<prompt> Human: I bought a used car from a dealer last week. We had cash provided by our credit union to pay for the car, and had no interest in financing the dealer could offer. Multiple times during the signing on the paperwork, we were asked to sign credit applications. Each time the dealer lied about the purpose. First was the OFAC check a government check to confirm you are not on a watch list. The dealer produced a form titled CREDIT APPLICATION CHECK. Asked for it to be signed for OFAC. We refused, saying our license is sufficient for that check. There was a standoff and argument. A man who claimed to be dealer owner came out and said we could leave if we were questioning his integrity. Eventually they relented, and ran OFAC check with drivers license. Then during more paperwork, they produced another form worded differently, but saying they could provide any of our information to banks or financial institutions. We refused again. They claimed that would stop them paying the sales tax or providing our information to registration authorities. Eventually after more time wasting, they relented. This was all at the highest rated Infiniti dealership in the Chicago area not exactly a fly by night operation. It was during weekday business hours, and we were paying with a cashiers check from on the 3 largest national bank in the US. We were well dressed in formal attire on our way to work. I posted on raskcarsales about the experience, expecting to be told that was just a bad dealer example. My post was downvoted, abused and then locked by mods. This is likely due to tricking people into credit checks by car salesmen being such a common tactic. Be careful when buying a car. We take multiple 1st class flights per year thanks to credit card points. We have significant real estate investments thanks to easy mortgage financing. Your credit is an asset, dont let a dealer crash it for their hoped commission. EDIT: Many car salesmen have commented below that a hard inquiry on your credit is not a big deal. This is a question of CONSENT. The dealership needs your consent to run your credit. If appears that my dealer was not isolated, and this is common throughout the industry to misrepresent credit application forms to customers as being required for government purposes. Watch for this practice when buying a car if you have your own financing or are paying cash. We were educated enough to push back. I posted this thinking of friends and family who are not as familiar with legal and financial forms, and their consequences. Car salesmenfinance people would easily take advantage of them. Car salesmen who have joined us, it does not matter what a customer is wearing, or whether they appear to be asking for it. He looks rich, his credit should be easy is no excuse. You need to ask a customers consent to move forwards with a credit application. Even if you believe it is no big deal.  <response>: Yeah I went through this a few years ago when I bought a car. I paid cash and when I questioned the need for a credit check I remember the guy saying something about Homeland Security and just said ok because I didnt think anything of it. He came back claiming that with my credit score I could finance 3 cars on the spot if I wanted, and I asked him if that mattered to Homeland Security because it didnt matter to me...I was only trying to pay cash for 1 car. 