reporting agency, the agency must investigate unless your dispute is frivolous. See
www.consumerfinance.gov/learnmore for an explanation of dispute procedures.
• Consumer reporting agencies must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or
unverifiable information. Inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information must be
removed or corrected, usually within 30 days. However, a consumer reporting agency
may continue to report information it has verified as accurate.
• Consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information. In
most cases, a consumer reporting agency may not report negative information that is
more than seven years old, or bankruptcies that are more than 10 years old.
• Access to your file is limited. A consumer reporting agency may provide information
about you only to people with a valid need – usually to consider an application with a
creditor, insurer, employer, landlord, or other business. The FCRA specifies those with a
valid need for access.
• You must give your consent for reports to be provided to employers. A consumer
reporting agency may not give out information about you to your employer, or a potential
employer, without your written consent given to the employer. Written consent generally
is not required in the trucking industry. For more information, go to
www.consumerfinance.gov/learnmore.
• You may limit “prescreened” offers of credit and insurance you get based on
information in your credit report. Unsolicited “prescreened” offers for credit and
insurance must include a toll-free phone number you can call if you choose to remove
your name and address form the lists these offers are based on. You may opt out with the
nationwide credit bureaus at 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688).
• The following FCRA right applies with respect to nationwide consumer reporting
agencies:
CONSUMERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBTAIN A SECURITY FREEZE
You have a right to place a “security freeze” on your credit report, which will
prohibit a consumer reporting agency from releasing information in your credit
report without your express authorization. The security freeze is designed to prevent
credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent.
However, you should be aware that using a security freeze to take control over who gets
access to the personal and financial information in your credit report may delay, interfere
with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application you make
regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of
credit.
As an alternative to a security freeze, you have the right to place an initial or extended
fraud alert on your credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is