Fair Credit Reporting Act

Selected Commission FCRA Actions

• Mortgage Lender Will Pay $50,000 Civil Penalty for Violating FCRA Disposal Rule (December 18, 2007)


• Two Providers of Consumers’ Medical Profiles Agree to Comply with Fair Credit Reporting Act (September 17, 2007)


• ChoicePoint Settles Data Security Breach Charges; to Pay $10 Million in Civil Penalties, $5 Million for Consumer Redress (January 26, 2006)


• Commission joins amicus brief filing in Safeco Ins. Co. v. Burr (Sup. Ct., No. 06-84), and GEICO General Ins. Co. v. Edo (Sup. Ct., No. 06-100) – meaning of “willful noncompliance” in Section 616, and “adverse action” in Section 603(k)(1)(B)(i) of the FCRA (November 14, 2006)


• Staff Files Amicus Brief in Case of Whitfield v. Radian Guaranty (3rd Cir., No. 05-5017) – right of consumer to an "adverse action" notice, when charged a higher premium for mortgage insurance because of a consumer report (March 17, 2006)
  
  
• Utah Consumer Reporting Agency Agrees To Pay $120,000 To Settle FTC Charges of Failure to Use Reasonable Procedures to Insure Credit Report Accuracy (January 17, 2006)
  
  
• FTC Publishes New Brochure, “Your Access to Free Credit Reports” (November 23, 2004)
  
  
• Sprint, AT&T to Pay Nearly $1.5 Million in Combined Penalties for Violations of Federal Credit Laws (September 10, 2004)
  
  
• FTC Files Amicus Brief in Ashby v. Farmers Group (9th Cir, No. 04-35394) - interpretation of "adverse action" when consumer is offered insurance at less than optimal cost or terms, based on a consumer report (September 10, 2004)
  
  
• Sprint, AT&T to Pay Nearly $1.5 Million in Combined Penalties for Violations of Federal Credit Laws (September 10, 2004)
  
  
• FTC Files Amicus Brief in Spano v. SAFECO Insurance Co. (9th Cir, No. 04-35313) - interpretation of "adverse action" when consumer is offered insurance at less than optimal cost or terms, based on a consumer report (August 6, 2004)
  
  
• Casinos to Pay $325,000 to Settle Charges of Failure to Notify Rejected Job Applicants of FCRA Rights (July 14, 2004)
  
  
• FTC Testifies that FACT Act Provisions Will Reduce Identity Theft and Help Victims Recover (June 15, 2004)
  
  
• Debt Collector to Pay $1.5 million to Settle FTC Charges of Reporting Inaccurate Delinquency Dates to Credit Bureaus (May 13, 2004)
  
  
• FTC Files Amicus Brief in Cole v. U. S. Capital, Inc. (7th Cir, No. 03-3331) - interpretation of "firm offer of credit" to solicitation that offers no benefit to consumer, and of "clear and conspicuous" in context of disclosures made in tiny type at bottom of solicitation (April 23, 2004)
  
  
• FTC Files Amicus Brief in Willes v. State Farm Fire and Casualty Co (9th Cir, No. 03-35848) - interpretation of "adverse action" when consumer is offered insurance at less than optimal cost, based on a consumer report (February 24, 2004)
  
  
• FTC Files Amicus Brief in Rausch v. Hartford Financial Services Group (9th Cir, No. 03-35695) - interpretation of "adverse action" when consumer is offered insurance at less than optimal cost or terms, based on a consumer report (January 23, 2004)
  
  
• Commission and Federal Reserve Board Jointly Announce Interim and Proposed Effective Dates for Amendments to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (December 16, 2003)
  • Commission and Board Staffs Respond to Consumer Groups' Concerns (December 23, 2003)
  • Public Comments
    
    
• Equifax to Pay $250,000 to Settle Charges that Blocked and Delayed Calls Violated Consent Decree (July 30, 2003)
  
  
• FTC Supports Legislation to Amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act (July 09, 2003)
  
  
• FTC Testifies on the Fair Credit Reporting Act (May 20, 2003)
  
  
• FTC Announces Intent to Ask for Public Comment in 2003 on a Proposed Revision of the FCRA Commentary, 16 CFR 600. (January 07, 2003)
  
  
• Online Mortgage Lender Settles FTC Charges of Failure to Provide Adverse Action Notice Required by FCRA (Proposed Agreement - December 30, 2002; Final Order - April 8, 2003)
  
  
• California Debt Collector Settles FTC Charges of Fair Credit Reporting Act and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Violations (July 1, 2002)
  
  
• Residential Landlords and the Fair Credit Reporting Act; Commission Issues Compliance Guide and Describes Staff Compliance Review (January 15, 2002)
  
  
• FTC Solicits Public Comment on Provisions of FCRA Pertaining to Information Sharing Among Affiliates
  • Public Comments (December 18, 2000)
    
    
• California Debt Collection Agency Settles FTC Charges Of Fair Credit Reporting Act Violations (August 24, 2000)
  
  
• FTC Testifies on the FCRA, other Federal Statutes, and Policy Goals Relating to Workplace Investigations  (May 4, 2000)
  
  
• Nation's Big Three Consumer Reporting Agencies Agree To Pay $2.5 Million To Settle FTC Charges of Violating Fair Credit Reporting Act (January 13, 2000)
  
  
• Marketer of Federally Insured Home Improvement Loans Agrees to Pay Civil Penalty for Violations of Federal Law (October 14, 1999)
  
  
• Major Producer of Merged Credit Reports Settles FTC Charges of Fair Credit Reporting Act Violations (Proposed agreement - October 28, 1998; Final order - August 2, 1999)
  
  
• FTC Press Conference Highlight New Consumer Protections Under Amended FCRA (September 29, 1997)