re: Unapproved Credit Inquiry While Purchasing House

Tarpon OP, chalk it up to a life lesson. Though you explained your position to the salesperson, you still signed the form and left it with him/her. The salesperson indeed violated your trust, but perhaps that trust was misplaced. It may have been inadvertent (another person in the business office processed the form instead of leaving it in a pending state) or it may have been out of pure ignorance (he/she doesn't actually understand that a credit inquiry will show up on a report).

But you now know that you should not trust a furniture store employee to handle your financial affairs. Retain control of your info and of the situation, regardless of whether it's a furniture store, car dealership, or bank. Poorly trained clerks and tellers can always sink your ship. I can't tell you how many times I've encountered bank employees who knew less about financial matters than your average corner dealer.