CFPB Takes Action Against Nationwide Credit Reporting Company and Owner

CFPB FCRA Enforcement

On December 3, The CFPB took action against a nationwide credit reporting company and its owner over alleged violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. According to the CFPB, the defendants (i) obtained consumer reports, without permissible purpose, from third-party CRAs to generate marketing presentations for prospective clients; and (ii) failed to investigate consumer disputes, including those relating to identity theft. The CFPB further alleged that the company “routinely failed” to provide consumer dispute information to furnishers. In addition to an $8 million civil money penalty, the consent order requires the defendants to submit to the CFPB a compliance plan that ensures their “practices for obtaining Consumer Reports and conducting reinvestigations of disputes [comply] with all applicable federal consumer financial laws, as defined in the CFPA.” Finally, the order prohibits the company from engaging in certain practices, such as the selling or reselling of any consumer report to any person whose purpose for obtaining the report is to consider purchasing any service provided by the defendants, or to generate a lead.