A consumer report is background information collected by consumer reporting agencies and used by employers and creditors in determining whether to hire or loan to an individual. A consumer report can contain a wide variety of information including credit history, past bankruptcy, judicial records, employment records, and even online activity. This information can only be accessed with approval from the individual and is highly regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Some states add restrictions to what can be collected by employers such as credit history.
[Last updated in June of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]
