Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released its annual list of consumer reporting companies. The list identifies dozens of specialty reporting companies that collect and sell access to people’s data, including individuals’ finances, employment, check writing histories, or rental history records. People can use the list to, among other things, request their consumer reporting data, dispute inaccuracies, and block access to their credit reporting data through security freezes. The list also informs consumers about the types of personal financial information that is collected for credit and other consumer reports.

“The number of companies and industries gathering, selling, and using personal financial data continues to rise,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “The CFPB’s consumer reporting company list helps consumers know who is collecting and selling their data, along with the steps they can take to freeze their reports.”

In the United States, personal financial data is used by a variety of entities when making lending, banking, employment, and housing decisions. Some less obvious entities that use personal financial data include casinos, phone companies, volunteer organizations, government agencies determining eligibility for assistance programs, debt collectors, and insurance companies. While three nationwide consumer reporting companies – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – dominate much of the credit reporting market, many specialty consumer reporting companies exist to support different industries. This means consumers’ personal financial data may be collected by and reported to a multitude of companies and individuals. That spread can also increase consumer risk, especially when consumers are unaware that it is happening.

The annual list of consumer reporting companies published by the CFPB allows people to find consumer reporting companies that provide specialized reporting for specific markets that might be relevant to them depending on their specific goals and situation. The list also provides information on how people can dispute inaccurate information and request a security freeze.

A security freeze blocks third-party access to personal credit reporting data. It is the only solution available for free by law that can prevent scammers from opening new credit accounts in your name in situations where credit reports are a prerequisite to lending. People reported losing more than $10 billion to fraud in 2023, an increase of 14% over the previous year, according to the Federal Trade Commission. This number captures only the initial dollar amount lost.

Other key information in today’s report includes:

• Consumer reporting companies that share information with casinos are included: Casinos and sports betting apps are dependent on digital access to consumer cash information. This year’s list of consumer reporting companies includes those that provide data to casinos and sports betting companies.
• Social media, driving data, and other unexpected information can be part of certain consumer reports: Employment screening reports can include social media data. Consumer reporting companies will also sell driving behavior data to auto insurers, collected through drivers’ mobile phones or motor vehicles, to determine auto insurance eligibility and rates. Other data may include property insurance claims, drug and alcohol testing and health screening information, and non-profit and volunteer activity verification.
• Under many circumstances, people can receive their credit reports for free: The bigger nationwide companies must provide a free report no less than once every twelve months upon request. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, they have chosen to make free reports available to consumers weekly. Additionally, consumer reporting companies must provide a free copy of a person’s report, upon request, if an adverse action, like being denied credit or housing, is taken against the individual. For other requests, consumer reporting companies must provide consumers’ copies of their information for a reasonable fee (for calendar year 2025, the maximum allowable fee is $15.50). Requesting copies of their consumer reports does not harm consumers’ credit scores.
• Hard inquiries can lower credit scores: Applications for credit and leasing can result in a “hard inquiry” on applicants’ credit reports. This can lower applicants’ credit scores because most credit scores look at how recently and how frequently they have applied for credit. Likewise, tenants shopping around for rental housing, who are submitting multiple lease applications with different landlords, may be subjected to multiple hard inquiries.
• Bank account history can affect access to credit: While not credit history, deposit account history may be used by lenders to determine credit eligibility and pricing, especially for loan applicants with little to no credit history. Negative deposit information can include an unpaid negative balance, the bank closing an individual’s account, or the account being associated with fraud.