Posts Tagged ‘fair credit reporting act’

12 million consumers a year become victims of identity theft. The harmful effects of identity theft are life changing and last a lifetime.  Victims may not know their identity has been stolen until they receive calls from debt collectors, get denied credit or employment, or find credit report errors.      What can consumers do to protect [...]

Over 12 million consumers a year become victims of identity theft.  Identity theft victims may not know they are a victim until they receive collection calls or see discover credit report errors.  debt collection calls or letters.  What can you do to protect you identity and credit reputation?  Federal law provides identity theft victims with [...]

Over 12 million consumers a year become victims of identity theft.  Identity theft victims may not know their identity has been stolen until they receive calls from debt collectors or see accounts on their credit report that do not belong to them.  What can consumers do to protect their identities and credit reputation?  Federal law [...]

Is Bank of America’s identity theft protection plan a scam?  A federal investigation is underway to determine if Bank of America gave customers what they paid for when they purchased identity theft protection but did not receive the services from Bank of America’s vendors.  The federal government wants to know if the identity theft protection [...]

Over 10 million consumers a year become victims of identity theft. Fraud victims are denied credit, employment and housing due to credit report errors.  .  If fraud victims are approved for credit, then they have to pay higher interest rates!   Identity theft victims also get turned down for jobs because of arrests, convictions or other [...]

Consumer’s income and wage information is personal information, but according to NBC News, that isn’t keeping Equifax from sharing personal financial information without your knowledge.  Equifax is one of the three nationwide consumer reporting agencies – Experian and Trans Union are the other two – has obtained employment information for more than 1/3 of working adults in the US.  The [...]

At Tax Time, FTC Reminds Consumers: Watch Out for Identity Theft With the tax-filing season upon us, the Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, reminds consumers to be aware of the threat of identity theft.  Your tax return contains sensitive personal information, and scammers can use your Social Security number to get a [...]

60 MINUTES EXPOSES CREDIT REPORTING AGENCIES’ MISTAKES 60 Minutes exposed the credit reporting agencies’ mistakes in its investigative report.  Reporter Steve Kroft interviewed one consumer who discovered credit report errors when she was denied credit at a department store.  She requested her credit report from the bureaus, but the credit reports she received looked okay.  What she later discovered [...]

New FTC Study Points to Much Needed Reforms for Credit Reporting Industry Advocates Call on Senate to Confirm CFPB Director to Remove Any Uncertainty over CFPB Authority over Credit Bureaus FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 11, 2013                                                                       (WASHINGTON, DC) Advocates from two national consumer groups on credit reporting lauded the findings of a Federal Trade Commission [...]

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is generally known for protecting consumers from credit report errors, but did you know the FCRA protects employees too?  The FCRA is often implicated in the employment context when an employer, or potential employer, performs a background check when making its decision to hire, retain or promote the employee. [...]