Advanced Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Operations

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  subsection if it is a communication—

  (1) that, but for subsection (d)(2)(D) of this section, would be an

  investigative consumer report;

  (2) that is made to a prospective employer for the purpose of—

  (A) procuring an employee for the employer; or

  (B) procuring an opportunity for a natural person to work for

  the employer;

  (3) that is made by a person who regularly performs such

  procurement;

  (4) that is not used by any person for any purpose other than a pur-

  pose described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (2); and

  (5) with respect to which—

  (A) the consumer who is the subject of the communication—

  (i) consents orally or in writing to the nature and

  scope of the communication, before the collection

  of any information for the purpose of making the

  communication;

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  (ii) consents orally or in writing to the making of the

  communication to a prospective employer, before

  the making of the communication; and

  (iii) in the case of consent under clause (i) or (ii) given

  orally, is provided written confirmation of that con-

  sent by the person making the communication, not

  later than 3 business days after the receipt of the con-

  sent by that person;

  (B) the person who makes the communication does not, for the

  purpose of making the communication, make any inquiry

  that if made by a prospective employer of the consumer

  who is the subject of the communication would violate any

  applicable Federal or State equal employment opportunity

  law or regulation; and

  (C) the person who makes the communication

  (i) discloses in writing to the consumer who is the

  subject of the communication, not later than

  5 business days after receiving any request from

  the consumer for such disclosure, the nature and

  substance of all information in the consumer’s file

  at the time of the request, except that the sources

  of any information that is acquired solely for use

  in making the communication and is actually used

  for no other purpose, need not be disclosed other

  than under appropriate discovery procedures in any

  court of competent jurisdiction in which an action

  is brought; and

  (ii) notifies the consumer who is the subject of the com-

  munication, in writing, of the consumer’s right to

  request the information described in clause (i).

  (p) Consumer Reporting Agency That Compiles and Maintains Files

  on Consumers on a Nationwide Basis. The term “consumer report-

  ing agency that compiles and maintains files on consumers on a

  nationwide basis” means a consumer reporting agency that regularly

  engages in the practice of assembling or evaluating, and maintain-

  ing, for the purpose of furnishing consumer reports to third par-

  ties bearing on a consumer’s credit worthiness, credit standing, or

  credit capacity, each of the following regarding consumers residing

  nationwide:

  (1) Public record information

  (2) Credit account information from persons who furnish that

  information regularly and in the ordinary course of business

  Appendix D: Consumer and Credit Data Privacy Laws

  437

  (q) Definitions Relating to Fraud Alerts.

  (1)

  Active duty military consumer: The term “active duty military consumer” means a consumer in military service who

  (A) is on active duty (as defined in section 101 (d)(1) of title 10)

  or is a reservist performing duty under a call or order to

  active duty under a provision of law referred to in section

  101 (a)(13) of title 10; and

  (B) is assigned to service away from the usual duty station of

  the consumer.

  (2)

  Fraud alert; active duty alert: The terms “fraud alert” and “active duty alert” mean a statement in the file of a consumer that—

  (A) notifies all prospective users of a consumer report relat-

  ing to the consumer that the consumer may be a victim of

  fraud, including identity theft, or is an active duty military

  consumer, as applicable; and

  (B) is presented in a manner that facilitates a clear and con-

  spicuous view of the statement described in subparagraph

  (A) by any person requesting such consumer report.

  (3)

  Identity theft: The term “identity theft” means a fraud committed using the identifying information of another person, subject to such

  further definition as the Commission may prescribe, by regulation.

  (4)

  Identity theft report: The term “identity theft report” has the meaning given that term by rule of the Commission, and means,

  at a minimum, a report—

  (A) that alleges an identity theft;

  (B) that is a copy of an official, valid report filed by a consumer

  with an appropriate Federal, State, or local law enforce-

  ment agency, including the United States Postal Inspection

  Service, or such other government agency deemed appro-

  priate by the Commission; and

  (C) the filing of which subjects the person filing the report to

  criminal penalties relating to the filing of false information

  if, in fact, the information in the report is false.

  (5)

  New credit plan: The term “new credit plan” means a new account under an open end credit plan (as defined in section 1602 (i) of this

  title) or a new credit transaction not under an open end credit plan.

  (r) Credit and Debit Related Terms.

  (1)

  Card issuer: The term “card issuer” means

  (A) a credit card issuer, in the case of a credit card; and

  (B) a debit card issuer, in the case of a debit card.

  (2)

  Credit card: The term “credit card” has the same meaning as in section 1602 of this title.

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  (3)

  Debit card: The term “debit card” means any card issued by a financial institution to a consumer for use in initiating an

  electronic fund transfer from the account of the consumer

  at such financial institution, for the purpose of transferring

  money between accounts or obtaining money, property, labor,

  or services.

  (4)

  Account and electronic fund transfer: The terms “account” and

  “electronic fund transfer” have the same meanings as in section

  1693a of this title.

  (5)

  Credit and creditor: The terms “credit” and “creditor” have the same meanings as in section 1691a of this title.

  (s) Federal Banking Agency. The term “Federal banking agency” has

  the same meaning as in section 1813 of title 12.

  (t) Financial Institution. The term “financial institution” means a State or National bank, a State or Federal savings and loan association, a mutual savings bank, a State or Federal credit union, or

  any other person that, directly or indirectly, holds a transaction

  account (as defined in section 461 (b) of title 12) belonging to

  a consumer.

  (u) Reseller. The term “resel er” means a consumer r
eporting agency that—

  (1) assembles and merges information contained in the database

  of another consumer reporting agency or multiple consumer

  reporting agencies concerning any consumer for purposes of

  furnishing such information to any third party, to the extent of

  such activities; and

  (2) does not maintain a database of the assembled or merged infor-

  mation from which new consumer reports are produced.

  (v) Commission. The term “Commission” means the Federal Trade

  Commission.

  (w) Nationwide Specialty Consumer Reporting Agency. The term

  “nationwide specialty consumer reporting agency” means a con-

  sumer reporting agency that compiles and maintains files on con-

  sumers on a nationwide basis relating to

  (1) medical records or payments;

  (2) residential or tenant history;

  (3) check writing history;

  (4) employment history; or

  (5) insurance claims.

  (x) Exclusion of Certain Communications for Employee Investigations.

  (1)

  Communications described in this subsection: A communication is described in this subsection if

  (A) but for subsection (d)(2)(D) of this section, the communi-

  cation would be a consumer report;

  Appendix D: Consumer and Credit Data Privacy Laws

  439

  (B) the communication is made to an employer in connection

  with an investigation of

  (i) suspected misconduct relating to employment; or

  (ii) compliance with Federal, State, or local laws and reg-

  ulations, the rules of a self-regulatory organization, or

  any preexisting written policies of the employer;

  (C) the communication is not made for the purpose of investi-

  gating a consumer’s credit worthiness, credit standing, or

  credit capacity; and

  (D) the communication is not provided to any person except

  (i) to the employer or an agent of the employer;

  (ii) to any Federal or State officer, agency, or department,

  or any officer, agency, or department of a unit of gen-

  eral local government;

  (iii)

  to any self-regulatory organization with regulatory

  authority over the activities of the employer or employee;

  (iv) as otherwise required by law; or

  (v) pursuant to section 1681f of this title.

  (2)

  Subsequent disclosure. After taking any adverse action based in whole or in part on a communication described in paragraph (1),

  the employer shall disclose to the consumer a summary contain-

  ing the nature and substance of the communication upon which

  the adverse action is based, except that the sources of informa-

  tion acquired solely for use in preparing what would be but for

  subsection (d)(2)(D) of this section an investigative consumer

  report need not be disclosed.

  (3)

  Self-regulatory organization defined. For purposes of this subsection, the term “self-regulatory organization” includes any

  self-regulatory organization (as defined in section 78c (a)(26) of

  this title), any entity established under title I of the Sarbanes-

  Oxley Act of 2002 [15 U.S.C. 7211 et seq.], any board of trade

  designated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission,

  and any futures association registered with such Commission.

  § 1681b. Permissible Purposes of Consumer Reports

  (a) In general

  Subject to subsection (c) of this section, any consumer reporting agency

  may furnish a consumer report under the following circumstances and

  no other:

  (1) In response to the order of a court having jurisdiction to issue such an order, or a subpoena issued in connection with proceedings before a Federal grand jury.

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  Appendix D: Consumer and Credit Data Privacy Laws

  (2) In accordance with the written instructions of the consumer to whom it relates.

  (3) To a person which it has reason to believe—

  (A) intends to use the information in connection with a credit

  transaction involving the consumer on whom the infor-

  mation is to be furnished and involving the extension of

  credit to, or review or collection of an account of, the con-

  sumer; or

  (B) intends to use the information for employment purposes; or

  (C) intends to use the information in connection with the

  underwriting of insurance involving the consumer; or

  (D) intends to use the information in connection with a deter-

  mination of the consumer’s eligibility for a license or other

  benefit granted by a governmental instrumentality required

  by law to consider an applicant’s financial responsibility or

  status; or

  (E) intends to use the information, as a potential investor or

  servicer, or current insurer, in connection with a valuation

  of, or an assessment of the credit or prepayment risks asso-

  ciated with, an existing credit obligation; or

  (F) otherwise has a legitimate business need for the

  information—

  (i) in connection with a business transaction that is initi-

  ated by the consumer; or

  (ii) to review an account to determine whether the con-

  sumer continues to meet the terms of the account.

  (G) executive departments and agencies in connection with

  the issuance of government-sponsored individually billed

  travel charge cards.

  (4) In response to a request by the head of a State or local child support enforcement agency (or a State or local government official

  authorized by the head of such an agency), if the person making

  the request certifies to the consumer reporting agency that

  (A) the consumer report is needed for the purpose of estab-

  lishing an individual’s capacity to make child support

  payments or determining the appropriate level of such

  payments;

  (B) the paternity of the consumer for the child to which the

  obligation relates has been established or acknowledged

  by the consumer in accordance with State laws under

  which the obligation arises (if required by those laws);

  (C) the person has provided at least 10 days’ prior notice to

  the consumer whose report is requested, by certified or

  Appendix D: Consumer and Credit Data Privacy Laws

  441

  registered mail to the last known address of the consumer,

  that the report will be requested; and

  (D) the consumer report will be kept confidential, will be

  used solely for a purpose described in subparagraph (A),

  and will not be used in connection with any other civil,

  administrative, or criminal proceeding, or for any other

  purpose.

  (5) To an agency administering a State plan under section 654 of

  title 42 for use to set an initial or modified child support

  award.

  (6) To the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the National

  Credit Union Administration as part of its preparation for its

  appointment or as part of its exercise of powers, as conservator,

  receiver, or liquidating agent for an insured depository institu-

  tion or insured credit union under the Federal Deposit Insurance

  Act [12 U.S.C. 1811 et seq.] or the Federal Credit Union Act [12

  U.
S.C. 1751 et seq.], or other applicable Federal or State law, or

  in connection with the resolution or liquidation of a failed or

  failing insured depository institution or insured credit union, as

  applicable.

  (b) Conditions for furnishing and using consumer reports for

  employment purposes

  (1)

  Certification from user

  A consumer reporting agency may furnish a consumer report

  for employment purposes only if—

  (A) the person who obtains such report from the agency certi-

  fies to the agency that—

  (i) the person has complied with paragraph (2) with

  respect to the consumer report, and the person will

  comply with paragraph (3) with respect to the con-

  sumer report if paragraph (3) becomes applicable; and

  (ii) information from the consumer report will not be

  used in violation of any applicable Federal or State

  equal employment opportunity law or regulation; and

  (B) the consumer reporting agency provides with the report,

  or has previously provided, a summary of the consum-

  er’s rights under this subchapter, as prescribed by the

  Federal Trade Commission under section 1681g (c)(3) of

  this title.

  (2)

  Disclosure to consumer

  (A)

  In general

  Except as provided in subparagraph (B), a person may not

  procure a consumer report, or cause a consumer report to

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  Appendix D: Consumer and Credit Data Privacy Laws

  be procured, for employment purposes with respect to any

  consumer, unless—

  (i) a clear and conspicuous disclosure has been made

 

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