The Fair Credit Reporting Act is the law put in place to protect consumers and regulate the consumer reporting agencies (CRAs). Commonly known as the FCRA, it was put in place to provide guidelines for the Credit Bureaus to make sure there is consistency between them, to make sure that accurate information is being reported, and to protect consumers from inaccurate information. It is also in place to ensure that credit bureaus and resellers of consumer reports provide information to creditors, insurers, employers, and others, do so with due regard for the confidentiality, accuracy, and legitimate use of such data. When those parties take adverse action on the basis of information in a credit report, they must identify the CRA that provided the report so that the consumer can learn how to get a copy to verify or contest its accuracy and completeness. Creditors and others may not knowingly provide false information to CRAs, which are required to maintain reasonable procedures to ensure the maximum possible accuracy of their data.

The FCRA also states that you are entitled to a free copy of your credit report if you've been denied credit, insurance or employment and request the report within 60 days of notice.