If there is a legit. business purpose but no authorization by me to pull my CR is it a violation of the FCRA?
It depends on the specific "legit business purpose", for instance, CA's, OC's and CRA's thought that "You want to see me, I'll pull your credit report." however, the FTC ruled against them that litigation is not a permissable purpose. If you fill out any type of application, the fine print may have a clause including authorization to share information about you, or to receive information about you with third-parties (ie. CRAs). If you are seeking to go into a business opportunity, franchise etc, the employment provision can be used as a permissable purpose to pull the report, even though you would be acting as an independent contractor, etc. because their is still a working relationship involved in those types of relationships.
They CAN pull a credit report...THEY DON'T HAVE TO PULL... When you call you need to ask UP FRONT now days "IF" they are going to pull a credit report!!! Ask if you can pay a deposit or send a letter of reference.
Utility service, is just another type of 'credit', you aren't paying in advance, in essence, they are lending you the electric service until they bill you, at which time then you pay for the service which you borrowed. As GEORGE said, they don't have to pull a copy of your credit file, however more often then not, they will unless you work out another option before hand. However, think of it this way, would you want someone else to call the electric company, and have service turned on in your name, without your knowledge, and the electric company not check whether or not you asked for the service in the first place, this is another reason for the pull, to make sure that you are in fact who you say you are, and that you're not trying to get service in someone elses name, and let them stuck with the bill.
Re: Re: Permissable purpose By pulling the credit report, they have at least verified that the social security #, address (unless moved recently, then in that case previous addresses) match the person who is opening the account.
Re: Re: Re: Permissable purpose AND if the credit report is WRONG...they don't get any ELECTRICITY??? or GAS??? or PHONE??? or CABLE??? or SEWER??? A copy of the drivers license won't work??? A deposit of $100 against the next months bill won't work??? WHEN OVER 2/3 OF ALL THE CREDIT REPORTS HAVE ONE OR MORE MISTAKES...HOW CAN A UTILITY RELY ON THAT INFORMATION??? I'M STILL WORKING FOR 100% PERFECT (25+ YEARS)--AND I NEVER HAD ANY "BADDIES"
Re: Re: Re: Permissable purpose Okay but the question still remains if I didn't agree to have my report pulled over the phone or in writing can they do it, without viloating the FCRA. The way I read the FCRA Sectio 604, if I even think you are going to do business with me I can pull your report. Also in my inexperience I offered them my SSN. They never told why they needed it or what it would be used for. Isn't this a violation of the Privacy Act 1974. Look my point is, it is an unfair business practice; if the CSR had said, "sir we need to pull a copy of your CR in order to extend you credit on your first months bill, or would you like to secure it with a deposit." I would have made the deposit cuz right now I can afford the stinkin' 30 stinkin' point drop that happened. It is an unfair business practice, and it is damaging. When you go into a restaurant do they pull your CR. It is a "pay after service" situation there also. You eat before you pay, how do they really know you are good for it? I am tired of being a victim to anyonous corporate voices of the credt industry. They have taken the morality of paying off your debt and manipulated it into a trap that (I don't know the statistic of how many people are paying a penalty fee of some kind in relation to a credit card, loan or something) we can fall into at an early age. That's right just like Big tobaco targeted youth to have customer's for life, so does the credit industry. I remember my college student union lined up with CC reps trying to push there cards, giving you free this and free that. You are seduced in college (or at an early age) where everyone is still a child basically, you're given enough rope to hang yourself (think rule of 72 here). I had a $10,000 limit when I was 19 years old. The target would be any kid who came from a middle class background. Technically I wasn't even mature enough, in the eyes of the government to drink a beer. Just like the tobacco industry fell so can the Providian's and Cap1's and every bottomfeeding, undereducated, canibalistic piece of slime that works for a CA fall to perserverance of tired americans who are willing to face what is accepted as the "right way" and fight to take their lives back. So can anyone answer my question concerning the consent to pull the CR, do they need it or not?
Re: Re: Re: Re: Permissable purpose Don't beat around the bush Frove, just come right on out with it. LOL The answer to your question is not so simple as a yes or a no, although it should be. Yes, I believe they should at least tell you your report will be pulled. If they did that to me, I wouldn't hesitate to sue them to force them to recatagorize their inq. to an AR, so points don't hit. The mere act of filing suit against them would "pursuade" them. But now you know. ALWAYS ask if a report will be pulled. Now that we're on it, I think the best approach would be as follows: Your utility sets the account up while you're on the phone. Therefore, after you hang up it would be fine to pull your CR AS AN AR. Wouldn't it? ???
Re: Re: Re: Re: Permissable purpose I find it amazing that this gets discussed over and over and yet, very little interest in DOING something about this. Go here to DO something: http://consumers.creditnet.com/straighttalk/board/showthread.php?s=&threadid=52631 Here's my approach: I do not write down my SS#. When they ask me for it, I ask why they need it. It won't be long before I have a pre-printed form ready for them to sign that specifies the exact reasons and excludes a CR.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Permissable purpose "IS MY SS# REQUIRED BY LAW"??? "IF YOU ARE PULLING A CREDIT REPORT...I WOULD RATHER GIVE YOU A PRE-PAYMENT AGAINST FUTURE BILLS (not a deposit that won't be returned for a year)...I WILL GIVE YOU $100 OR $200 OR $500 BUT NO CREDIT REPORT"
