Fair Credit Reporting Act

FCRA litigation, explained.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act gives you powerful rights when your data is reported inaccurately or accessed unlawfully. Here's what we pursue, how the process works, and why holding these companies accountable can cost you nothing out of pocket.

What the FCRA Protects

Your rights are federal law

The FCRA governs every "consumer report" used to judge you — credit, employment background checks, tenant screening, insurance, and more. It requires that those reports be accurate, that disputes be properly investigated, and that only people with a lawful reason may access your file.

When a credit bureau, a data furnisher, or anyone who pulls your report breaks those rules, the law lets you take them to court — and recover damages. Litigation under the FCRA is rising sharply as consumers push back against sloppy reporting and failed investigations.

30 days
The window a bureau has to investigate your dispute (up to 45 with new information).
$100–$1,000
Statutory damages per willful violation — even without proving a dollar of loss.
1 in 5
Credit reports contain errors serious enough to affect access to credit.
$0
What a case review costs you. Ever.

What We Do

The violations we pursue

The FCRA applies to "any person" who reports or uses your data — bureaus, banks, lenders, collectors, landlords, and employers alike. These are the cases we take.

Inaccurate credit reporting

Wrong balances, accounts that aren't yours, paid debts shown as unpaid, or old debts re-aged to look current — and a bureau that won't fix them.

Failure to investigate disputes

When you dispute an error, the bureau and the furnisher must conduct a reasonable investigation. A rubber-stamp "verified" is a violation.

Mixed files & identity theft

Another person's accounts — or a thief's — merged into your file, and the agency's failure to separate and correct your record.

Background & tenant screening

Faulty employment background checks or rental-screening reports, missing disclosures, and adverse actions taken without proper notice.

Permissible-purpose violations

Someone pulled your credit report without a lawful reason or your authorization — an invasion of privacy the FCRA treats seriously.

Furnisher & collector liability

Banks, lenders, and debt collectors that supply your data have their own duties under the FCRA — and are liable when they report falsely.

How We Help

From first call to resolution

FCRA cases are won on process and proof. Here's how we move a matter forward — and what we handle so you don't have to.

Free case review

You tell us what happened and share your reports and correspondence. We assess whether the law was violated and whether you have a viable claim — at no cost and no obligation.

Build the record

We establish a clean paper trail: proper written disputes sent to the bureaus and furnishers, preserved copies of your reports, and documentation of every response — or failure to respond — within the FCRA's deadlines.

Investigate & identify liability

We trace each error to its source, determine which bureaus, furnishers, or users are responsible, and assess whether the conduct was negligent or willful — which directly affects the damages available.

Demand, negotiate, and file

We pursue correction and compensation. Many matters resolve through negotiation; when a defendant won't do right by you, we file suit and litigate — fully prepared to take the case to trial.

Recover what you're owed

We pursue every category of damages the law allows, plus the correction of your record — so the harm stops and you're made whole.

How We Get Paid

It costs you nothing to find out — or to fight

The FCRA is a "fee-shifting" statute. That changes everything about how these cases are paid for, and it's why we can take strong claims with no fee out of your pocket.

The review is always free

$0

Reviewing your situation, pulling apart your reports, and telling you honestly whether you have a case costs you nothing and commits you to nothing.

  • No charge to evaluate your claim
  • No obligation to move forward
  • Confidential from the first conversation

And so is the fight

No win, no fee*

On qualifying consumer claims we work on contingency. You pay no hourly bills. If we don't recover for you, you owe us no attorney's fee.

  • No upfront retainer on qualifying claims
  • No hourly invoices arriving every month
  • Our fee comes from the recovery, not your wallet

Because the FCRA shifts fees, a defendant found liable can be ordered to pay your reasonable attorney's fees and costs on top of your damages. That's how Congress designed the statute — so that ordinary people can hold large institutions accountable without legal bills standing in the way.

What You Can Recover

Two tracks of damages

What's recoverable turns on whether a violation was negligent (careless) or willful (knowing or reckless). The difference can be substantial.

Negligent violations · § 1681o

Careless noncompliance

  • Actual damages — your real losses, financial and emotional
  • Costs of the action
  • Reasonable attorney's fees
Willful violations · § 1681n

Knowing or reckless noncompliance

  • Actual or statutory damages — $100 to $1,000 per violation, whichever is greater
  • Punitive damages — to punish and deter
  • Costs of the action
  • Reasonable attorney's fees

Client Voices

What clients say

Real results, in their words. (Placeholder testimonials shown — to be replaced with verified client statements.)

★★★★★

I disputed the same error four times and got nowhere. Fierce Law took it on, and I never paid a cent out of pocket. They got it removed and a settlement on top.

Danielle R.
Credit reporting error
★★★★★

A bad background check cost me a job offer. They explained my rights in plain English, handled everything, and held the screening company accountable.

Marcus C.
Employment screening
★★★★★

Someone else's debt was on my report for two years. The free review told me I actually had a case. I wish I'd called them sooner.

Jasmine T.
Mixed credit file
★★★★★

Professional, responsive, and genuinely on my side. They treated my case like it mattered, and I never felt like just another file.

Luis P.
Furnisher dispute

Common Questions

FCRA questions, answered

Does a case review really cost nothing?

Yes. Reviewing your situation and telling you whether you have a viable claim is free and carries no obligation. You decide whether to move forward.

How can you litigate without charging me?

The FCRA is a fee-shifting statute, and we take qualifying consumer claims on contingency. You pay no hourly bills. If we recover for you, our fee comes from the recovery (and a liable defendant can be ordered to pay your attorney's fees and costs on top of your damages). If we don't recover, you owe us no attorney's fee.

What do I need to get started?

Copies of your credit reports and any dispute letters or responses are helpful, but not required to start. Bring what you have — we'll guide you through the rest during the free review.

How long does an FCRA matter take?

It varies. The dispute investigation period is typically 30 days (up to 45 with new information). If litigation becomes necessary, timelines depend on the defendant and the court. We'll set realistic expectations for your specific situation.

What if my error is on all three bureaus?

The bureaus don't share investigations, so each must be addressed. We handle disputes and claims against every bureau and furnisher involved in your matter.

Ready When You Are

Find out if you have a case — for free.

A confidential, no-obligation review. We'll tell you honestly where you stand and what your options are.

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