An unauthorized inquiry is a credit-file check that the consumer does not recognize or did not permit.
Unauthorized inquiry means a credit-file check that the consumer does not recognize or did not permit. In practice, the concern is usually about an unfamiliar Hard Inquiry that appears to be tied to a credit application or other lending review the borrower never intended.
Unauthorized inquiry matters because it can be an early warning sign. It may point to identity misuse, a misunderstanding about consent, or a file problem that deserves closer review before more serious damage appears.
It also matters because borrowers often see any inquiry and panic. The more useful question is whether the inquiry matches a real application, a known permission-based review, or something the borrower cannot explain at all.
In Canada, borrowers often notice an unauthorized inquiry after reviewing a Consumer Disclosure, checking a monitoring alert, or responding to a decline. The first step is usually to identify whether the entry is hard or soft, whether it lines up with any real application, and whether the borrower gave Consent to Credit Check in that context.
If the inquiry still looks unfamiliar, the borrower may need to contact the relevant lender or bureau, review nearby file activity, and consider a Dispute or Fraud Alert if identity misuse seems possible.
A borrower checks their file after receiving a monitoring alert and sees a recent inquiry from a lender they never approached. They compare it against their own application history, confirm that no family member or broker submitted anything on their behalf, and begin follow-up because the inquiry appears unauthorized.
Unauthorized inquiry is not the same as an Unauthorized Account. An inquiry means the file was checked. It does not prove that an account was opened.
It is also not the same as a Soft Inquiry the borrower triggered by checking their own information. The key issue is whether the inquiry was expected and properly authorized in context.