The Fair Credit Reporting Act
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law, first passed in 1970, that governs how your credit information is collected, shared, and used. It exists to make sure the information in your credit file is accurate, private, and fair.
It gives you real, enforceable rights — and it places clear responsibilities on the credit bureaus and the companies that report information about you. Understanding it is the first step to taking back control.
Eight things the FCRA guarantees you
Access your reports
You can get a free copy of your credit report from each nationwide bureau — at least once every 12 months, and any time you're denied credit, insurance, or a job because of it.
Know what's in your file
You have the right to see everything reported about you, and to know who has requested your credit report.
Dispute inaccuracies
If information is incomplete or inaccurate, you can dispute it. The credit bureau must investigate — usually within about 30 days.
Have errors corrected
Information that is inaccurate, incomplete, or that cannot be verified must be corrected or deleted from your report.
Old information drops off
Most negative items can't be reported after 7 years. A bankruptcy can remain for up to 10 years — but not forever.
Control who sees it
Your report can only be shared with parties who have a legally valid reason — such as a lender, landlord, or an employer with your written consent.
Opt out of offers
You can opt out of the unsolicited “prescreened” credit and insurance offers that are based on your credit file.
Protection from fraud
You can place fraud alerts and security freezes, and block information that appears on your report as a result of identity theft.
And if anyone violates these rights, the FCRA allows you to seek damages in court.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is a federal law that sets strict limits on how debt collectors can contact you, what they can say, and what they are absolutely prohibited from doing.
It applies to third-party collectors — agencies hired or assigned to collect debts on behalf of someone else. Violating the FDCPA gives you the right to take legal action and recover damages.
Eight rights collectors must respect
Know who is contacting you
A collector must disclose their identity and the fact that they are attempting to collect a debt. They cannot misrepresent who they are.
Contact only at reasonable times
Collectors may only contact you between 8:00 AM and 9:00 PM your local time. They may not call at your workplace if your employer prohibits it.
Tell them to stop contacting you
Send a written request for a collector to cease contact. They must stop — with very limited exceptions to notify you of specific actions they may take.
Demand proof the debt is yours
Within 30 days of first contact, you can request written verification of the debt. The collector must stop collection activity until they provide it.
Know the original creditor
You can request the name and address of the original creditor within that same 30-day window. The collector must provide it before continuing.
Freedom from harassment & threats
Collectors cannot threaten violence, use abusive language, make false arrest threats, or call repeatedly to harass or annoy you.
Freedom from false statements
Collectors cannot misrepresent the amount owed, claim to be attorneys or government officials, threaten legal action they can't take, or send fake legal documents.
No hidden or unauthorized fees
A collector can only collect what is actually owed. They cannot add fees, interest, or charges unless the original agreement or law explicitly allows it.
Violating any of these rules is illegal. You can report violations to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and may be able to sue for damages.
Your most powerful tool: debt validation
Within 30 days of a collector's first written notice, you have the right to request written verification of the debt. Once you do, collection must stop until they provide valid proof.
If they cannot verify it — or if the proof shows the debt isn't yours — you have grounds to dispute and have it removed. This is one of the most effective tools for stopping collectors and cleaning your credit.
You receive a collection notice
The collector's first written contact starts your 30-day clock.
Request validation in writing
Send a written debt validation request. Collection must pause immediately.
They must prove the debt
They must provide written verification before any collection can continue.
If they can't — dispute it
An unverified debt can be challenged on your credit report and removed.
From question mark to corrected report
We review
We pull and examine your reports for items that look inaccurate, outdated, or unverifiable.
We dispute
We formally challenge those items with the bureaus and, where appropriate, the company that reported them.
They investigate
The bureau has about 30 days to investigate and ask the furnisher to verify the data — usually through their Metro 2® reporting.
It's resolved
Anything that can't be verified, or is confirmed inaccurate, must be corrected or removed from your report.
What is Metro 2®?
Behind every account on your report is data. Metro 2® is the standardized electronic format that banks, lenders, and collection agencies — known as “data furnishers” — use to report your account information to the credit bureaus, usually every month.
It defines exactly how each detail — your balance, payment status, dates, and account history — is supposed to be reported. Why this matters to you: the FCRA requires that information be accurate and complete. When an account isn't reported correctly, or a furnisher can't verify it the way the standard requires, that information can be challenged — and may be corrected or removed.
Metro 2® is a registered trademark of the Consumer Data Industry Association. This is a plain-language overview, not a reproduction of any proprietary reporting guide.
What each item on your report actually means
For every type of item below, our work is the same: confirm it is accurate, complete, and verifiable — and challenge it when it isn't.
Collections
A debt that the original creditor handed off (or sold) to a collection agency after it went unpaid. It appears as a separate account and can weigh heavily on your score.
How we help: We check whether the collection is accurate, properly validated, and reported correctly — then challenge it if it isn't.
Late Payments
A record that a payment was 30, 60, or 90+ days past due. Late marks are one of the most common — and most damaging — items on a report.
How we help: We verify the dates and status are reported correctly and dispute inaccurate late marks.
Charge-Offs
When a creditor gives up on collecting and writes the account off as a loss — though you may still owe the balance. It signals serious delinquency.
How we help: We confirm the balance, dates, and status are accurate and verifiable, and challenge errors.
Inquiries
A record of who looked at your credit. “Hard” inquiries from new credit applications can lower your score slightly and stay for two years.
How we help: We identify inquiries that you didn't authorize or that lack a permissible purpose, and dispute them.
Repossessions
When a lender reclaims financed property — most often a vehicle — after the loan goes into default. It leaves a significant negative mark.
How we help: We review the reporting for accuracy and challenge it where the details don't hold up.
Tax Liens
A government claim against you for unpaid taxes. These are public-record items and are held to strict accuracy and identification standards.
How we help: We verify any tax-lien item is accurate and properly documented, and dispute it if it isn't.
Judgments
A court's decision that you owe a debt, which can appear as a public record. Like liens, judgments must meet strict reporting requirements.
How we help: We confirm the judgment is accurate and verifiable, and challenge improperly reported items.
Foreclosures
When a lender takes back a home after the mortgage falls into default. It's a major negative event that can stay on your report for years.
How we help: We review every detail of how the foreclosure is reported and dispute inaccuracies.
Bankruptcies
A legal process for resolving debts you can't repay. It can remain on your report for 7 to 10 years depending on the type — but every detail must be correct.
How we help: We make sure it's reported accurately — correct dates and only the accounts that truly belong to it.
Medical Bills
Unpaid medical debts that were sent to collections. Special rules now limit how and when many medical debts can appear on your report.
How we help: We check whether the debt should even be reported under current rules and dispute inaccuracies.
Student Loans
Federal or private education loans. Missed payments and defaults are reported and can affect your credit for a long time.
How we help: We review the status and payment history for accuracy and challenge errors in how they're reported.
Public Records
Court- and government-sourced items like bankruptcies, judgments, and liens. Because they come from outside sources, accuracy errors are common.
How we help: We verify each public record is accurate and meets reporting standards, and dispute those that don't.
Identity Theft
Accounts or inquiries that appear because someone used your identity. These can seriously damage credit you never actually used.
How we help: We help you file disputes, place fraud alerts, and block fraudulent items using your rights under the FCRA.
Personal Information
Your file also lists personal identifiers — names and spellings, current and former addresses, phone numbers, employers, and nicknames or aliases. When these are wrong or outdated, your file can get mixed with someone else's, causing accounts and inquiries that aren't yours to appear on your report.
How we help: We review every personal detail, then dispute and request removal of incorrect names, addresses, phone numbers, employers, and aliases — helping prevent the mismatches that hurt your score.