Use these procedures to dispute inaccurate
credit reports according to the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Procedure in case of disputed credit file accuracy:
Section 1681i
- Reinvestigations of disputed
information
- Statement of dispute
- Notification of dispute in
subsequent consumer reports
- Notification of deletion of
disputed information
Up
(a) Reinvestigations of disputed information
(1) Reinvestigation required
(A) In general
If the completeness or accuracy of any item of information
contained in a consumer's file at a consumer reporting agency is disputed by
the consumer and the consumer notifies the agency directly of such dispute, the
agency shall reinvestigate free of charge and record the current status of the
disputed information, or delete the item from the file in accordance with
paragraph (5), before the end of the 30-day period beginning on the date on
which the agency receives the notice of the dispute from the consumer.
(B) Extension of period to reinvestigate
Except as provided in subparagraph (C), the 30-day period
described in subparagraph (A) may be extended for not more than 15 additional
days if the consumer reporting agency receives information from the consumer
during that 30-day period that is relevant to the reinvestigation.
(C) Limitations on extension of period to reinvestigate
Subparagraph (B) shall not apply to any reinvestigation in
which, during the 30-day period described in subparagraph (A), the information
that is the subject of the reinvestigation is found to be inaccurate or
incomplete or the consumer reporting agency determines that the information
cannot be verified.
(2) Prompt notice of dispute to furnisher of information
(A) In general
Before the expiration of the 5-business-day period beginning
on the date on which a consumer reporting agency receives notice of a dispute
from any consumer in accordance with paragraph (1), the agency shall provide
notification of the dispute to any person who provided any item of information
in dispute, at the address and in the manner established with the person. The
notice shall include all relevant information regarding the dispute that the
agency has received from the consumer.
(B) Provision of other information from consumer
The consumer reporting agency shall promptly provide to the
person who provided the information in dispute all relevant information
regarding the dispute that is received by the agency from the consumer after
the period referred to in subparagraph (A) and before the end of the period
referred to in paragraph (1)(A).
(3) Determination that dispute is frivolous or irrelevant
(A) In general
Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a consumer reporting agency may
terminate a reinvestigation of information disputed by a consumer under that
paragraph if the agency reasonably determines that the dispute by the consumer
is frivolous or irrelevant, including by reason of a failure by a consumer to
provide sufficient information to investigate the disputed information.
(B) Notice of determination
Upon making any determination in accordance with subparagraph
(A) that a dispute is frivolous or irrelevant, a consumer reporting agency
shall notify the consumer of such determination not later than 5 business days
after making such determination, by mail or, if authorized by the consumer for
that purpose, by any other means available to the agency.
(C) Contents of notice: A notice under subparagraph (B) shall
include -
(i) the reasons for the determination under subparagraph (A);
and
(ii) identification of any information required to
investigate the disputed information, which may consist of a standardized form
describing the general nature of such information.
(4) Consideration of consumer information
In conducting any reinvestigation under paragraph (1) with
respect to disputed information in the file of any consumer, the consumer
reporting agency shall review and consider all relevant information submitted
by the consumer in the period described in paragraph (1)(A) with respect to
such disputed information.
(5) Treatment of inaccurate or unverifiable information
(A) In general: If, after any reinvestigation under paragraph
(1) of any information disputed by a consumer, an item of the information is
found to be inaccurate or incomplete or cannot be verified, the consumer
reporting agency shall promptly delete that item of information from the
consumer's file or modify that item of information, as appropriate, based on
the results of the reinvestigation.
(B) Requirements relating to reinsertion of previously
deleted material
(i) Certification of accuracy of information
If any information is deleted from a consumer's file
pursuant to subparagraph (A), the information may not be reinserted in the file
by the consumer reporting agency unless the person who furnishes the
information certifies that the information is complete and accurate.
(ii) Notice to consumer
If any information that has been deleted from a consumer's
file pursuant to subparagraph (A) is reinserted in the file, the consumer
reporting agency shall notify the consumer of the reinsertion in writing not
later than 5 business days after the reinsertion or, if authorized by the
consumer for that purpose, by any other means available to the agency.
(iii) Additional information
As part of, or in addition to, the notice under clause
(ii), a consumer reporting agency shall provide to a consumer in writing not
later than 5 business days after the date of the reinsertion -
(I) a statement that the disputed information has been
reinserted;
(II) the business name and address of any furnisher of
information contacted and the telephone number of such furnisher, if reasonably
available, or of any furnisher of information that contacted the consumer
reporting agency, in connection with the reinsertion of such information; and
(III) a notice that the consumer has the right to add a
statement to the consumer's file disputing the accuracy or completeness of the
disputed information.
(C) Procedures to prevent reappearance
A consumer reporting agency shall maintain reasonable
procedures designed to prevent the reappearance in a consumer's file, and in
consumer reports on the consumer, of information that is deleted pursuant to
this paragraph (other than information that is reinserted in accordance with
subparagraph (B)(i)).
(D) Automated reinvestigation system
Any consumer reporting agency that compiles and maintains
files on consumers on a nationwide basis shall implement an automated system
through which furnishers of information to that consumer reporting agency may
report the results of a reinvestigation that finds incomplete or inaccurate
information in a consumer's file to other such consumer reporting agencies.
(6) Notice of results of reinvestigation
(A) In general: A consumer reporting agency shall provide
written notice to a consumer of the results of a reinvestigation under this
subsection not later than 5 business days after the completion of the
reinvestigation, by mail or, if authorized by the consumer for that purpose, by
other means available to the agency.
(B) Contents: As part of, or in addition to, the notice under
subparagraph (A), a consumer reporting agency shall provide to a consumer in
writing before the expiration of the 5-day period referred to in subparagraph
(A) -
(i) a statement that the reinvestigation is completed;
(ii) a consumer report that is based upon the consumer's
file as that file is revised as a result of the reinvestigation;
(iii) a notice that, if requested by the consumer, a
description of the procedure used to determine the accuracy and completeness of
the information shall be provided to the consumer by the agency, including the
business name and address of any furnisher of information contacted in
connection with such information and the telephone number of such furnisher, if
reasonably available;
(iv) a notice that the consumer has the right to add a
statement to the consumer's file disputing the accuracy or completeness of the
information; and
(v) a notice that the consumer has the right to request
under subsection (d) of this section that the consumer reporting agency furnish
notifications under that subsection.
(7) Description of reinvestigation procedure
A consumer reporting agency shall provide to a consumer a
description referred to in paragraph (6)(B)(iii) by not later than 15 days
after receiving a request from the consumer for that description.
(8) Expedited dispute resolution
If a dispute regarding an item of information in a consumer's
file at a consumer reporting agency is resolved in accordance with paragraph
(5)(A) by the deletion of the disputed information by not later than 3 business
days after the date on which the agency receives notice of the dispute from the
consumer in accordance with paragraph (1)(A), then the agency shall not be
required to comply with paragraphs (2), (6), and (7) with respect to that
dispute if the agency -
(A) provides prompt notice of the deletion to the consumer
by telephone;
(B) includes in that notice, or in a written notice that
accompanies a confirmation and consumer report provided in accordance with
subparagraph (C), a statement of the consumer's right to request under
subsection (d) of this section that the agency furnish notifications under that
subsection; and
(C) provides written confirmation of the deletion and a
copy of a consumer report on the consumer that is based on the consumer's file
after the deletion, not later than 5 business days after making the deletion.
Up (b) Statement of dispute
If the reinvestigation does not resolve the dispute, the
consumer may file a brief statement setting forth the nature of the dispute.
The consumer reporting agency may limit such statements to not more than one
hundred words if it provides the consumer with assistance in writing a clear
summary of the dispute.
Up (c) Notification of consumer dispute in subsequent
consumer reports
Whenever a statement of a dispute is filed, unless there is
reasonable grounds to believe that it is frivolous or irrelevant, the consumer
reporting agency shall, in any subsequent consumer report containing the
information in question, clearly note that it is disputed by the consumer and
provide either the consumer's statement or a clear and accurate codification or
summary thereof.
Up (d) Notification of deletion of disputed information
Following any deletion of information which is found to be
inaccurate or whose accuracy can no longer be verified or any notation as to
disputed information, the consumer reporting agency shall, at the request of
the consumer, furnish notification that the item has been deleted or the
statement, codification or summary pursuant to subsection (b) or (c) of this
section to any person specifically designated by the consumer who has within
two years prior thereto received a consumer report for employment purposes, or
within six months prior thereto received a consumer report for any other
purpose, which contained the deleted or disputed information
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