CFPB targets faulty identity matching practices

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued an advisory opinion affirming that consumer reporting companies engaging in “shoddy name-matching procedures” are violating the law.

Details: Specifically, the agency said matching consumer records solely by matching names is illegal under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Background: The CFPB said it is concerned about false identity matching, in which an applicant is disqualified from rental housing or a job because they have the same name as another individual with negative credit history information.