Credit Reporting

The credit reporting industry is big business: over 150 million Americans have credit files that are maintained by the major reporting agencies, and the largest three agencies generate more than one billion credit reports each year. Yet millions of these files contain outdated information and errors that can affect a consumer’s access to home mortgages, car loans and other forms of consumer credit, housing, employment, and even insurance. Consumers should also beware of unscrupulous credit repair agencies that promise to erase bad credit reports.

Policy Analysis

Letter: National Consumer Organizations Urge Opposition to Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA) Bill (H.R. 6129) on House Floor, September 21, 2006, PDF (155KB)

Letter to Senate Committee on Banking: National Consumer Organizations Urge Opposition to Bennett/Johnson CROA Bill (S. 3662), September 21, 2006, PDF (155KB)

Comments to Interagency APNR regarding Furnisher Accuracy Guidelines and Direct Dispute Regulations, May 22, 2006, PDF (505KB)

Analysis: Summary of FACTA changes to FCRA

Fair Credit Reporting

Policy Analysis Archive (2000-2005)

Background Information and Resources

Background Information: FCRA 2003 Amendments

Background Information: Consumer's Union and FCRA