Consumer Reporting Companies List
Below is a list of consumer reporting companies updated for 2018. Consumer reporting companies collect information and provide reports to other companies about you. These companies use these reports to inform decisions about providing you with credit, employment, residential rental housing, insurance, and in other decision making situations. The list below includes the three largest nationwide consumer reporting companies and several specialty reporting companies that focus on certain market areas and consumer segments. The list gives you tips so you can determine which of these companies may be important to you. It also makes it easier for you to take advantage of your legal rights to (1) obtain the information in your consumer reports, and (2) dispute report inaccuracies with companies as needed.
Who can see your consumer credit report?
Consumer reporting companies must follow legal restrictions but generally can provide consumer credit reports and scores to an array of businesses, including:
Lenders (including those that offer credit cards, home, payday, auto (including auto leasing) and student loans)
Employers and others such as government agencies (employment and background screening)
Landlords and residential real estate management companies (tenant screening)
Banks, credit unions, payment processors and retail stores that accept personal checks (check screening)
Companies that market and sell products and services to low-income consumers and subprime credit applicants, such as short-term lending and rent-to-own businesses among others
Debt buyers and collectors (e.g., medical debt collectors)
Insurance companies (health, life, property insurance screening)
Communications and utility companies (e.g., mobile phone; pay TV, electric, gas, water for utility bill repayment screening)
Retail stores for product return fraud and abuse screening; as well as retail stores that offer financing such as appliance and rent-to-own businesses, among others
Gaming casinos that extend credit to consumers
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