The legal community in Minnesota is keeping an eye on the Federal Trade Commission's warnings about unfair AI. The Commission says that health systems and businesses are potentially using discriminatory AI that may violate consumer protection laws. The FTC is tracking...
When your credit report is disclosed without your permission
Under federal law, your credit report may not be revealed to anyone or any agency unless you provided permission. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) addresses many matters, including fighting privacy violations. An important facet of the law – enacted in 1970 –...
Reporting disputes under the Fair Credit Reporting Act
A consumer's credit report in Vadnais Heights, Minnesota, includes bankruptcies, court records and how they pay their bills, which employers, landlords and insurers may use to hire or approve applicants. When applicants are declined jobs or other business deals, the...
Employer regulations when doing background checks
If you're applying for a job in Minnesota, potential employers might choose to do a background check. They must follow specific regulations while doing so. Before the background check Potential employers are not permitted to perform a background check without first...
How the Fair Credit Reporting Act Works
Having a good credit score helps consumers in Minnesota financially by increasing chances of loan approval and better rates. However, any errors on a credit report may get them denied or higher interest rates. The Fair Credit Reporting Act gives consumers protection...
How is your credit score calculated?
Upon checking your credit score, you might feel concerned if it is lower than you expected. A healthy credit history is crucial in getting approved for – and securing a favorable interest rate on – a car loan, mortgage or another credit card. If your credit habits are...
Prominent debt collector faces new accusations of wrongdoing
It has been a good summer for debt collectors. Profits have tripled for two of the largest companies in the industry, according to a report from Bloomberg. One of those companies is Encore Capital Group Inc., which took in $66 million more in revenue than anticipated....
Survey: low-income consumers less likely to understand their credit scores
The recently released tenth annual credit score survey reveals that most Americans have gaps in their knowledge of credit scores. The survey of 1,001 Americans by the Consumer Federation of America and VantageScore Solutions shows that 20 percent of households with...
Debt collection agency penalized $72,000 for failing to follow FCRA
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently reported to Congress on its efforts to inform consumers about the right to dispute and correct errors in credit reports. As regular readers of our Minnesota Consumer Rights Blog know, erroneous credit report information can...
A simple typo can wreck your credit
Those of us in the Twin Cities metro who spend significant portions of our workdays on computers know how easy it is to misspell even the simplest words. Typos are simply an unavoidable part of typing. While autocorrect features and old-school copy editing will catch...