A bank rejected my credit card application because of a problem with my credit report, then approved it after I escalated. Now my report shows two hard enquiries from that bank. Can one be removed?
1 Answers
Possibly, but only the right one.
- The enquiry that led to the approved card stays. It corresponds to a live account, so it's legitimate and the bank will rightly refuse to remove it. Asking for it weakens your case.
- The enquiry from the rejected attempt may be removable, if the rejection was the bank's fault, for example because it pulled a wrong or duplicate credit profile, or processed something you didn't apply for.
How to ask:
- Give the date and ECN of the specific enquiry you want removed.
- Explain why it shouldn't stand: the rejection was caused by the bank's or bureau's error, and the bank itself approved the identical application later.
- Attach any evidence that the earlier application really was separate and rejected, such as an SMS or email from the bank referring to that application as rejected. Banks sometimes claim the two were one application, so their own messages are your best proof.
- Escalate to the Nodal Officer if refused, and then to the RBI Ombudsman.
It can take persistence. In my case, the bank refused twice before confirming it would suppress the rejected enquiry.
