Credit Reporting & Scores Archives

This NCLC Digital Library article provides practice tips for advising clients with debt incurred by an abusive partner through coercion and fraud. While this article focuses on coercion by abusive partners, similar advice may be appropriate for elder abuse, abuse suffered by persons with disabilities who rely on a caretaker for day-to-day needs, victimization involving…

Mission Creep: a Primer on Use of Credit Reports & Scores for Non-Credit Purposes

August 3, 2022

This white paper provides an overview of the most significant uses of credit reports and credit scores for purposes other than credit underwriting. These non-credit uses include: Employment, Rental housing, Insurance, and others.

Consumer Advocates Applaud CFPB Rule Affirming States’ Ability to Police Credit

June 28, 2022

June 28, 2022 CFPB Interpretive Rule Clarifies that Scope of Federal Preemption is Narrow and Targeted BOSTON – Today, advocates at the National Consumer Law Center commended the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for affirming the authority of states to regulate credit bureaus, tenant screening companies, and background check agencies, with only limited restrictions. The CFPB…

Consumer and Survivor Advocacy Groups Comments to CFPB on Proposed Rule to Protect Trafficking Survivors

May 9, 2022

The undersigned survivor advocacy and consumer groups are pleased to submit these commentsin response to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding the Prohibition on Inclusion of Adverse Information in Consumer Reporting in Cases of Human Trafficking, Docket No. 2022-0023, issued April 8, 2022. This prohibition was added as Section 605C…

Advocates Applaud CFPB Report Highlighting the Toll of Inaccurate Medical Billing on Consumers

April 20, 2022

April 20, 2022 WASHINGTON – Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a report examining the financial consequences of medical billing and collection endured by individuals and families nationwide. The report draws from analysis of the rising volume of medical billing and collection complaints submitted to the CFPB, which show “coercive credit reporting and…

Fact Sheet Supporting Mass Fair Chance in Housing Act re Credit Scores in Housing

Why we need the Fair Chance in Housing Act (FCHA) to keep credit reports out of housing decisions now. Credit Reports Will Be Negatively Impacted by the COVID Crisis Credit Reports Don’t Predict Current Ability to Pay Credit Reports Are Riddled with Errors Credit Reports Perpetuate Historic Racial Inequities and Injustices

Consumer Advocates Applaud Biden Administration’s New Actions to Lessen the Burden of Medical Debt

April 11, 2022

April 11, 2022 WASHINGTON – In response to the Vice President Harris’ announcement today that the White House will be taking measures to increase consumer protections and lessen the burden of medical debt, advocates at the National Consumer Law Center issued the following statements: “We appreciate the White House’s efforts to improve protections for consumers…

Consumer Advocates Cheer Removal of Most Medical Debt from Credit Reports

March 18, 2022

March 18, 2022 Credit Bureaus Should Remove Remaining Debts Owed by the Sickest and Most Vulnerable Consumers WASHINGTON – Today, advocates at the National Consumer Law Center applauded a move by the Big Three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to change how they report medical debt, which will result in the removal of nearly…

Advocates Applaud VA Rule to Dramatically Reduce Unfavorable Debt on Veterans’ Credit Reports

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022 Rule establishes new minimum requirements for reporting medical debt and debt resulting from overpayment of benefits WASHINGTON – In response to today’s announcement by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that it has published a final rule in the Federal Register amending procedures for reporting debt to consumer reporting agencies, advocates at…

NCLC Advocates Applaud CFPB Bulletin To Prevent Unlawful Medical Debt Collection and Credit Reporting

January 13, 2022

January 13, 2022 No Surprises Act Brings New Consumer Protections From Surprise Medical Bills WASHINGTON — In response to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s issuance of a bulletin today, reminding debt collectors and credit bureaus of their legal obligations under the No Surprises Act, which took effect on January, 1, 2022, advocates at the National…

Testimony of Chi Chi Wu before the Massachusetts Legislature in Support of H.1429/S.894: An Act Regulating the Use of Credit Reporting in Housing

January 11, 2022

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Massachusetts’ renters were facing a crisis from the lack of safe and affordable housing for low and moderate-income (LMI) families. One of the most significant barriers for obtaining housing is the use of credit reports and credit scores. By some estimates, 90% of landlords use credit reports and scores. NCLC…

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Credit Reporting & Data Fairness

NCLC Digital Library: Advising Clients When an Abusive Partner Coerces Debt