Companies that collect and provide information about your check-writing, medical payments, rent payments, and insurance claims, received warning letters from the Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB) pointing out that they are required to provide you with free copies of their reports.
The three largest credit bureaus, Experian, Trans Union and Equifax routinely provide free credit reports, either directly, or through annualcreditreport.com. But there are approximately 400 reporting agencies and the CFPB found that many do not offer the targeted credit reports to consumers.
“Nationwide specialty consumer reporting agencies can have great influence over a consumer’s tenancy, insurance premiums, or even employment,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. “Today, the CFPB is reminding these companies that they must follow the law and provide consumers with easy access to their free annual report. If we have reason to believe that companies are not following the law, we will take action.”
You can find a list of these specialty reporting companies at http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201207_cfpb_list_consumer-reporting-agencies.pdf
