The Fair Credit
Reporting Act

as Amended September 30,1997

Few laws have as a significant impact on American consumers as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Amendments to the Act—effective September 30, 1997—benefit consumers by strengthening privacy provisions and defining more clearly the responsibilities and liabilities of businesses that provide information to—and access data from—credit reporting agencies.

Take time to check on your credit report now. Information in your credit report can affect your ability to get a job, a mortgage, a loan, a credit card or insurance. A new brochure, Fair Credit Reporting, explains the FCRA and tells consumers how to challenge inaccurate or incomplete information in their credit reports.

To obtain a copy of your credit report contact:

  • Equifax, 800-685-1111
  • Experian (formerly TRW), (888) EXPERIAN (397-3742)
  • Trans Union, 800-916-8800

You can contact the credit bureaus to remove your name and address from major credit bureau lists for unsolicited credit and insurance offers for two years. If you complete and return an "opt-out" form, provided on request from the credit bureau, you will be off these lists permanently. A phone call or mailing to any one of the three nationwide credit bureaus will get you off the lists.

To "opt-out" of credit card and insurance lists:

  • 1-888-5-OPTOUT  (1-888-567-8688) for all three credit bureaus.

Fair Credit Reporting Act
Full Text of Fair Credit Reporting Act
Summary of Consumer Rights

Consumer Publications
Fair Credit Reporting

Business Publications
Consumer Reports: What Insurers Should Know About Using Them
Credit Reports: What Information Providers Need to Know
Using Credit Reports: What Employers Need to Know

Reporting Violations of the Law
Although the FTC can't act as your lawyer in private disputes, information about your experiences and concerns is vital to the enforcement of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

File a Complaint Online

 



The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
 
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1-877-FTC-HELP www.ftc.gov