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Consumer Reporting

CFPB Issues Three FCRA Interpretations with Widespread Implications

This article examines practice implications of three recent CFPB interpretations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, including: tenant and background screening companies’ use of name-only matching violates the FCRA; users are strictly liable for permissible use violations; and state law can limit when medical debt, evictions, rental arrears, and criminal records can first be reported.

Congressional, First Circuit, CFPB, and VA Actions Affecting Fair Credit Reporting

A Congressional amendment, a First Circuit decision, two CFPB administrative issuances, a CFPB report, and a Veterans Administration rule all will have significant consequences for consumer reporting under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). This article provides the highlights of these recent developments and their implications for consumers, advocates, and FCRA practitioners.

Implications of New CFPB Bulletin on Consumer Reporting of Renters

On July 1, 2021, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued an Enforcement Compliance Bulletin (hereafter Rental Reporting Bulletin) on consumer reporting issues involving tenant screening reports as well as the reporting of rental information on credit reports. This article outlines key aspects of this “Rental Reporting Bulletin,” highlights the most important implications for...

The Latest on Metro 2: A Key Determinant As to What Goes Into Consumer Reports

Billions of pieces of information that creditors, debt collectors, and other “furnishers” of information send to credit reporting agencies are in a standard format called Metro 2. This article links to updated and expanded information on creditors’ liability when they report consumer data in a non-conforming manner that leads to inaccurate consumer reports.

Key Steps to Minimize Risk After Equifax Data Breach

Nearly every adult with a credit history is at risk of identity theft after the recent Equifax data breach. In this free article, NCLC offers key advice for consumers, with specific steps that can be taken to minimize the risks—freezes, thaws, fraud alerts, credit monitoring, and more.

Fertile Ground for FCRA Claims: Employee & Tenant Background Checks

About 94% of employers and 90% of landlords contract for criminal background checks to evaluate prospective employees and tenants, but these reports are riddled with errors, including erroneous reports of criminal convictions. This article describes widespread errors in criminal background check reports and examines applicable FCRA claims and remedies for these errors.

Essentials About Credit Reporting: Consumer Debt Advice from NCLC

This article sets out what families in financial trouble need to know about their credit report and credit score: how they work, when non-payment most affects a credit score, who sees the credit report (and who does not), how to review your own credit report, coping with a blemished report, and rebuilding your credit.

Enforcing the CARES Act Credit Reporting Protections

This article explains private enforcement of new credit reporting rights provided consumers by the CARES Act. The article details when the rights are applicable, how creditors must implement those rights, steps consumers can take to enforce those rights, and special enforcement rights for California consumers.

Eleventh Circuit Issues Must-Read FCRA Decision

As discussed in this article, a March 25 Eleventh Circuit ruling is a strong pro-consumer decision on five different fronts. A furnisher’s “data conformity review” is an FCRA violation as a matter of law. The holding also addresses the FCRA “willfulness” standard, and punitive and emotional distress damages under the FCRA. The ruling is even relevant to the bona fide error defense under the FDCPA.