RELIABLE BACKGROUND SCREENING INDUSTRY NEWS AND ARTICLES

The three-year anniversary of the most sweeping changes to credit reports in decades just occurred (July 1, 2017 – 2020). Yet, I continue to be amazed at the myriad of people who are in industries that use credit reports but are still unaware of the critical data that has been omitted from credit reports for now over three years. The modifications to credit reports in July of 2017 were a direct result of a lawsuit settlement against the three major credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This settlement resulted in the creation of the National Consumer Assistance Plan (NCAP). NCAP mandated [...]

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting devastating economic impact it has had on the U.S. (and global) economies, resulted in many employers having to furlough employees. The nation sheltered in place in an attempt to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus. Many businesses literally closed overnight – some temporarily, but sadly some permanently. However, the CARES Act and the monetary actions of the Federal Reserve Bank has pumped trillions of dollars into the U.S. economy. This has helped to stave off a total economic collapse as occurred during the “Great Depression.” As the U.S. economy begins to reopen, employers are beginning to [...]

Consumer credit reports are typically available only with consumer consent and for a permissible business purpose. One notable exception permitted under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) – is when a valid court order has been issued, requesting the consumer’s credit file. Law firms and attorneys often need these types of accounts. One of the more common instances where a “Credit Reports – By Order of the Court” account has to be established is for a fiduciary purpose. When an individual becomes incapacitated, a court will often appoint a guardian or conservator to safeguard the personal, medical, and fiscal matters of the [...]

As a nation we are all adjusting to a new normal because of the COVID-19 national emergency. The CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) was passed by Congress and signed by the President last week. It was enacted to provide various relief measures to help sustain our economy, as 97{5460a4de8013038d4595608f48191d314818d6c27f4872c4c47bcc9e4b7b3c2b} of the nation’s population is now under “shelter-in-place” orders, except for businesses providing “essential” services. One of the benefits of the CARES Act is that it allows consumers to obtain deferment of debt payments, classified as “accommodations” under this Act, from credit card companies, banks, and other loan providers, [...]