CFPB Study: Over 26 Million Consumers Are Credit Invisible

CFPB Credit Scores

On May 5, the CFPB released the results of its latest analysis of the credit reporting industry, finding that more than 26 million consumers are categorized as “credit invisible” (i.e., consumers without credit histories with a nationwide consumer reporting agency). The report also found that an additional 19 million consumers’ credit records (roughly 8 percent of the adult population) are unscored because of insufficient credit history or information not recently reported. Other notable findings of the study include: (i) almost 15 percent of Black and Hispanic consumers are more likely to be “credit invisible” compared to 9 percent of White consumers; and (ii) consumers in low-income neighborhoods are much more likely to be credit invisible or to have an unscored credit record. During a conference call to announce the results of the study, Kenneth Brevoort, Section Chief within the CFPB’s Office of Research, alluded to what the Bureau’s next steps may be in the area, stating that the Bureau wants “to have a better understanding of exactly what interventions are possible in the regulatory space or perhaps, industry initiatives that may improve the functioning of these markets for the consumers’ well-being.”