Basic Rights
The FCRA provides a list of consumer rights regarding individuals’ credit history information.
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you have a right to:
Access to Your Credit Report – The act requires credit reporting agencies to provide you with any information in your credit file upon request once a year. You must have proper identification. You have a right to a free copy of your credit report within 15 days of your request.
Protected Access – The act limits access to your file to those with a valid need. That would usually be banks, insurance companies, employers, landlords or others doing business that involves offering credit. You also have the right to know who has requested your credit report in the last year or, for employment-related requests, two years.
Accurate Reporting – If inaccurate information is discovered in your file, the consumer reporting agency must examine the disputed information, usually within 30 days. If the inaccurate information cannot be verified, the consumer reporting agency has a responsibility to remove it. If you are not able to clear up the matter, you are allowed to add a statement to your credit file explaining the situation.
Have Outdated Information Removed – Negative information must be removed from your file after seven years. Bankruptcy, however, may remain on record for 10 years, and criminal record information can remain indefinitely.
Maintain Medical Information Privacy – You are protected from having medical information in a consumer report, as creditors are prohibited from obtaining or using medical information when making a credit decision.
Limit Unsolicited Credit Offers – The law allows you to request to have your name and address removed from unsolicited prescreened offer lists for credit and insurance. To opt out of such correspondence, call (888) 5-OPTOUT (888-567-8688).
Protect Your Personal Account Numbers – Businesses are not permitted to publish full credit card numbers on receipts. The law also allows you to protect your Social Security number by having it truncated on your credit report.
Receive Notification of Possible Negative Information – You have the right to be notified if any financial institution submits, or plans to submit, negative information to a credit reporting agency. This information may be included in a billing statement or a notice of default.
Seek Damages – You have the right to sue and seek damages in a state or federal court from anyone, such as a consumer reporting agency or a user of consumer reports, who violates the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Know When Your Credit Report Is Used Against You – If you are denied credit, insurance or employment because of your credit report, you can ask for the specific reason for the denial.
Know Your Credit Scores – You have a unique credit score with each credit bureau, which you can request. In some cases, you may be required to pay for this information.
Article By: AL KRULICK
Source: Debt.org