Skip to main content
Understand CreditFree credit education. No data collection. No upsells.

Your rights

Your rights under federal and state law

You have specific legal rights when it comes to credit reporting and debt collection. They only matter if you know about them. Here is what those rights are, in plain language.

The Fair Credit Reporting ActYour right to access your report, dispute inaccuracies, and have negative information removed after seven years.OpenThe Fair Debt Collection Practices ActHow federal law restricts what third-party debt collectors can do, and what you can do when they cross the line.OpenState laws often go furtherMany states extend FCRA and FDCPA protections, with shorter statutes of limitations and stronger rules.OpenWhat collectors are not allowed to doA quick reference of the rules collectors must follow on time, manner, frequency, and what they can and cannot say.Open

What to do if your rights are violated

If a credit bureau, lender, or debt collector violates your rights under FCRA or FDCPA, you have several options.

File a complaint with the CFPB

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints about credit reporting, debt collection, and other financial issues. Their complaint database is searchable, and complaints are forwarded to the company for response. File at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.

File a complaint with the FTC

The Federal Trade Commission also handles complaints about debt collection and credit reporting violations. File at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

File a complaint with your state attorney general

Each state has an attorney general office that handles consumer protection issues. State AGs have authority over companies operating in their state and can pursue actions federal agencies cannot.

Contact a consumer protection attorney

Often the most effective option for serious violations. FCRA and FDCPA both include provisions for damages and attorney fees, which means consumer protection attorneys often work on contingency. You do not pay them; the company that violated your rights does. How to find one.