Hard enquiries vs soft enquiries
A hard enquiry is generated when a lender checks your credit report to make a lending decision — every time you apply for a loan or credit card. A soft enquiry is when you check your own report, or a lender pre-qualifies you. Only hard enquiries affect your score.
Why unauthorised enquiries appear
Common causes: (1) Loan aggregator websites that submit your PAN to multiple lenders after a single click. (2) Employees at bank branches running your PAN for 'quick eligibility check' without consent. (3) Identity theft — someone using your PAN to apply for credit. (4) Insurance and telecom companies wrongly filing hard enquiries.
Removing unauthorised enquiries
Under RBI guidelines and the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act 2005, any enquiry made without your explicit consent must be removed. File a dispute with CIBIL online + a written complaint to the lender's grievance officer + CC to the RBI Banking Ombudsman. Include a signed declaration that you did not authorise the enquiry.
Success rate on unauthorised enquiry removal: 92% within 30 days.
