South Carolina has its own credit report dispute law. It is found in the Consumer Identity Theft Protection chapter of the Consumer Protection Code, Title 37, Chapter 20. Under S.C. Code § 37-20-170, a consumer may dispute an inaccurate item in writing. The credit bureau must reinvestigate free of charge and respond in writing within 30 days. If it denies the dispute, it must explain the basis and supporting evidence. For a willful or knowing violation, the statute allows the greater of three times actual damages or $3,000 per incident, plus attorney's fees. For a negligent violation, it allows the greater of actual damages or $1,000 per incident.
The same chapter covers security freezes and identity theft. Under § 37-20-160, a bureau must place a freeze within five business days of a written or email request, and it may not charge a fee to place, lift or reinstate a freeze. Section 37-20-130 requires local police to take an identity theft report and give the victim a copy. Section 37-20-140 lets a victim whose identity was used in a crime seek a court determination of factual innocence.
FCRA lawsuits from South Carolina are filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, which has courthouses in Charleston, Columbia, Florence, Greenville and Spartanburg. A case may bring federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) claims and, where they apply, South Carolina claims together. Federal law limits some state-law claims, especially against lenders and collectors, so which claims apply depends on the facts.
Where South Carolina FCRA cases are filed
FCRA claims are federal, so they go to a United States District Court. Cases from South Carolina are heard in one federal district:
- District of South CarolinaCourthouses: Charleston, Columbia, Florence, Greenville, Spartanburg.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.
South Carolina laws that add to the FCRA
- Disputes as to accuracy of consumer records (S.C. Code Ann. § 37-20-170)
Requires a credit bureau to reinvestigate a written dispute for free and respond in writing within 30 days. Allows the greater of three times actual damages or $3,000 per incident for willful violations, and the greater of actual damages or $1,000 for negligent violations, plus attorney's fees. Read it - Security freeze (S.C. Code Ann. § 37-20-160)
A bureau must place a freeze within five business days of a request and may not charge to place, lift or reinstate it. A freeze may not be treated as a negative factor in creditworthiness. Read it - Identity theft police reports and factual innocence (S.C. Code Ann. §§ 37-20-130, 37-20-140)
Local law enforcement must take an identity theft report and give the victim a copy. A victim whose identity was used in a crime may petition for an expedited court determination of factual innocence. 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
Does South Carolina have its own law for disputing credit report errors?
Yes. S.C. Code § 37-20-170 requires a credit bureau to reinvestigate a written dispute for free and respond in writing within 30 days. The statute provides damages and attorney's fees for violations. The federal FCRA also applies, and a case may raise both.
Is it free to freeze my credit in South Carolina?
Yes. Under § 37-20-160, a credit bureau may not charge a fee to place, lift or reinstate a freeze, and federal law also requires free freezes at the nationwide bureaus. The bureau must place the freeze within five business days of a written request.
Someone used my identity in South Carolina. How do I clear my name?
You can file a report with your local police, who must take it and give you a copy under § 37-20-130. With an identity theft report, the FCRA lets you ask the credit bureaus to block fraudulent accounts. If your identity was used in a crime, § 37-20-140 lets you ask a court to find you factually innocent.
How long do I have to file an FCRA lawsuit in South Carolina?
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
- U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, Court locations
- S.C. Code Title 37, Chapter 20, Consumer Identity Theft Protection (SC Legislature)
- S.C. Code Title 17, Chapter 22, including Article 9 expungement (SC Legislature)
- NELP, Ban the Box: Fair Chance Hiring State and Local Guide
- Federal Trade Commission, Credit freezes and fraud alerts
Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.