The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), 15 U.S.C. § 1681, regulates the manner in which credit bureaus may collect, access, use, and share the information they compile on individuals and businesses. The act includes specific provisions requiring the disclosure of an individual’s credit report upon request by that individual, strict limitations on who may access credit information, as well as the opportunity to dispute and correct inaccurate data included in a report.
[Last updated in June of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]