41 State Attorneys General Write CFPB in Support of Debt Bondage Repair Act

Washington, D.C. — The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) sent a letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to support its intent to implement the Debt Bondage Repair Act, which prohibits consumer credit reporting agencies from reporting adverse information resulting from trafficking.

The Debt Bondage Repair Act was signed into law in December 2021.  It prohibits credit rating agencies from providing consumer reports that contain negative items about human trafficking survivors from any period during which the individual was being trafficked. It is a common tactic of traffickers to strip their victims of their financial independence or stability to keep them trapped. Even after they escape their trafficking, these survivors are often left with a wrecked credit history that leaves them unable to rent an apartment, purchase a car, or find employment.

“More than 1 in 4 survivors of human trafficking reported that a bank account or credit card which was opened in their name was then used or controlled by their trafficker. Traffickers can then mismanage the victim’s account, resulting in harm to their credit. This harm can linger for years after survivors have escaped their trafficking,” reads the letter signed by 41 of America’s attorneys general.

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