Credit Report Error Lawsuits in Massachusetts

Massachusetts is one of the few states with its own full credit reporting statute. General Laws chapter 93, sections 50 to 68, sits alongside the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act. It sets its own rules for what a credit report may contain. Most negative items more than seven years old cannot be reported, and bankruptcies drop off after 14 years. Those limits do not apply to reports used for credit or life insurance of $50,000 or more.

The state law also spells out how disputes must be handled. A credit bureau must reinvestigate a disputed item within 30 business days and must delete information that is inaccurate or can no longer be verified. The bureau must keep a toll-free number where you can reach a live person. If you send documents from the original source or public records that support your side, the bureau generally must accept them unless it has substantial reason to doubt them. A security freeze is free under section 62A and must be placed within three business days.

When a credit bureau, a lender, a collector or another company that furnishes data fails to follow these rules, Massachusetts law allows a claim for actual damages, costs and attorney's fees. Willful violations can also bring punitive damages. In federal court, FCRA cases from Massachusetts are filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, which sits in Boston, Worcester and Springfield. Some state claims may be limited by federal preemption, so how the two laws fit together depends on the facts.

Where Massachusetts FCRA cases are filed

FCRA claims are federal, so they go to a United States District Court. Cases from Massachusetts are heard in one federal district:

District of MassachusettsCourthouses: Boston, Worcester, Springfield.Filed with local or cooperating counsel

Our attorneys are licensed in Texas, California, and Georgia. Where they aren't admitted in your local federal court, we work with local or cooperating counsel who are. You may also be able to sue where the company that reported you is based, in a court where our attorneys are admitted:

Experian: HQ in C.D. California · Dispute Processing in E.D. Texas · Offices in N.D. Illinois
Equifax: HQ in N.D. Georgia
TransUnion: HQ in N.D. Illinois
Santander Consumer: HQ in N.D. Texas

Which court is right depends on your facts. We'll tell you at your free case review.

Massachusetts laws that add to the FCRA

Massachusetts limits on obsolete information (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 93, § 52)
Bars consumer reports from including most adverse items more than seven years old, bankruptcies more than 14 years old, and eviction records sealed under chapter 239, section 16. The limits do not apply to credit transactions or life insurance of $50,000 or more. Read it
Massachusetts dispute and reinvestigation procedure (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 93, § 58)
Requires a credit bureau to reinvestigate a disputed item within 30 business days, delete inaccurate or unverifiable information, and offer a live representative by toll-free number. A deleted item can be reinserted only if the source verifies it, with written notice to you. Read it
Massachusetts security freeze (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 93, § 62A)
Lets you freeze your credit file at no charge. The bureau must place the freeze within three business days and send confirmation and a PIN or password within five business days. Read it
Civil liability for willful and negligent violations (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 93, §§ 63–64)
Makes credit bureaus, furnishers and users liable for actual damages, costs and reasonable attorney's fees when they negligently fail to follow sections 50 to 62A. Willful violations can also lead to punitive damages. Read it

Common credit report errors

Accounts that aren't yours, including mixed-file and identity theft accounts
Late payments you didn't make, or payments not credited
Paid, settled or discharged debts still shown as owed
Collections reported past the seven-year limit or re-aged
A deceased indicator on a living person's file

Learn how these cases work on our credit report lawsuits page, or read our lawsuit guides for Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

Frequently asked questions

How long can negative information stay on my credit report in Massachusetts?

Under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 93, § 52, most negative items cannot be reported once they are more than seven years old, and bankruptcies cannot be reported after 14 years. Those limits do not apply when the report is used for a credit transaction or life insurance policy of $50,000 or more. The federal FCRA has similar time limits.

How long does a credit bureau have to fix a dispute under Massachusetts law?

Massachusetts law gives the bureau up to 30 business days to reinvestigate and record the current status of a disputed item. If the item is inaccurate or cannot be verified, it must be deleted. You can also ask to speak with a live representative at any point in the process.

Can I sue a credit bureau under Massachusetts law as well as the FCRA?

Massachusetts law allows claims against credit bureaus, furnishers and users for negligent or willful violations of its credit reporting rules, with actual damages, costs and attorney's fees. Federal law may preempt some state claims, especially claims against furnishers. Whether a state claim can be added to an FCRA case depends on the facts.

How long do I have to file an FCRA lawsuit in Massachusetts?

FCRA deadlines are the same everywhere: generally two years from when you discover the violation, and no more than five years from when it happened (15 U.S.C. § 1681p). Waiting can cost you the claim.

Sources

Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.