<P> The Fair Credit Reporting Act , 15 U.S.C. § 1681 ( `` FCRA '' ) is U.S. Federal Government legislation enacted to promote the accuracy , fairness , and privacy of consumer information contained in the files of consumer reporting agencies . It was intended to protect consumers from the willful and / or negligent inclusion of inaccurate information in their credit reports . To that end , the FCRA regulates the collection , dissemination , and use of consumer information , including consumer credit information . Together with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( `` FDCPA '' ) , the FCRA forms the foundation of consumer rights law in the United States . It was originally passed in 1970 , and is enforced by the US Federal Trade Commission , the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and private litigants . </P>
what is the fcra and what was it intended to do
U.S. Federal Government legislation enacted to promote the accuracy , fairness , and privacy of consumer information contained in the files of consumer reporting agencies