Credit Report Attorneys

You need a credit report attorney to protect you if a company runs your credit without your authorization. Major credit bureaus keep detailed records of your credit history that can affect you for the rest of your life if not handled by a professional. Some people elect to review their credit report on their own, other people may enlist the help of a large company, but there is also the option of seeing a credit report attorney.

Credit report attorneys work with credit bureaus to remove errors from your credit report or remove negative items sooner than they would naturally, settle with debt collection companies for a fraction of your original debt, and represent you in court cases in the event creditors take legal action against you.

Reach out to our team today for more information about credit report inquiries and how we can help you dispute inconsistencies in your credit history. We proudly practice in Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Garibian Law Offices Protects Consumers From Unlawful Credit Checks

Finances are private. You should get to make the choice with whom you share the intimate details of your financial history with on your own terms. However, holding that ideal doesn’t mean people don’t violate each other’s privacy with unlawful inquiries into their credit history. When that happens, we are here to help. At Garibian Law Offices, our lawyers fight tough so you don’t have to.

We will work to uphold your privacy and exercise our knowledge of protective legislation, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FRCA). Private citizens may not know the many nuances of the law, but our lawyers have the unique expertise necessary to help our clients navigate the process.

What Is an Unlawful Credit Check?

If you suspect that someone has placed an unauthorized inquiry into your private financial history, you are entitled to certain rights. A credit report attorney can help you dispute inconsistencies on your credit report and enforce compliance with the FCRA.

Unlawful credit checks are considered impermissible under the FCRA. Some situations that are considered unlawful or unauthorized inquiries into private financial matters include:

• An employer may not pull your credit history without your written consent.
• A disgruntled party trying to build a case against you may not place an inquiry into your credit history.
• Tax collectors may not request your credit history unless you have previously agreed to a payment plan or you have been subpoenaed.
• Without permission from the courts, landlords are not allowed to pull credit checks to find assets for collecting past-due rent.
• Credit card companies may not pull the credit history of authorized users who are not also obligors on the account.

Who Is Permitted to Check My Credit?

As mentioned above, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FRCA) outlines in clear terms the situations in which third parties are able to review your credit. If you suspect these rights have been violated or someone has pulled an unauthorized credit inquiry, a lawyer can help. Our credit report attorneys believe that our clients have the utmost right to privacy and we intend to protect that right for many years to come.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act outlines who can place an inquiry into your credit history. Credit report inquiries are considered permissible under the FCRA in the following scenarios:

• If you are applying for credit, your creditor is allowed to place an inquiry into your credit history.
• In some states, insurance providers are allowed to place credit history inquiries as part of their decision to offer coverage.
• Employers are allowed to place inquiries into employee’s private credit history when they have written consent to do so and meet other state-requirements
• Grand juries may request information on your credit history when it pertains to a specific case.
• Government agencies can place a lawful credit inquiry when issuing federal licenses or government benefits
• Some legitimate business transactions may require credit history reports.

What Are My Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act?

The Fair Credit Reporting Act, also known as FCRA, is legislation that was designed to protect consumers from unlawful and unauthorized credit checks. The Fair Credit Reporting Act has strict language describing who can pull consumer’s credit reports and for what purpose, but it also lays out other protections, such as:

• You have the right to know when your credit report is being used against you if you have been denied for credit, insurance, or employment.
• According to the FCRA, you also have the right to access all information on your credit report. This is called file disclosure.
• While you have access to your own credit report, the Fair Credit Reporting Act places restrictions on how other parties can access your credit. In many cases, you must provide written consent before a third party may place an inquiry into your credit history.
• If you suspect inaccurate information on your credit report, you are within your right to dispute it.
• You are entitled to “opt-out” of prescreened credit offers.
• You can freeze your credit so that unauthorized individuals aren’t able to access your credit history without a one-time code or your permission.

For more information about your rights to privacy under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FRCA), don’t hesitate to contact our credit report attorneys today. Our credit report attorneys proudly protect the rights of our clients in Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.