New York Consumer Law Blog

A background check isn’t just about criminal records anymore. There are many things that someone could be searching for, from your credit rating to whether you’ve ever been pursued by a debt collector.

 

According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s 2019 report, there are a number of different scenarios in which businesses can request information from consumer-reporting companies. And with the exception of employment screening, businesses requesting reports generally won’t warn you if they decide to take action against you based on what they find.

 

Thankfully, it’s easy to learn what these searches could potentially dig up on you. And if you’re at all worried, it’s not a bad idea to get ahead of the game by doing one on yourself first, so you can review the reports closely and dispute any suspected inaccuracies.

 

Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), consumer-reporting companies must provide you a copy of your report if you request it. And obtaining one is usually free or, at the maximum, $12.50 in 2019. It's also worth noting that requesting copies of your consumer reports does not harm your credit score.