FCRA Litigation: A Practical Guide to Inaccurate Credit Reporting

Credit reports play a critical role in modern financial life, influencing consumers' access to housing, employment, insurance, and credit. Yet credit reporting errors remain widespread and can cause significant harm. This program introduces attorneys to the legal framework governing consumer credit reporting under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and provides practical guidance on identifying and litigating claims arising from inaccurate reporting. Attendees will learn how common reporting errors, such as identity theft accounts, mixed credit files, servicing mistakes, and improperly aged debts, create liability for credit reporting agencies and data furnishers.

The course also examines the dispute process that often forms the foundation of FCRA litigation, including the duties of credit reporting agencies and furnishers to conduct reasonable investigations. Participants will gain insight into permissible purposes for accessing consumer reports, employment screening issues, available remedies, and emerging developments affecting the FCRA landscape. Designed for attorneys interested in consumer protection, litigation, or financial services law, this program provides a practical roadmap for evaluating potential FCRA cases and advocating for consumers harmed by inaccurate credit reporting.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain the core provisions and objectives of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, including the roles and responsibilities of credit reporting agencies and data furnishers
2. Identify common types of credit reporting inaccuracies, such as fraudulent accounts, mixed credit files, servicing errors, and improperly re-aged debts
3. Analyze the consumer dispute process and reinvestigation requirements that often form the basis of FCRA claims
4. Evaluate potential causes of action and available remedies under the FCRA, including negligent and willful violations
5. Recognize emerging issues in credit reporting law, including developments related to employment screening, permissible purpose requirements, and the use of data-driven technologies in consumer reporting