Posts Categorized In: FAQ

A consumer reporting agency may provide information about you only to people with a valid need – usually to consider an application with a creditor, insurer, employer, landlord, or other business. The FCRA specifies those with a valid need for…

If a consumer reporting agency, or, in some cases, a user of consumer reports or a furnisher of information to a consumer reporting agency violates the FCRA, you may be able to sue in state or federal court.

In most cases, a consumer reporting agency may not report negative information that is more than seven years old, or bankruptcies that are more than 10 years old.

Inaccurate, incomplete or unverifiable information must be removed or corrected, usually within 30 days. However, the consumer reporting agency is not required to remove accurate derogatory information from your file unless it is outdated or cannot be verified. A consumer…

If you identify information in your file that is incomplete or inaccurate, and report it to the consumer reporting agency, the agency must investigate unless your dispute is frivolous. See www.ftc.gov/creditforan explanation of dispute procedures.

Credit scores are numerical summaries of your credit-worthiness based on information from credit bureaus. You may request a credit score from consumer reporting agencies that create scores or distribute scores used in residential real property loans, but you will have…

You may request and obtain all the information about you in the files of a consumer reporting agency. You will be required to provide proper identification, which may include your Social Security number. In many cases, the disclosure will be…

Anyone who uses a credit report or another type of consumer report to deny your application for credit, insurance, or employment – or to take another adverse action against you – must tell you, and must give you the name,…