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You might be puzzled if you see THD CBNA on your report and wonder what they are and what they are doing there. If you come across them, there is a chance that you applied for a credit card at “The Home Depot” or were added as an authorized user. THD/CBNA stands for “The Home Depot/Citibank North America” because Citibank issues The Home Depot credit cards.

If it appears on your report and you did not apply for the card or become an authorized user on another person’s account, then something might be missing. Below, we will discuss the major reasons why you might find this particular combination of letters in your report. Moreover, we will also shed light on the steps you can take to get rid of them if they are not supposed to be there. So, dig in!

What Does THD/CBNA Stand For?

As we know by now, THD is short for “The Home Depot.” The Home Depot is the world’s largest home-improvement merchant, having about half a million employees and 2,300 stores in North America. It offers three credit cards via Citibank North America, which is abbreviated as CBNA on credit report. Hence, the name “THD/CBNA.” 

Why Is THD/CBNA On My Credit Report?

THD/CBNA appears on your reports for one of two reasons. It can be either due to:

You Being Added As An Authorized User On One Of The Home Depot Credit Card Accounts

An authorized user is anyone who has permission to charge items on someone else’s credit card. Unlike a joint account, an authorized person does not have to apply for a card along with the primary user. They can be added sometime later at the request of the primary user. A lot of businesses add their employees as authorized users so that they can make any purchases for the business. These authorized users are not responsible for repaying charges, but it does not mean that their scores are not influenced. If the primary user is carrying a huge amount of debt or misses their payments, this can be reflected in an authorized user’s credit score ranges.

You Applied For One Of The Home Depot Credit Cards

THD offers three types of credit cards through Citibank, so if the THD/CBNA credit card is what’s bothering you, then it is possible that you have actually applied for one of them:

1. The Home Depot consumer credit card.
2. The Home Depot commercial account.
3. The Home Depot commercial revolving charge card.

Applying for credit generally lowers your score by a few points as it stimulates a “hard inquiry,” a credit check to see whether you are a good fit for a loan. Such hard credit checks are recorded by the three credit score services (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). These hard pulls tend to stay on your credit history for up to two years. If you have applied for a credit card from THD, then there is nothing you can do to get rid of it from your reports. Precise and authentic information stays up there. However, if anyone else is involved in fraud by making a hard pull under your name, then there are certain steps that you can take to remove it.

Can I Remove THD/CBNA From My Credit Report?

THD/CBNA credit cards can appear as a consequence of a hard inquiry on your credit report. However, they might also show up on your reports as a soft inquiry. There is one thing that you must know: if you are trying to improve your credit score, then we suggest you opt for a soft inquiry. This is because a hard inquiry can impact your scores, while a soft inquiry won’t.

Hard Inquiry

You cannot remove a hard pull from your report if it is accurate. It is going to stay on your credit report for up to 24 months (2 years). How much it is going to impact my credit score will vary. For example, if you have a longer credit history and a large number of accounts, then it can have a negative impact.

Soft Inquiry

A soft inquiry appears on your credit report, but it is not visible to anyone except for you. One from THD/CBNA might appear if you have been pre-qualified for a THD card. A soft inquiry can be generated without your permission. It can show up on your credit report if you wish to check your own credit or if a potential employer runs a background check on your credit. As with the hard pull, a soft pull will stay on your report for up to two years.

How To Remove A THD/CBNA Hard Inquiry From My Credit Reports

If you have applied for THD cards, then you probably would not be able to remove the hard pull from your reports. It must fall off your reports after two years from the inquiry date. But what happens if you spot THD/CBNA on your reports and you do not authorize the credit check? Seeing an unauthorized hard pull on your report can be as stressful and scary as you can imagine. Luckily, there are certain steps that you can take to help protect yourself as well as your credit if you find yourself in such a situation. For starters, you must:

1. Get proof by contacting the company that checked your score.
2. Report the suspected fraud, or you can also consider filing a police report.
3. In order to prevent identity thieves from further violating your financial information, it would be best for you to freeze your credit.
4. You can also request a free fraud alert from the credit bureaus.
5. Lastly, any unauthorized inquiry should be disputed with the bureaus. They are required to examine and get rid of any information that turns out to be false.

The Bottom Line

If you come across THD/CBNA on your report, then sweat not. It might simply look strange because you did not realize it meant “The Home Depot/Citibank North America.” If you believe a credit check has been added to your reports by error or as a consequence of fraud, then you must get it removed, especially if you are thinking of making a major purchase in the near future and wish for it to reflect an incredible credit history. You can always dispute such issues with the Credit Breeze services offered by Gifted Financial Services.