hard pull on your credit report that you didn't authorize, don't just chalk it up to bad luck. Instead, dig deeper.
Perhaps the listed inquiry is actually an error, so your first step should be to contact the credit bureau in question and state that the inquiry wasn't authorized and you'd like it deleted from your record. That way, the bureau can investigate and, ideally, remedy the situation. Although a single hard inquiry won't cause a lot of credit score damage, you shouldn't have one on your credit report if you didn't agree to it.
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FAQs
This typically only happens when debt collection issues, government agencies or court orders are involved. For example, someone can perform a hard credit inquiry on your credit report without permission if: They are a debt collector trying to verify what you owe.
Can someone pull your credit report without permission? ›
The Fair Credit Reporting Act states that only businesses with a legitimate reason to check your credit report can do so, and generally, you have to consent in writing to having your credit report pulled.
Can credit bureaus get your info without your consent? ›
Under the law, credit bureaus and other CRAs can release your information only to those third parties that have certified that they have a purpose permitted by the law to obtain your consumer report, such as to evaluate your application for credit, insurance, or employment, or to rent you an apartment.
Can someone run your credit report without you knowing about it explain? ›
Soft inquiries happen all the time without you even knowing—a company might check your credit score if they're planning on mailing you a promotional offer. These inquiries don't affect your credit score at all. But hard inquiries require your actual consent before they can happen.
Can my employer check my credit report without my permission? ›
What are your legal rights as a job applicant? Thanks to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), employers can't go checking your credit history behind your back. They must have written consent before pulling an applicant's credit history.
Who is allowed to pull your credit report? ›
While the general public can't see your credit report, some groups have legal access to that personal information. Those groups include lenders, creditors, landlords, employers, insurance companies, government agencies and utility providers.
How do I stop someone from accessing my credit report? ›
A credit freeze restricts access to your credit report. If you suspect your personal information or identity was stolen, placing a credit freeze can help protect you from fraud.
Can you sue a credit bureau for false information? ›
You have the right to bring a lawsuit.
Credit reporting companies that break the law can be held liable for damages and attorney fees. In the case of a willful failure to comply with the law, the company can be liable for actual or statutory damages and punitive damages.
When can a credit report be pulled? ›
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, a bank can obtain a consumer report if it has a "permissible purpose," which may include the following: Credit transactions. Review or collection of an account. Opening a deposit or savings account.
What is a violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act? ›
When your credit circ*mstances have changed, and the information in your credit report isn't updated to reflect these changes, this failure might be a violation of the FCRA. Some examples of violations include: failing to report that a debt was discharged in bankruptcy. reporting old debts as new or re-aged.
Access to credit reports is restricted to businesses with a specific need, and to consumers who request their own report. You may get another person's report if you have power of attorney or are the executor of an estate, or with permission. You may also obtain the report of your child, if he or she is a minor.
What is the secret way to remove hard inquiries? ›
If you find an unauthorized or inaccurate hard inquiry, you can file a dispute letter and request that the bureau remove it from your report. The consumer credit bureaus must investigate dispute requests unless they determine your dispute is frivolous.
Can you be denied a job because of bad credit? ›
In the majority of states, employers can deny you employment if you have bad credit. Some states and cities have passed laws that prohibit the practice, though there are some exceptions, such as for jobs in the financial sector.
Can you see who checked your credit? ›
When you request a copy of your credit report, you will see a list of anyone who has requested your credit report within the past year, including any employers or prospective employers who have requested your report within the past two years for employment purposes.
Can you lose a job offer due to bad credit? ›
In cases where the job candidate has had serious financial difficulties, an employer might want to consider rescinding the job offer and look for candidates with a better credit history.
How do credit bureaus get your information? ›
Q: Where do credit bureaus get their information? A: Credit bureaus get information from your creditors, such as a bank, credit card issuer, or auto finance company. They also get information about you from public records, such as property or court records.
How do I stop credit bureaus from selling my information? ›
If you don't want to get prescreened offers in the mail, you have two choices: opt out for five years: Go to optoutprescreen.com or call 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688). The major credit bureaus operate the phone number and website.
What is credit bureau consent? ›
Your consent generally lets the lender use your credit report when you first apply for credit. They can also access your credit at any time afterward while your account is open. In many cases, your consent also lets the lender share information about you with the credit bureaus.
Can a private party report to credit bureau? ›
Only officially approved data furnishers may report payment activity and other account information to the credit bureaus. To be approved, a data furnisher must generally be some sort of business and meet a variety of data protection, legal compliance, and other requirements.
