usc 15 § 1681c–3
Adverse information in cases of trafficking (COMMERCE AND TRADE (15 U.S.C.))
Operative Text
In this section: The term “trafficking documentation” means— documentation of— a determination that a consumer is a victim of trafficking made by a Federal, State, or Tribal governmental entity; or by a court of competent jurisdiction; and documentation that identifies items of adverse information that should not be furnished by a consumer reporting agency because the items resulted from a severe form of trafficking in persons or sex trafficking of which the consumer is a victim. The terms “severe forms of trafficking in persons” and “sex trafficking” have the meanings given, respectively, in section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (). The term “victim of trafficking” means a person who is a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons or sex trafficking. A consumer reporting agency may not furnish a consumer report containing any adverse item of information about a consumer that resulted from a severe form of trafficking in persons or sex trafficking if the consumer has provided trafficking documentation to the consumer reporting agency. Not later than 180 days after , the Director shall issue rules to implement subsection (a). The rules issued pursuant to paragraph (1) shall establish a method by which consumers shall submit trafficking documentation to consumer reporting agencies.
Section 15 U.S.C. § 1681c–3 establishes a protection within federal credit reporting law for survivors of human trafficking and sex trafficking. Once a consumer provides qualifying 'trafficking documentation'—official records from a government entity or court confirming their victim status and identifying which adverse credit items stem from the trafficking—consumer reporting agencies are prohibited from including those items in credit reports. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is required to issue implementing rules, including a standardized method for survivors to submit this documentation to credit bureaus.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Although 15 U.S.C. § 1681c–3 is primarily a consumer credit reporting provision rather than a landlord-tenant statute, property owners and managers who use consumer reports in rental screening should be aware that certain adverse items may be legally suppressed from a report. A compliant operator generally understands that a prospective or current tenant's credit report may omit trafficking-related adverse history by operation of federal law, and that the absence of such information does not reflect an incomplete screening process. Operators familiar with this provision typically review their screening policies to account for the possibility that a report may lawfully exclude items that would otherwise appear.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681c–3, survivors of severe forms of trafficking in persons or sex trafficking have the right to have adverse credit information resulting from their trafficking experience blocked from consumer reports, provided they submit qualifying trafficking documentation to the relevant consumer reporting agency. The CFPB's implementing rules establish the process for submitting that documentation, and the major credit bureaus are required to have a method in place to receive it. Tenants who believe this provision applies to their situation may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization, a legal aid office, or a trafficking victim advocacy group to learn more about how to access this protection and what documentation may be accepted.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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