The FCRA is a consumer protection law that regulates the activities of consumer reporting agencies, the users of consumer reports and those who provide information to consumer reporting agencies. The FCRA aims to protect a consumer’s privacy and reputation by placing mandatory requirements on persons and companies who use or provide information about the consumer’s credit, character and personal characteristics. While originally enacted in 1971, it was amended extensively by the Consumer Credit Reporting Reform Act of 1996 and again, by the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions in 2003. You can review a copy of the FCRA at http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fcradoc.pdf.