Year: 2017

Since the disclosure of the Equifax data breach in September, American consumers have been warned to be overly cautious and protective of their personal information.  While data breaches occur more frequently than lenders would like to admit, the Equifax data breach was on an entirely different scale.  The difference? Consumers were not in the driver’s […]

Just weeks ago, a California judge denied Trans Union’s appeal of a $60 million verdict against it for violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”).  A jury determined Trans Union was liable when it confused over 8,000 consumers’ names with the names of criminals and terrorists on a government watch list.  Five years after […]

With the holidays just around the corner, most consumers consider applying for credit to be able to have additional means to make purchases during this expensive time.  If you are one of the millions of consumers applying for credit and find that you are continually getting denied, don’t just accept the rejection.  Finding out why you […]

Under The Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”), when you are a victim of identity theft you have specific rights.  While recovering from a massive attack on your credit is a lengthy process, it is not an impossible feat if you follow the letter of the law and these five simple steps. Step 1: Order Your […]

When applying for a credit card it seems fairly obvious that you cannot get approved with a poor credit history.  However often times, consumers with a good credit score are denied for a variety of other reasons.  Here are seven of the top reasons credit card companies may deny your application. Low Credit Score The […]

Tune into CAN TV’s “Credit Talk” to hear from SmithMarco’s very own attorney, Larry Smith. He discusses a variety of credit-related topics, one of them most notably being the recent Equifax data breach. Learn how you can spot red flags in your credit report that may suggest that you’ve been a potential victim of the […]

Under an amendment to the Fair Credit Reporting Act in 2003, consumers are entitled to one free credit report a year from each of the three big credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union.  After the recent security breach at Equifax, there is no better time than now to take advantage of obtaining your […]

In the aftermath of Equifax’s data breach, one of the largest breaches in credit history to date, Congress is looking to reform the use of credit information used for employment background checks.  After 143 million American consumers were affected by the data breach, Congress proposes a new bill that would result in big changes for […]

Hello Concerned Consumers: You came to this page because you have concerns about the recent breach at the data centers of Equifax, one of the major credit reporting agencies.  We are well aware of the circumstances and we are aware that millions of people have been, or will be, affected by this breach. If you […]

Employment background check cases are on the rise.  The Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”) is doing its job and protecting consumers nationwide from the improper handling of consumer reports during the employment application process. Consumers should be aware of their rights and protect themselves from misconduct of employers. Receive Written Consent The FCRA sets out […]