Your Rights Under the FCRA.
The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) promotes the accuracy, fairness, and privacy of information in the files of consumer reporting agencies. This is a summary of your major rights. You can find the full text at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: consumerfinance.gov.
You do not need to pay anyone to exercise these rights. You can dispute inaccurate information directly with the credit bureaus for free. BSG Credit Solutions offers our services because many people prefer an experienced advocate to handle the process - but it is always your choice.
Your Rights at a Glance
You must be told if information in your file has been used against you
Anyone who uses a credit report or consumer report to deny your application for credit, insurance, or employment must tell you and give you the name, address, and phone number of the agency that provided the information.
You have the right to know what is in your file
You may request and obtain all the information about you in the files of a consumer reporting agency (your "file disclosure"). You are entitled to a free file disclosure from each of the three nationwide bureaus every 12 months at AnnualCreditReport.com, and additional free reports under specific circumstances (denial of credit, unemployment, identity theft, etc.).
You have the right to ask for a credit score
Credit scores are numerical summaries of your credit-worthiness based on information in your reports. In most cases you may obtain your score from a consumer reporting agency, though you may have to pay for it.
You have the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information
If you identify information in your file that is incomplete or inaccurate and report it to the consumer reporting agency, the agency must investigate unless the dispute is frivolous. The bureau must generally complete its investigation within 30 days.
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 of the dispute. However, a consumer reporting agency may continue to report information that has been 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Consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information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 ten 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 calls these "permissible purposes."
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.
You may limit "prescreened" offers of credit and insurance
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 from the lists these offers are based on. You may opt out at optoutprescreen.com.
You may seek damages from violators
If a consumer reporting agency, or, in some cases, a user of consumer reports or a furnisher of information to a consumer reporting agency violates the FCRA, you may be able to sue in state or federal court.
Identity theft victims and active-duty military personnel have additional rights
For more information, visit consumerfinance.gov or write to: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 1700 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20552.
Need Help Exercising Your Rights?
BSG Credit Solutions helps consumers navigate the FCRA process - pulling reports, drafting dispute letters, tracking results across all three bureaus, and escalating when bureaus fail to comply. Get a free analysis →