Credit bureaus to get federal oversight for first time
America’s credit bureaus are about to get some new scrutiny. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau adopted a rule on Monday that will allow it to keep an eye on the nation’s credit reporting industry.
Starting September 30th, the agency will monitor the country’s big credit bureaus and conduct on-site examinations to see if these companies are complying with the law. It’s similar to what the CFPB already does with the nation’s big banks.
This is the first time the federal government will be take an active role in trying to clean up an industry that has a reputation for sloppiness and arrogance, consumer advocates say. Until now, no single federal government agency could access all the information necessary to generate a complete picture of what’s happening inside these companies. The CFPB will enforce the laws already on the books and write new rules as needed.
“Supervising this market will help ensure that it works properly for consumers, lenders, and the wider economy,” CFPB director Richard Cordray says in a prepared statement. “There is much at stake in making sure it is both fair and effective.”
http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/16/12758288-credit-bureaus-to-get-federal-oversight-for-first-time?lite&__utma=14933801.1435897140.1342401976.1342408478.1342413751.4&__utmb=14933801.1.10.1342413751&__utmc=14933801&__utmx=-&__utmz=14933801.1342401976.1.1.utmcsr=%28direct%29
