Questions & answers
FCRA questions, answered
Direct answers to the questions people ask about credit reports, background checks and their rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, each with the law and agency guidance behind it.
Credit report disputes
- Can a deleted item come back on my credit report after a dispute?
- Can I dispute hard inquiries on my credit report?
- Can I dispute the same credit report error more than once?
- Do I need to dispute an error with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion separately?
- How can I get my credit reports for free?
- How do I fix a wrong name, address, or Social Security number on my credit report?
- How do I request my full credit file disclosure from a credit bureau?
- How do I request the method of verification after a credit dispute?
- How long can negative items stay on a credit report?
- How long does a bankruptcy stay on a credit report?
- How long does a credit bureau have to investigate a dispute?
- Is it better to dispute a credit report error online or by mail?
- Should I add a consumer statement to my credit report?
- Should I dispute through Credit Karma or directly with the credit bureau?
- What documents should I include with a credit report dispute?
- What does 'consumer disputes' mean on my credit report?
- What does 'verified' mean on a credit dispute result?
- What does it mean when a credit bureau says my dispute is frivolous or irrelevant?
- What notice must a credit bureau send me after my dispute?
- When can a credit bureau take 45 days to investigate a dispute?
Identity theft, mixed files & deceased errors
- Can I freeze my child's credit?
- How fast must a credit bureau block identity theft information?
- How long does a fraud alert last on a credit report?
- How quickly must a credit bureau place or lift a credit freeze?
- What is a mixed credit file?
- What is an identity theft report and how do I get one?
- What is the difference between a fraud alert and a credit freeze?
- What should I do if Social Security has me listed as deceased?
- Why does my credit report say I am deceased?
- Why is my father's, son's, or twin's credit showing on my report?
Lenders, collectors & servicers
- Can a collection agency re-age a debt on my credit report?
- Can a credit card company report me late while I'm disputing a charge?
- Can a creditor report a balance on a debt discharged in bankruptcy?
- Can a creditor report a late payment when I paid on time?
- Can a creditor report my account as closed by the creditor when I closed it?
- Can a debt buyer report a debt on my credit report?
- Can a debt collector report a debt I'm disputing?
- Can a debt collector report a debt that's past the statute of limitations?
- Can a debt collector report a debt to the credit bureaus without contacting me first?
- Can a debt collector report a higher balance than I owe?
- Can a lender report a cosigned loan's late payments on my credit report?
- Can a lender report me late during forbearance?
- Can I dispute a credit report error directly with the creditor?
- Can I sue a creditor for reporting false information?
- Can my mortgage servicer report me late after my loan was transferred?
- Do lenders have to report to all three credit bureaus?
- Do student loan transfers cause duplicate accounts on my credit report?
- Does a creditor have to tell me before reporting negative information?
- Does paying a collection remove it from my credit report?
- Does student loan rehabilitation remove the default from my credit report?
- How does settling a debt for less than I owe show on my credit report?
- How long can a charged-off account stay on my credit report?
- How long does a car repossession stay on my credit report?
- Is medical debt still on credit reports?
- What does a creditor have to do when I dispute through a credit bureau?
- What is 'pay for delete'?
- What is a data furnisher under the FCRA?
- When are late student loan payments reported to the credit bureaus?
- Why does my paid-off account still show a balance on my credit report?
- Why does the same debt show twice on my credit report?
Employment background checks
- Can a background check list the same criminal case more than once?
- Can an employer reject me because of an arrest record?
- Can an employer see an expunged record on a background check?
- Can my employer keep running background checks after I'm hired?
- Do arrests and dismissed charges show up on a background check?
- Do drug test results show up on a background check?
- Do I have to be told when a background check company reports my criminal record?
- Does an employer need my permission to run a background check?
- Does the 7-year background check rule apply to jobs paying $75,000 or more?
- How do I dispute a background check with the screening company?
- How do I get a copy of my employment background check?
- How far back does a background check go?
- What can I do if an Uber, Lyft, or DoorDash background check is wrong?
- What if my background check shows someone else's criminal record?
- What if my background check shows the wrong education or employment history?
- What is a pre-adverse action notice?
- What is The Work Number, and can I dispute it?
- What must an adverse action notice include after a background check?
Tenant screening
- Can a landlord deny me because of a criminal record?
- Can a landlord deny me because of my credit?
- Can a landlord deny me for an eviction that was dismissed?
- Can a landlord require a bigger deposit or a co-signer because of my screening report?
- Can a sealed eviction show up on a tenant screening report?
- Does a landlord have to tell you why you were denied?
- How do I dispute a tenant screening report?
- How do I get a copy of my tenant screening report?
- How long does an eviction stay on a tenant screening report?
- What if my tenant screening report shows someone else's eviction?
- Who runs my tenant screening report, the landlord or a screening company?
- Why did my tenant screening report say 'decline' or give me a low score?
Lawsuits, damages & deadlines
- Can an arbitration clause stop me from suing under the FCRA?
- Can I file an FCRA lawsuit in state court?
- Can I get punitive damages under the FCRA?
- Can I sue a credit bureau for defamation instead of under the FCRA?
- Can I sue a credit bureau in my home state if it is headquartered somewhere else?
- Can I sue a credit bureau in small claims court?
- Can I sue for emotional distress under the FCRA?
- Can I sue more than one company in the same FCRA lawsuit?
- Can I sue under the FCRA without a lawyer?
- Do I have to dispute an error before I can sue under the FCRA?
- Do I have to go to court if I file an FCRA claim?
- Do I have to pay a lawyer to sue under the FCRA?
- Do I have to pay taxes on an FCRA settlement?
- Do I need to have been denied credit to sue under the FCRA?
- Does the company have to pay my attorney's fees if I win an FCRA case?
- How did TransUnion v. Ramirez change who can sue under the FCRA?
- How long does an FCRA lawsuit take?
- How much can I sue a credit bureau for?
- Is a technical FCRA violation enough to sue?
- Should I join an FCRA class action or file my own lawsuit?
- What are actual damages in an FCRA case?
- What are statutory damages under the FCRA?
- What does "willful" mean in an FCRA lawsuit?
- What evidence should I keep for an FCRA claim?
- What happens if I lose my FCRA lawsuit?
- What is the difference between a willful and a negligent FCRA violation?
- What is the statute of limitations for an FCRA claim?
- When does the clock start on an FCRA claim?
- Where do I file an FCRA lawsuit?
- Who can sue under the FCRA?