Fair Credit Reporting Act

Orlando Consumer Protection Attorney - Lawyer, Eric W. Fetter proudly provides professional Consumer Protection Law legal services in Orlando, Orange County Florida, and throughout the Central Florida area.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a United States federal law (codified at 15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.) that regulates the collection, dissemination, and use of consumer information, including consumer credit information).

Along with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), it forms the base of consumer credit rights in the United States. It was originally passed in 1970, and is enforced by the US Federal Trade Commission and private litigants.

Consumer reporting agencies (CRAs) are entities that collect and disseminate information about consumers to be used for credit evaluation and certain other purposes, including employment. Credit bureaus, a type of consumer reporting agency, hold a consumer's credit report in their databases. CRAs have a number of responsibilities under FCRA, including the following:

Provide a consumer with information about him or her in the agency's files and to take steps to verify the accuracy of information disputed by a consumer. Under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA), an amendment to the FCRA passed in 2003, consumers are able to receive one free credit report a year. The free report can be requested by telephone, mail, or through the government-authorized website, www.annualcreditreport.com.
If negative information is removed as a result of a consumer's dispute, it may not be reinserted without notifying the consumer within five days, in writing.
CRAs may not retain negative information for an excessive period. The FCRA describes how long negative information, such as late payments, bankruptcies, tax liens or judgments may stay on a consumer's credit report — typically seven years from the date of the delinquency. The exceptions: bankruptcies (10 years) and tax liens (seven years from the time they are paid).

As a Consumer Protection Law Attorney - Lawyer, Eric Fetter proudly serves the Orlando, Orange County, and Central Florida area.

If you have questions, concerns, or needs regarding consumer law protection relating to fair credit reporting legal issues, we urge you to seek the legal advice of an experienced consumer protection attorney - lawyer. Contact the Law Office of Eric W. Fetter, P.A., by calling (407) 650-1733 to schedule a confidential legal consultation.

When there is a violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act:

Under § 616 the law may allow a consumer to seek actual damages or a minimum of $100 - maximum of $1000, plus punitive damages and reasonable attorney's fees and costs.
Under § 617 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, recovery for a negligent violation is of actual damages, plus attorney's fees.
Under § 618, a consumer may file suit in state or federal court to enforce the Act, if the offense is within the statute of limitations, which are 2 years from discovery and 5 years from the violation.

Ensure your legal rights are protected by seeking the advice and representation of an experienced consumer protection attorney - lawyer regarding fair credit reporting issues. Contact the Law Office of Eric W. Fetter, P.A., by calling (407) 650-1733.

A violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act can prove to be a stumbling bock that may affect various aspects relating to your financial abilities and goals. Also problematic is that violations often affect the victim's financial standing immediately. While quick to add negative marks against your credit report, companies that can affect your financial standing and credit score rarely act in a prompt manner in removing or correcting your credit report concerns.

Our law firm has long been advocates for protecting the consumer’s rights, including fair credit reporting practices. If you are dealing with a situation in which you, as a consumer, are not being dealt with properly in a consumer related transaction or circumstance, find out what your legal rights are.

Be proactive in protecting your legal rights by seeking the advice and representation of an experienced consumer protection fair credit reporting attorney - lawyer legal who serves the Orlando, Orange County, and Central Florida area. Contact the Law Office of Eric W. Fetter, P.A., by calling (407) 650-1733.

Orlando Consumer Protection Attorney - Lawyer, Eric W. Fetter proudly provides professional Consumer Protection Law legal services in Orlando, Orange County Florida, and throughout the Central Florida area.

DISCLAIMER: The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask the lawyer to send you free written information about their qualifications and experience. This website has been prepared for informational purposes only and not as legal advice. Neither the transmission, nor your receipt of information from this website creates an attorney-client relationship, which can only be formed in writing between you and the attorney you choose to represent you.