Limitations of the e-OSCAR System | Credit Report Disputes

In a study released this month by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the CFPB found that there are specific limitations on the e-OSCAR system; the electronic system used by the national consumer reporting agencies (Trans Union, Experian and Equifax) (CRAs) to process consumer disputes of the accuracy of their credit reports.  Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the CRAs are required to send data furnishers a notice of a consumer dispute that includes “all relevant information regarding the dispute that the agency has received from the consumer.”  The CFPB study found that, in spite of this requirement, “the e-OSCAR system does not permit documents provided by consumers, such as statements or letters from creditors, to be forwarded to furnishers as attachments.”  According CRAs, this information is not provided because of “technological limitations, challenges evaluating the authenticity of consumer documents, and privacy concerns.” We hope this post has been helpful in providing information about the consumer credit report dispute process and the obligations of consumer reporting agencies under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.