Your FCRA Rights: The Complete Consumer Guide
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. §1681) gives every American consumer powerful legal rights over their credit information.
Your right to dispute inaccurate information (§611)
Under FCRA §611, you have the absolute legal right to dispute any information on your credit report that you believe is inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable. The bureau must investigate within 30 days.
The 30-day investigation requirement (§611(a)(1))
The 30-day clock starts when the bureau receives your dispute. Use certified mail with return receipt to document the delivery date.
Your right to know how they verified an item (§611(a)(7))
If a bureau verifies an item, you have the right to request the Method of Verification (MOV) — a description of the procedure they used to determine accuracy.
Furnisher responsibilities after you dispute (§623)
Furnishers must investigate disputes, correct inaccurate information, and report results to the bureau within the 30-day window.
FCRA damages — when you can sue (§616, §617)
You can sue for willful violations (§616): actual damages, statutory damages $100–$1,000, punitive damages, and attorney's fees. Negligent violations (§617): actual damages and attorney's fees.
Source: Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. §1681 et seq.